Front axle shaft/unit bearing replacement, for the complete idiot

I replaced my bearing today and figured I'd do a step by step for you folk that may have never done this job on your YJ/XJ/TJ d30. 6 steps/posts...

1. Jack up the offending end and remove the tire. Do the smart thing and put a jackstand under the axle, otherwise the Darwin Theory may grab hold of you.

Remove the 2 bolts (1/2" socket, though the 13mm you need later will work too) holding your caliper in and pop it off. Might want to wire it up out of the way so it doesn't fall and waste your flex line causing and easy job to get harder and more tume consuming.

Pull off the disc and set aside.

2. Remove the cotter pin and discard (don't reuse these you cheap bastid, they are like $0.23 for 6 of them or something). Keep the locking star deal and the tensioning spring and set them aside.

Now grab your 36mm socket and undo the nut. (You can use a cold chisel too as can be seen in my pic at the damage done to the nut when doing so. I dropped the whopping $7 for the right tool for the job this time).

3. Now duck your head under the fender (see why you should use a jack stand?) armed with your 13mm 12 point socket. The good 6 point sockets will not work here. Remove the three 12 point bolts that hold the unit bearing on. (Pic 3)

3a. Hard to see from this pic but I knurled a couple of the 12 point heads on these bolts when I last blew the u-joint and the ears of the shafts spread (and eventually busted off). (Pic 3a)

It was a PITA to get them off the first time when I did the shaft. This time I replaced them.

NOTE the Never Seize (the grey stuff). ALWAYS handy.

4. Using an appropriate tool (in my case a nice broken handled old screwdriver) and start working the bearing out. try to get it out somewhat evenly, working your way around it with the wedge.

It comes out pretty easily when you get used to doing them. I work the screwdriver tip in at a shallow angle and let the wedge shape do the work until the bearing assembly falls out. (Pic 4)

Once it is off you have free access to your shaft if that was the reason you were in there. It just slides right out unless you have spread the ears, then you are in for some fun.

Installation is the reverse. Torque (from my Haynes Manual) specs:

12 point bolts: 75 foot pounds

36mm hub nut: 175 foot pounds

My clicker only goes to 150 but I just guess from that click. (Pic 5)

As a side note: Gotta love New England. Those ball joints and the caliper were new as of last fall.