jsciaretta

I have a 2008 JK with upgraded rear gears. Aside from the gears the axle shafts, brakes and etc are stock. I run 35" tires and am now on my 3 set of bearing and seals where my axle shaft is sliding. The reason for replacing was a worn seal and leak. The actual bearing was actually fine and the sliding issue never occurred until post replacement. The first 2 sets (retainer, bearing and seal) were made by crown. First set lasted a few days and slid causing the rotor to rub the caliper bracket. Second set lasted a week and same issue occurred. The third set was all spicer/Dana products. This last 3 weeks and then the other day I hear the squeezing again and it's all slide again. The rotor is occasionally rubbing the caliper and has ground the pad slides. I for the life of me and the shop doing it, can not figure out why. The shaft is stock and looks perfectly fine. Also because the stock bearing setup never did this. All being pressed on with a good press. Mic'd the shaft and it seems fine where the bearing is setting. How or what in the hell is causing this and why so much variation on failure? Please help I'm losing my mind with this issue!!! Thank you

jadmt

Sounds like the shaft could be bent. Northridge4x4 has the bearings already pressed on for a plug and play install, Ten factory for a screaming deal. If you are having the same issue on stock shaft time to replace the shaft.

jchappies

Ditto on the shafts.... got my TEN factories from NR for 400ish OTD

jsciaretta

Can you explain how the shaft would be bent and cause this issue? I just do not understand especially when all the stock pieces didn't do anything and the only change was the bearing, seal and retainer.

jadmt

Well I guess you can keep throwing bearings on but after 3 I would be looking at the shaft replacement. Generally if the rubbing on rotor and pad wear would indicate bent shaft. Put the shaft on a lath and check the runout but for under $400 you can get a nicer stronger set of axle shafts ready to bolt on right out of the package 40 minutes from the time the ups truck drops them off until you headed to the local watering hole.

jsciaretta

I'm most likely going to do new shafts I never said I wouldn't and I only had to pay for the original bearing set. I'll say the shop has been very good to me with the work and issues its just even they don't see a shaft issue. I know they don't have a lathe to do that check. I'm just at a loss as to why the total stock package was fine but the replaced bearings etc... Is now possible a bent shaft? Obviously in my opinion the guys who did the job would have to have bent the shaft and that's why I'm asking how. I want to make sure when I go see them again because of my inconveniences and the money I spent initially, what they can do for me. Like put a credit towards new shafts because it's a big named place that did the work for me. $400 might now be a lot to some people and I'll agree it's not for new chromoly shafts I'm back in school and limited for work so dropping another $$$$ is not so easy.

jadmt

I'll say I doubt there is anything thing they could have done to mess up. Why did you think bearings were bad? My guess chirp chirp which indicates bent shaft. How many miles?

dahreno

You don't need to put them on a lathe, just on jackstands. Take the tire off and have some one spin the opposite tire real fast and watch the rotor while to see if it waivers. Of course if you have a dial indicator with a magnetic base it would be better but, you can also just put something lightly up against the rotor and spin it to see if it is bent. Mine were pretty obvious.

jsciaretta

Well we (the mechanic, csr and myself) all being extremely puzzled as to why the axle shaft slide outwards pushing the rotor into the bracket decided it must be a bad bearing and retainer. Either oversized maybe or soft metal, nothing against crown as I've used their parts before but it's not American made and who knows is what we thought. Best to replace because they had to replace the rotor. At first when we pulled it all we thought the stuff wasn't pressed on far enough. (Later found it slides, like I refer to now) so replace it all even though it seemed fine. Noises were from rotor grinding. Fast forward a week or so and a repeat of whole scenario. So thinking crown is the issue switched to Dana/spicer parts. Replace it all again. Mechanic said the retainer and bearing came off a bit too easy this time.

I'm just not understanding how putting it all in place. Driving for a few weeks now with a supposedly bent shaft causes the issue? If the shaft was bent I think it would be ruining bearings etc, causing vibrations or some other issue. Not just sliding in the bearing, retainer and seal about 1/4" to 5/16" .....?!?

If the shaft was bent I should have had issues with the complete factory stock assembly doing the same thing. However the seal was just leaking and needed replaced so I did all 3 pieces to be safe.

I'm just trying to understand so that when I go back to them I'm not dropping more cash on something I already "fixed". If the shaft is bent then they should never have replaced the parts and recommended a new complete shaft assembly. They are 95+ % jeeps and nationwide, I don't see them screwing up or not being honest. They have eaten a lot of costs, time repairing and excessive parts.

jchappies

What do you think caused your original seal to leak?...maybe a slightly bent shaft?