So last summer I started getting a hum in the rear of the car. Changed rear wheel hub bearings (inner and outter) still humming. I bought all new axle u joints that I have yet to install because there is no driveline slack when put in gear or on/off throttle. I have read about the diff output shaft bearings going every 100,000 mi due to the axle acting as upper wishbone. Fine. They are serviceable withought removing the diff. But having trouble finding the bearing and colar and circlip to do this job. Im in canada. Any help is appreciated.

 

it used a custom bearing. SNG Baratt has a solution with a spacer.


https://www.sngbarratt.com/English/#/US/parts/select-vehicle

 

I see the bearing and colar there but with the exchange rate it be 400 canadian dollars. I did find a pair of output shafts on ebay with bearing working and intact. So I may go this route as it will be cheaper and easier to install. Should just be 4 bolts to remove axle halfshaft and circlip to remove output shaft with bearing. And re assemble with new to me shaft?

 

Did you check for output shaft bearing play per the procedure in the FSM on your existing bearings?

Also, if the shaft+bearing assembly you're buying off Ebay is good, why not just use that instead of going through all the work, and risk bearing damage, transferring the bearing to another stub? That's what I did when I swapped mine, I managed to find some at a junkyard with no play, and just transferred the whole assy. My original stubs are in the basement somewhere.

 

Yes I rocked wheel up and down after changing wheel hub bearings and there is noticeable play still. And u joints seem okay. So has to be the output bearing.I plan to swap the whole used shaft bearing included yep. Less labour also. Got both shafts for 300Ca$ bearing included.

 

Okay guys do got my used output shaft. They came still c clipped to the housing. I removed the c clip but the shaft will not slide out of the housing. Should I just unscrew the old housing and swap in the whole used housing with shaft? It looks like it screws all the way in until the o ring seals. Or is better the remove c clip and shaft only. But how to I seperate the shaft from housing? Thanks.

 

did you replace by threading the whole assembly into the diff? If so is it straight forward?. Or is there adjustment for preload?

 

Don't touch the threaded assembly! That adjusts other bearings in the diff itself. Independent unrelated adjustment from the stub bearing.

Do you have the service manual?

Take a picture of what you received so we have a better idea of what's going on.

The procedure is: remove circlip, pull out stub flange+bearing as an assembly. No threading. I'll dig up some photos when I get home, or if you search my posts I'm sure it's in my post history somewhere

 

They sent me the shaft still attached to the threaded assembly. I removed the c clip from the shaft but could not get it out of the assembly. So I decided to unthread the assembly and thread the whole used working assembly back in. So too late. I know the threaded assembly adjusts the preload on the bearing just behind the output shaft bearing. So now how do I make sure the preload is okay? I did put a mark when the old assembly was in and judged the depth of the assembly. Just beyond flush with the difff and installed the lock tab.

 

****. I just took apart the old one with c clip and a rubber malet got it apart. I had read somewhere that it was pressed. So now am I screwed?

 

I only unthreaded one side. And I threaded the used one in to the same depth and used the raised section on the castle ring to mark where it was before. And put back to original postion. Lock tab lined up with old marks and bolted back on. So it looks as if it was never moved. I will do the passenger side the proper way by removing the circlip and shaft only. When I turn the axle the backlash feels the same as it did. So Hoping it will be okay. But be nice to know if theres a way of measuring the proper amount of preload on the side I threaded. Which should also correct backlash as well. Since I didnt touch the other side.

This is what they sent.

 

Unfortunately I don't know how to check that, I don't think it was documented in the service manual. Maybe one of the other guys here who have serviced the diff more in depth know how to check that.

 

I hope so. Otherwise Ill hope for the best. Im waiting until next week for rear lower shock bolts that were siezed and had to be cut and punched out. New shocks ready to go in. The upper bushes were good but lower were falling apart. All replaced. Was going to do axle u joints also but they seem okay for now. No slop. Thanks anyways.

 

Well its all assembled. No more suspension clunks. But still a humm. It sounds similar to before but slightly different. Maybe the used bearings were no good. Maybe the backlash/ preload is off causing the noise. Or maybe its carrier or pinion bearings. Urgh. I love this car. But its killing my mood. Can someone take a zoomed in picture of thier driver side output shaft? I want to see the position and depth of your adjusting nut to compare to where mine is. Since I cant seem to find any info on this. I can hear driveline play when I engadge reverse to drive or back to reverse. How much play when u guys do this? If any? Thanks.

 

Could also be the driveshaft center support bearing. I had a bad one on my 98’ XJR years ago and I could never hear it while it was on a lift. I finally just took a chance and replaced it without fully knowing it was the center support and it worked.

 

That was one of my original thoughts. However it seemed furthar back at the diff. And I had trouble sourcing the center bearing for my 00 xjr. Rockauto has them for earlier 97 models but not my year. Even though they look the exact same. I thought pinion bearing also so had driveshaft disconnected and felt no play at pinion. Center bearing had slight movement in the rubber incasing it but could not tell if bearing was bad or not by looking/shaking it. I also have a vibration that only starts at 100km or more on the highway. Thats not constant but more like on/off. Shake. Smooth. Shake. Smooth. Kinda like an off balance. But doesnt feel like a tire that would be more of a constant shake at certain speeds.

 

I have a few sets of output shaft/bearings in my garage if need other sets to try. I made similar mistake of taking apart but between a half dozen sets of trying I got mine perfect.

obviously not the ideal way to service the diff but worked

 

Thats a good point. I bought used output shafts on ebay that said known to be working. But maybe one of them was bad also. I could feel play in the bearings I removed by hand. And couldnt on the used. Although when I spun it kinda sounded like it was contaminated with dirt. Has a sound like it has a few grains of sand in it. I would have liked to changed it for a bew bearing. But soo pricey. I could buy a whole used diff for the price of bearings. So u say you made the mistake of unthreading the side adjusters? If so. How did you get the diff set back up?

 

Okay guys. So I checked rear wheel play again after driving it for a while. And I have considerable up/down and side/side play at rear driver side wheel. I had already changed the wheel bearings and output shaft. Does this sound like wheel bearings? Hub shaft? It wasnt changed just the inner and outer wheel bearings and races. Or maybe the lower fulcrum bearings? Passenger side has zero play in all directions. And there is a hum at lower speeds but doesnt seem to change when steering. Thanks for any input here.

 

How about someone else rocking the wheel and you looking and touching suspension parts at the same time to feel where the slack is?. You can use big screwdriver or similiar to pry against stuff to make stub axels stop moving.while rocking the wheel etc.