2001 XJR, 147,000 miles

Just put some new pads and rotors on the rear. I've been noticing a growl from the rear, car seems to drive ok. I've recently topped off the differential, thought i found some play in one of the u-joints but I now think I have a bad rear wheel bearing. Rear tires on both sides are showing excess wear on the inside shoulder, left side is showing cords. Checked for play and i can wiggle the left rear tire in any direction, 12 & 6, 3 & 9, etc. Seems pretty solid a bad wheel bearing to me, but if there any other likely cilprit I should look for? Or other things I should plan to replace wile I'm in that deep?

Assuming it is a bad bearing, how much of a bear is this job? I don't see an obvious writeup in the forun in my searches yet, anyone have one handy? Special tools needed or anything? I've changed out hub/bearing assemblies many times before, but have never had to do press-in bearing/race sets so this is a new process for me.

Thanks as always.

 

I have the same thing on my LS project car. I’ll be watching this post. The Jaguar Workshop Manual has the directions. The manual is in the sticky threads. Looks like a bear. Many special tools. Don’t know if loaner tools from AutoZone will work. Also need a press. Since I have a parts car, I’m thinking of replacing the entire assembly.

 

Thinking about this last night, as my car has been making noise from the rear for an extended time, I could have a damaged hub as well. Maybe I ought to just find a whole hub on ebay or my local pick & pull if they have a compatible car. I'd still want new bearings in there though...wouldn't do to go through that effort and have those bearings go out in a thousand miles.

I'll wait and see what knowledge comes forth from the forum. Looks like I'm driving my truck this week!

 

I did a rear wheel bearing on a XJ40 once, from memory it looked much the same & the only hassle was getting the hub nut undone & retorqued.

 

you gonna need generic hub puller but no other special tool nor press for the job, i drive them out with the chisel and heavy hammer and use old race to drive new one in, you don't even need to remove the hub carrier although having it out makes job easier.
If race spun in the carrier you gonna need new one but i would pull it and check first.

 

So, something like this? This is used to press the new one in from the outside I'm guessing?


Not a full bearing pull/install kit like this?


Local parts stores load bearing kits like this so if one way or the other will improve my life, I'm inclined to go that way.

I think I read elsewhere that when I remove the axle nut (and the brake caliper/rotor) that the whole hub assembly will pivot on the lower control arm and I'll have relatively easy access to the front and rear? Found a youtube video of something similar on the front of a Subaru WRX, but I'm guessing a bearing job is a bearing job and they're largely all pretty similar. Seems relatively straightforward on the surface of it...I know there will be chalenges, but really its just a bunch of work...take my time, stop when I lose my temper so I don't break anything, etc.

I'm seeing a variety of options for replacement parts, some are sealed, some seem to not be. Not sure of what I wil need here...I'm guessing an inner and outer bearing with an inner and outer race set and seals for both sides? The race goes into the hub carrier and then the tapered bearing goes into the race and then the next bearing and the other race goes over that? Then seals on both ends and thats it? Below is what loks like a complete kit to me...is it missing anything?

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...t=1672&jsn=919

I would normally go for Timken, is SKF a reputable brand?

Thanks!

Working on getting the workshop manual, Have to go through the Win10 issues and find a working download in the sticky, so all of my questions will probably be answered in there.

Edit: Welsh has essentially the same kit for $20 less...dunno about brand or quality.

https://www.welshent.com/Steering-Su...ub-Bearing-Kit

I need a new axle nut too, correct? It'll self destruct when I remove it?

 

generic old vehicle wheel bearing job

 

for hub puller i use this thing:


it serves 85 mm - 135 mm distances between studs, and if i remember well jaguar needs something about 130mm, so make sure yours does
your skf set from rockauto looks all right it is good brand and yes you need new axle nut.
i don't think the bearing puller from second link will cut, you would rather need a press for removing old races so just use the large hammer instead, on another hand it may help driving races in, dunno, i never tried
there is distancing shim between inner and outer bearing don't loose it as it will wreck hub in no time
it is not very challenging job so don't feel intimidated just take your time and you gonna be all right, you can search youtube for how it is done on older jags they are quite similar on the rear

 

Much appreciated xjack, thanks. Its a bit intimdating in that this is a new process to me, but I've got a decent workspace and a spare vehicle so I'm looking forward to learning a new skill.

Ordered the bearing set from Welsh just now as they have the axle nuts and Rockauto doesn't...I needed some new lugnuts too so its all coming in one box. Just need to find the right tools and get the manual working and I can probably get it back on the road for the weekend I hope...probably just rent the hub puller kit from Advance and see if it fits my bolt pattern.

To be clear though, you're using the hub puler to actually pull the hub after removing the axle nut, which gets me access to the bearings. Careful haller work from there on out.

