Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

'98 TJ 6-cyl, all stock, dana35:

My rear diff is making a loud whining sound at all speeds, particularly
when coasting (when clutch is disengaged) and appears to be getting
worse. My daughter commented this AM on the way to school it sounds
like a jet plane reving its engines. Can hardly hear the radio
anymore. Interestingly, the sound disappears when making a right turn
and gets worse making a left turn. Took the diff plate off to drain
and clean the housing. All gears look good, but the carrier is real
loose. There is little side-to-side movement but I can move it up and
down with my hand quite a bit. In fact, the carrier bearings are loose
to the point I can move them with my finger. I'm assuming the carrier
bearings are shot. Anyone agree? If so, is this a DIY job? Seems I'd
have to pull the axles out, remove the carrier bearing housings, pull
the whole carrier out and simply replace the bearings. Is this so?

Re: Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

This is likely to be more complicated than you think. Loose carrier
bearings will cause the ring and pinion to mate improperly, leading to
abnormal wear patterns and premature wear. That noise is probably more
from the ring and pinion, than from the bearings. A dial gauge would
be nice to have, so that you could say definitely what constitutes
"quite a bit". There is a special tool to pull the bearings from the
carrier. Depending on local conditions, you may be able to rent one.

I think that you are looking at ring and pinion replacement. Take
another look at that ring gear. A little experience would be good
here, to let you know what a good one looks like. Whether ring and
pinion replacement is a "DIY" job, now that is a subject for debate.
If you can read directions carefully, and are exceptionally patient, it
may be. Dealers have access to special tools, which are supposed to
make this operation idiot proof. Let's just say that they make it
somewhat resistant to the antics of idiots, but not completely so.

If your carrier is that loose, then chances are good that your pinion
is too. If the assembly decides to "let go", well then you could be
sitting in the middle of the highway, with a locked up rear axle. That
is not a pleasant thought.

Earle

Re: Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

This is likely to be more complicated than you think. Loose carrier
bearings will cause the ring and pinion to mate improperly, leading to
abnormal wear patterns and premature wear. That noise is probably more
from the ring and pinion, than from the bearings. A dial gauge would
be nice to have, so that you could say definitely what constitutes
"quite a bit". There is a special tool to pull the bearings from the
carrier. Depending on local conditions, you may be able to rent one.

I think that you are looking at ring and pinion replacement. Take
another look at that ring gear. A little experience would be good
here, to let you know what a good one looks like. Whether ring and
pinion replacement is a "DIY" job, now that is a subject for debate.
If you can read directions carefully, and are exceptionally patient, it
may be. Dealers have access to special tools, which are supposed to
make this operation idiot proof. Let's just say that they make it
somewhat resistant to the antics of idiots, but not completely so.

If your carrier is that loose, then chances are good that your pinion
is too. If the assembly decides to "let go", well then you could be
sitting in the middle of the highway, with a locked up rear axle. That
is not a pleasant thought.

Earle

Re: Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

This is likely to be more complicated than you think. Loose carrier
bearings will cause the ring and pinion to mate improperly, leading to
abnormal wear patterns and premature wear. That noise is probably more
from the ring and pinion, than from the bearings. A dial gauge would
be nice to have, so that you could say definitely what constitutes
"quite a bit". There is a special tool to pull the bearings from the
carrier. Depending on local conditions, you may be able to rent one.

I think that you are looking at ring and pinion replacement. Take
another look at that ring gear. A little experience would be good
here, to let you know what a good one looks like. Whether ring and
pinion replacement is a "DIY" job, now that is a subject for debate.
If you can read directions carefully, and are exceptionally patient, it
may be. Dealers have access to special tools, which are supposed to
make this operation idiot proof. Let's just say that they make it
somewhat resistant to the antics of idiots, but not completely so.

If your carrier is that loose, then chances are good that your pinion
is too. If the assembly decides to "let go", well then you could be
sitting in the middle of the highway, with a locked up rear axle. That
is not a pleasant thought.

Earle

Re: Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

Thanks for the info. I do agree that the noise is most likely coming
from the ring and pinion since any play in the carrier would misalign
the gears. My concern is to get the carrier bearings replaced ASAP so
no further damage is made. The movement of the carrier by hand, if I
had to guess, was about 1/4 inch up and down motion. The carrier
bearings were so loose I could move them up and down, and side to side
with my finger.

Re: Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

Thanks for the info. I do agree that the noise is most likely coming
from the ring and pinion since any play in the carrier would misalign
the gears. My concern is to get the carrier bearings replaced ASAP so
no further damage is made. The movement of the carrier by hand, if I
had to guess, was about 1/4 inch up and down motion. The carrier
bearings were so loose I could move them up and down, and side to side
with my finger.

Re: Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

Thanks for the info. I do agree that the noise is most likely coming
from the ring and pinion since any play in the carrier would misalign
the gears. My concern is to get the carrier bearings replaced ASAP so
no further damage is made. The movement of the carrier by hand, if I
had to guess, was about 1/4 inch up and down motion. The carrier
bearings were so loose I could move them up and down, and side to side
with my finger.

Re: Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

I am very confident ripping an engine down, in the driveway in a
snowstorm even, but I take differential work to people that are
'supposed' to know how to do it with their special tools.

I had a so called 'Jeep' shop replace a yoke and they couldn't even do
that right, it destroyed all the bearings in short order. I then went
to a 'machine' shop to have it fixed right and to the tune of about
$500.00 and am hoping they did it right. I seem to be hearing some
noise lately....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

GTK wrote:
>
> Thanks for the info. I do agree that the noise is most likely coming
> from the ring and pinion since any play in the carrier would misalign
> the gears. My concern is to get the carrier bearings replaced ASAP so
> no further damage is made. The movement of the carrier by hand, if I
> had to guess, was about 1/4 inch up and down motion. The carrier
> bearings were so loose I could move them up and down, and side to side
> with my finger.

Re: Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

I am very confident ripping an engine down, in the driveway in a
snowstorm even, but I take differential work to people that are
'supposed' to know how to do it with their special tools.

I had a so called 'Jeep' shop replace a yoke and they couldn't even do
that right, it destroyed all the bearings in short order. I then went
to a 'machine' shop to have it fixed right and to the tune of about
$500.00 and am hoping they did it right. I seem to be hearing some
noise lately....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

GTK wrote:
>
> Thanks for the info. I do agree that the noise is most likely coming
> from the ring and pinion since any play in the carrier would misalign
> the gears. My concern is to get the carrier bearings replaced ASAP so
> no further damage is made. The movement of the carrier by hand, if I
> had to guess, was about 1/4 inch up and down motion. The carrier
> bearings were so loose I could move them up and down, and side to side
> with my finger.

Re: Help replacing carrier bearings in rear diff
 

I am very confident ripping an engine down, in the driveway in a
snowstorm even, but I take differential work to people that are
'supposed' to know how to do it with their special tools.

I had a so called 'Jeep' shop replace a yoke and they couldn't even do
that right, it destroyed all the bearings in short order. I then went
to a 'machine' shop to have it fixed right and to the tune of about
$500.00 and am hoping they did it right. I seem to be hearing some
noise lately....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

GTK wrote:
>
> Thanks for the info. I do agree that the noise is most likely coming
> from the ring and pinion since any play in the carrier would misalign
> the gears. My concern is to get the carrier bearings replaced ASAP so
> no further damage is made. The movement of the carrier by hand, if I
> had to guess, was about 1/4 inch up and down motion. The carrier
> bearings were so loose I could move them up and down, and side to side
> with my finger.