Front wheel/axle moves in and out

[johnbendik]

I recently did the 'full-time AWD' modification on my 1984 Eagle wagon (hose clamp on the the front shift motor shaft, manual switch on the transfer case shift motor and disconnected the vacuum lines).

While I had the front end off of the ground, I noticed that the driver's side front wheel could be moved 'in' (towards the engine) and out.  When I took the wheel off to see things better, I discovered I could wiggle the backing plate by more than 1/8th of an inch.  The backing plate, brake rotor and half-axle all seem to moving together when this happens.  The movement is a combination of moving straight in and out, with a little bit of rocking front to back, as near as I can tell.  The suspension parts don't seem to move at all when this is going on.

I had the wheel bearings on that side replaced not too many miles ago.  Do you guys think there's any way my problem could be caused by the wheel bearings?  Or is it likely to be some more expensive problem with the half-axle?  I confess that I don't have enough mechanical expertise to make a very good guess.

Thanks to all who might reply...
John Bendiksen

[DownwardFlame]

Might want to take a close look at the ball joints while you move the wheel in and out.

[johnbendik]

Thanks, DownwardFlame, but no, none of the suspension parts (ball joints included) have any play or movement when the wheel moves in and out....

JB

[Mernsy]

Have you tried tightening big nut on the outside end of the half shaft?

[johnbendik]

Mernsey,

Are you talking about the thing that looks a little like a round water faucet handle (instead of flat sides, it has corrugations)?

I haven't tried that yet because it looks like it might need a special tool, although I guess I could just whack it with screwdriver and hammer on the sides to try to spin it tighter...

JB

[Mernsy]

Remove the cotter pin and the "round water faucet handle " thingy and the nut will be revealed.

[johnbendik]

Turned out to be the wheel bearings...

After checking the axle nut tightness as Mernsy suggested (it was tight), I became convinced that the problem was in the half-axle.  So I bought a new one from Advanced Auto and put it in, which was an easy job thanks to the Eaglepedia. However, the wheel movement was still there.

So I took the Eagle back to the local garage that had replaced the bearings on that wheel.  After much drama involving accusations of lost parts, etc., they replaced the bearings under warranty, which seems to have solved the problem.

I think the local shop was probably in over their heads working on an old car like an Eagle, and probably screwed up the initial wheel bearing replacement in  some way.  But they made it right (after a little arm-twisting), so I'm not complaining.  Just won't use them again.

Thanks to Mernsy and DownwardFlame for weighing in...

JB

[Mernsy]

All's well that ends well!