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[Groove Rider]

My 95 XJ is whining big time, I know it could be the diff ......but the oil is clean. So I am going to investigate the wheel bearing first.......is this a straight forward job? I read that I will need a slide hammer is this a definate  must have to complete the job or can I get round this somehow........any advice on checking the bearings out would be handy.....I have also read that the shaft may need replacing and they are not cheap I plan to just have a look before I do the fix as Christmas has cleaned me out finacialy.

[greggmo]

get the tail of the jeep up on axle stands. check for lift in the wheel. if there is lift then you need to look at the bearings. the slide hammer is the best tool for the job, maybe even hire one if you need to. i would say that you having a dana 35 axle that there is a fair chance it needs an overhaul. done many miles?

[Groove Rider]

Its done 100,000 miles and doesnt look too abused, but I plan to travel down through France this summer towing a caravan and the whining is like a WW2 war siren. :lol: I dont think I could bare it for that sort of distance............Turning up the radio isnt an option unless I play the latest Telly tubbies story tape for my nippers :shock: ...................Imagine how happy I was to find it was a heavy duty Torque wrench 300 + that had been left up there..........just perfect for that pinion bearing :lol:

I am quite handy with the spanners is this axle rebuild something that I can do myself or do I need to get the axle set up by a profesional

[Mik]

The cause of your noise in order of likelyhood is :-

1) Carrier bearings
2) Pinion bearings
3) Axle bearings

PM me if you want any costings

Mik

[tag]

Hi,
 after reading your post i suggest you check what type of axel you have before you use the slide hammer, as some have a c. clip that holds the half shaft in place. ........cya

[Mike Pavelin]

Put the slide hammer away. You won't be needing it on any UK spec XJ.

[Bubba]

hang on dont the c clip retain the shaft not the bearing pull the shaft and the bearing and seal are still in place i know i am a bit fik but that was what i found on the last one i did and i did use a slide to remove the bearing it wasnt mega tight but the slide did it in a fraction of the time maybe i done it wrong but there has been no probs in 18 months with it

[Mike Pavelin]

If it's the needle bearing in the end of the axle tube that the shaft runs in that you want to get out then, yes, if you have the right tool to fit on the end, a slide hammer will make it easier to remove. What I meant was that you don't need one to get the axle apart far enough to find out what's wrong with it. The axle shaft bearings don't really whine, they make a low speed scrape/rumble noise, and often at this stage the shaft has to be replaced at the same time as the bearing runs directly on it. A whine is more likeley to be due to worn pinion bearings.

[greggmo]

think the slide was for bearing removal not the shafts. got my bearings out with the slide hammer and i think i would still be trying to get em out now if we didnt we use that.

[Groove Rider]

I am quite handy with the spanners, is this pinion bearings something that I can do myself or do I need to get the axle set up by a profesional

[chrisjones]

often at this stage the shaft has to be replaced at the same time as the bearing runs directly on it. A whine is more likeley to be due to worn pinion bearings.

I might be being stupid, but if the bearings run directly on the shaft, why would you need a slide hammer to get them off? Surely they should come off reasonably easily 'cos the needles shouldn't be an interference fit on the race.  I'm not sayin' you're wrong (far from it), I'm just curious. :?

[Mike Pavelin]

The shaft comes out of the axle ok once the c clip is removed, but the bearing is pressed or tapped into the end of the the axle tube and is difficult to get hold of when you want to remove it.
As far as replacing the actual diff bearings are concerned, if it was set up properly in the first place, and you are only replacing the bearings, not the gears, you can do it yourself if you are confident working on axles or gearboxes. You will need a torque wrench which reads in inch/pounds or very low N/M to set up the pinion bearing preload when reassembling, and replace all the bearing at once or you'll end up doing it twice.