Advice needed - quite urgent !

[LaGuardia]

OUCH ! I posted it in the wrong section, too... could somebody please move it to the wheels, brakes, etc.. section ? THANKS !

OK, I have (another) problem.

While driving, especially on sharp turns, but randomly, I heard a "scratching" noise (well, more like a grinding noise) coming from the front right wheel. At first it seemed to me that my brake pads were worn (the noise was similar to worn pads on disc), but some vibrations alerted me.

I lifted the front and, here we go, the wheel rattles and shakes when I grab it and move it. No need to bother and remove the rotor to understand the bearing has "gone fishing". It's not the kind of shaking caused by a bad pitman arm, been there, done that.

Now for the problem. I have no tools like an arbor press nor I have a convenient place at hand to have the bearing replaced. Well I have no bearings too, but we'll think about it later

This takes me to two stupid questions, let's go:

1) How safe is to drive the car in this condition (I'd rather use it anyway until parts arrive and work is done) ? Basically I drive it from home to work and back, no more than 10 miles a day at 45 MPH as top speed. Do I risk major damage like the wheel coming off or something ?

2) Can I solve the "no tools" issue by buying and installing a complete half shaft like this (courtesy EaglePedia) ?

Something tells me I'm completely out of way, but I need advice.

Or is it more a hub matter ? (I'm doing something I hate - writing while thinking - but please bear with me )

An in that case, is there a chance I can find a whole hub assembly for a clean, quick and safe replacement ?

Waiting for input... thank you all !

[IowaEagle]

Sounds like the hub to me.  I would not drive it. It could seize up on you at the worst time and welded to the hub bearings will not do you much good.

[LaGuardia]

That's bad. Ugly, I'd say.

So, I read around a little more and I definitely figured out the half shaft is out of question.

It's an hub thing. OK, then, any suggestion on which parts to buy and, once I have them, how to install ?

Browsing through RockAuto catalog (my only source at the moment) is a bit confusing for me now, at home I'll take a look at the TSM maybe it'll help.

But I believe someone with direct experience about this thing will surely help me more than any book. So it's a cry for help, now !

How much stuff will I have to tear down ?

And, is there any chance I can succeed in rebuilding the hub without that arbor press ? Even if I find some shop, they will have the press but the right adapters won't be easy to find.

[LaGuardia]

A little research and browsing ended up in this shopping list:

I found only Timken stuff on RockAuto, hope that's good.

- 2 sets of bearings (race and seat): their part# is "SET26". I assume the inner and outer bearings are identical but tell me if I'm wrong.
- 1 seal (knuckle side) part# 3942
- 1 seal (wheel side) part# 3553

The part#'s match with those I found on a post here, the bearing named on the post is SKF but the "26" is also in the SKF #

Is this enough for rebuilding the hub ? I hope spacer(s) can be reused and o-rings are quite easy to find anyway.

Any ideas, suggestions, corrections ? I really need some expert help here, because I just don't know what I'm going to do
I'll wait for your feedback before finalizing the order (I'll have to wait anyway, because this month my credit card seems to be frozen).

Obviously, if somebody has a rebuilt hub ready to ship, it would be wonderful... but I kind of understood that it's no popular part...

[IowaEagle]

The EN Store sells the rubber O-ring that is hard to find.  Only one grease seal is used on our hubs.  Have you checked our How To in the AMC Eaglepedia?

[Eagleearl]

Are you sure the movement is in the hub and not the upper or lower ball joints?

[LaGuardia]

Doug: I knew the online catalog would have gotten me confused... ow ! Ok, then, only one seal. I suppose the hub side one, right ?

Did I get the bearings thing right ? I mean is it really a couple of identical bearings mounted face to face into the carrier ? It's the only
doubt I still have.

I'll check the Store for the orings, then. Get ready to ship some !

Earl: I'm pretty sure, because with the wheel off, if I hold the rotor and move it, the slack seems to be right there. If it were the ball joints I should have also steering issues, which I have not. And the thing that speaks "bearings" is the noise. Quite typical "crunkcrunksquealgrrrrrcrunk - then silence - then crunkcrunkandso on"...

Casper: As far as I can understand from what I've read here, it should be fairly easy (I will know better after trying to do it). The only thing I'm worried about is the extraction of the old bearings and the placement of the new ones in case of lack of specialty tools (that's my condition), without damaging the carrier. I guess I'll need some help from a shop anyway, especially on the tools side. I'm still in the "parts gathering" phase, though...

[IowaEagle]

Yes, the two same bearings for each side.  So, a total of four if you are doing both hubs.  Yes, its and outer seal, towards the wheel.  #7 in the diagram.  #15 (B) is only used on Jeep hubs.  O-rings are standing by waiting for a mailing address.

[Mechanic]

Sorry if I'm a bit late to this but, unless I'm mistaken the front bearings(SP?) on the eagle are the full hub and bearing set. I've not done one on an eagle quite yet but from what i remember its three or four bolts that hold the hub tight with the knuckle which is usually rusty and not fun to get off.

Someone tell me if this isn't correct on the eagles.

[LaGuardia]

OK, it happened. Well, it quite happened, I managed to stop before things went really bad. The grinding noise grew louder and louder and the last 2 miles trip from work to home turned into a nightmare, at 15mph with hazard flashers on and the Eagle constantly pulling right in a request to "stop please, before this wheel comes off" !

I managed to take her home (or should I say that she managed to take me home ? ) and now she's safely parked in my driveway, with a jackstand to relief the pressure and weight on the abused hub.

Parts are on the way, I should get the bearings and all next week. Saturday I'm going to remove the hub so that when the parts arrive I'll be able to take it to a shop (luckily enough I discovered that a friend of mine has a wonderful arbor press in his shop with all the necessary adapters and plates) and rebuild it.

I 'm just hoping I didn't damage the carrier or the shaft, and the bearings are the only casualties. Otherwise that will be BAD !

I'll keep you updated and I'll ask for your help in case need be. Be prepared !

[IowaEagle]

Have the O-Rings reached you yet?  I would hope they have by now.

[LaGuardia]

Unfortunately not, but I expect them to be in the mail by the end of the week. Mail from the US takes a couple of days to get to Italy, and *then* 7 working days to reach the actual destination. I hate it, but I have to live with that...

[IowaEagle]

OK -- let me know when they get there.  I know, money wise, its not a big deal but they are important to a good rebuild.

[profeagle]

There is a second seal that fits in the back of the steering knuckle which is the part that the hub bolts to. It seals around the half shaft and seals the back of hub. It should be replaced when rebuilding a hub. 

                                                              Happy Eagle - ing !

[LaGuardia]

profeagle: whoops, it seems I didn't take it into account. It would be annoying to miss one piece with the hub stripped down and the car on jackstands. Let me resume the parts I'm going to get, just to make sure we're not talking about the same part:

Two sets of bearings and races (we're doing only 1 hub at this time);
One seal for the carrier, hub side. (I read Jeep hubs need a second one on the knuckle side, but Eagles don't);
One O-ring that goes between the hub assy.+ splash plate and the steering knuckle (maybe this one is the seal you're mentioning?).

Am I still missing something ?

Thanks...