Off to youtube I go before I make a further pest out of myself!

Many thanks.

 

yes, hub fits over halfshaft end, both are toothed and probably a bit rusty so it needs some force to pull,
if you are not in hurry you can try to do without puller maybe yours gonna give easy, in worst case you will have to get the puller and finish other day.
and you've left pest zone far behind by undertaking job yourself

 

Starting my disassembly and I got my cordless impact on the axle nut, hit the button and it spun off immediately...like almost no impact clicks. I'm wondering if the damn nut was just loose. Tempted to reinstall at the correct torque to see if the wobble goes away.

224 ft-lb? It definitely wasn't anywhere near that, it spun off easier than my lug nuts and I do those to 78ft-lb.

Edit, i understand its a single use nut. I have one coming with the new bearing, but if i tighten this one more or less properly and it resolves the wobble and noise, then maybe i just need the new nut and i can save the bearing for another day.

 

Cranked that nut in there with my impact gun, reassembled and went for a short drive. Damn is it better. Still have a tiny bit of play in the bearing so probably ought to just do the job and have it done. I ordered a set of new tires so why risk them, right?

Guess a prior owner or maybe a garage reused the axle nut and its probably been slowly workingworkinay out since i brought it home. Bet the bearing wouldn't need replacement if it had been tight like it should be.

 

yes it looks like everything went loose and wrecked the bearings.
generally well tightened nut collapses inside and stays locked, if you didn't tighten your new nut enough it may still be reusable but those are my thoughts only, i'm not sure and i would not risk.

 

Not going to risk it, I'll do the bearing, new nut, picking up a torque wrench this evening that'll go high enough to do the job properly as mine only goes to 150ft-lb.

For all I know, the old nut isn't the right one, it could just be a nut of the correct size or as you suggest, it might have never been exposed to enough torque to deform.. I'll be checking the one on the other side as well. Is an alignment necessary after this? I would think the rear camber might be off if the new axle nut goes in measurably further than the old one.

 

no, no need to touch alignment, there are spacers setting correct distance between inner and outer bearings, the nut goes only as far as distancers allow it.
The correct nut have helicoil insert inside, did you see the one or someone used just the ordinary nut from the hardware store?

 

Just looks like a big nut to me. 27mm 6 point nut. I'll possibly be getting my parts today so I might be able to do a comparison.

 

Shiny coil inside is what makes the difference

 

Good progres today, new parts showed up, can confirm that the new bolt does indeed have a helicoil-type insert...as does the old one. Old insert appears fully intact, so I'm going to venture that even though they used the right bolt, whomever did this job last time didn't get enough torque on the old bolt to deform the insert, which is why it spun itseelf out I presume.

Took a bit of persuasion with the rental hub puller, but the hub came off without too much of a fight. Hub carrier folds over and wouldn't you know it, the abs ring just flopped over as did the inner bearing. I'm not sure if the inner seal was placed in there or not, or if its stuck to either the abs ring or the inner bearing. spacer ring and big fat spacer came out without any drama, outer bearing and the seal with it were tapped out with a huge impact socket and a 2 lb hammer. As things come out I've been placing them on my bench in order to help with reassembly.

Inner and outer races are another story and thus far have proven resistant to my persuasion. I don't have any drofts, but I've got a sacrificail flathead scredriver whose tip is just a bit more narrow than the channel in the hub and I've been tapping on that, alternating between the two channels to try and work either race out, but so far they aren't budging. Any tips or is this just a case of getting enough bite and enough force enough times and they'll eventually work their way out? I'm planning on checking to see if the car parts place has a bearing pull/press kit and with a bit of luck it'll have a disc thats the right size.

With a bit of luck I might have this wrapped up tomorrow night if I can get the old races out. New races go in with everything clean, dry and grease free, correct? Bearings get covered in grease and popped into the races, assemble from the outside towards the inside...so outer race, outer bearing, big spacer facing the right way, thin spacer, inner bearing, inner race, endcaps, abs ring, done?

What about grease? Any old wheel bearing grease will do or is there a particularly good product available I should be using? The new bearing kit came with a little pouch of grease...seems inadequate.

 

Have you got a welder?
A bead of weld around the inside of the old race will make it fall out. As the weld cools it contracts & pulls the race in with it slightly. It's a trick I learned on old Triumph bikes to get races out of blind holes. Then cut a slot in the old race & it's the perfect drift to fit the new race with, the slot means the old one won't stick in the hole & falls out after use.

 

1.5kg hammer and chisel like this



does the job in few hits, if chisel slides impeding full force transfer you can grind the tip at angle a bit to help it stay in place, hit once per hub channel to drive it out evenly
as for grease i use some castrol lmx but i think any decent stuff will do