[Matt Gertsch]

Originally Posted by tangofox007

Maybe some models use ball bearings. Mine are tapered roller.

Pics? I'd be willing to machine an adapter if I could find rollers.

[tangofox007]

Originally Posted by Matt Gertsch

Pics? I'd be willing to machine an adapter if I could find rollers.

I will do anything reasonable to help a fellow XJ owner, but taking my hubs apart for a photo session is pushing the edge of the envelope!!!

[Bryson]

Originally Posted by tangofox007

Not all XJ's use ball bearings. The AMC versions used tapered roller bearings.

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=SKF&MfrPartNumber=JLM60 3048F&PartType=184&PTSet=A

Do you know if they are compatible with the late model D30?

I bet they use a completely different hub design.

[MGrobe]

Originally Posted by Bryson

How sure are you they are roller bearings? The link you provided doesn't work.

Do you also know if they are compatible with the late model D30?

Link worked for me, just had to enter my zip and the item appeared. This is the bearing on the earlier non-unitized XJ's.

[Bryson]

Originally Posted by MGrobe

Link worked for me, just had to enter my zip and the item appeared. This is the bearing on the earlier non-unitized XJ's.

edited

[tangofox007]

Originally Posted by MGrobe

This is the bearing on the earlier non-unitized XJ's.

Could you define "unitized?"

[Matt Gertsch]

Originally Posted by tangofox007

I will do anything reasonable to help a fellow XJ owner, but taking my hubs apart for a photo session is pushing the edge of the envelope!!!

I was just looking for pics of the mounting flange on the back side and details on spline count and hub nut size. I work in a machine shop and have access to CNC mills and a waterjet. If we find something that will work, I'd be more than happy to help out buddies in an effort to make their rigs more durable and safe. I'd probably pass the adapters along at little over cost.

[MGrobe]

Originally Posted by tangofox007

Could you define "unitized?"

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/unitized

[Bryson]

Did a little reasearch:

Tapered roller bearing design: 84-89 $120 for complete unit bearing assembily. From the picture the assembily has the same three bolt style as the later ball bearing unit. However, I have no idea if the splines or ID are the same.

So far...it definetly looks like a possibility, but I have a feeling the spline count is different.

I also noticed the Warn hub kits change out to a tapered roller bearing design, so thats another option.

[ktmracer419]

i used a newer style wheel bearing (91-??) in an 88 in a pinch, the only difference is i needed to use the brake rotor out of the newer jeep.

so im guessing they are compatible as long as you swap brake rotors as well.

[Matt Gertsch]

Originally Posted by ktmracer419

i used a newer style wheel bearing (91-??) in an 88 in a pinch, the only difference is i needed to use the brake rotor out of the newer jeep.

so im guessing they are compatible as long as you swap brake rotors as well.

Did the calipers and backing plates still work though?

[ktmracer419]

calipers worked with the new rotor. i think the backing plate was rotted out so i just tossed it.

[HeavyMetal]

yep u can use 99+ and the newer ones on older, the only difference is you need to run the rotors from the newer as well...the lip on the mounting surface of the hub just sticks out further.

[MGrobe]

Odd. I have a 98 and am just starting on my 3rd unit-hub setup in 120K miles. The first two were oem and they got me through 110K miles. The first set lasted me to 70K-80K miles. The last set was more like 30K-40K although I was running 32" swampers on them then. I wish I had bought the second set at NAPA as I would have $300 still in my pocket. I never had much of a reason to pursue swapping from my late model unit-hub assembly (which can't be maintained and are considered maintenance free) to the older maintenance-capable hub assemblies due to them lasting long enough. With the lifetime warranty of the part I bought, I doubt I would be inclined to switch either, unless I suddenly start going through them excessively.

The odd part is whenever I have saw a thread in the past about hating the later unit-hubs it was always a given that what you had couldn't be changed, with the exception of the Warn kit. I never really looked into it because like I said above it was not an interest of mine, but I surmised that the outer stub must have changed spline counts over the years. I mean I remember guys talking about adding a grease fitting to a unit-hub, but not wanting to do it because of having to pull/press a hub apart and back together. I thought there may have been a difference in the shafts that took 260 u-joints versus the shafts that accept 297's.

Skimming through NAPA's online database it does show the bearing, bearing race and hub assembly for the early models (I only checked 88). Then from 91-98 it shows just a unit-hub that is maintenance-free. Then 99 has two different types of unit-hubs depending upon the rotor material. And on.

Now after all this it seems that all a 90+ needs to use an earlier maintenance-capable hub assembly is a new set of rotors. And rotors can be had for pretty cheap and wouldn't add significant cost either.

[Bryson]

Originally Posted by MGrobe

Now after all this it seems that all a 90+ needs to use an earlier maintenance-capable hub assembly is a new set of rotors. And rotors can be had for pretty cheap and wouldn't add significant cost either.

That would be badass if thats true! If it works I would encourage anyone with larger tires on a late model D30 to swap out to this bearing. I'd consider it a cheap alternative to the warn conversion.

I'd also like to mention that the term they use "maintence-free" is kind of misleading. That really only means that the only way to replace the bearing is to replace the entire hub assembily, NOT that they will last longer.

Who ever decided to utilize a ball bearing with the late model jeeps should be shot dead.