I have replaced five...three on mine and two others. You don't need a press at all. A dremel, a freezer, an oven, a large hammer and a thick wall tube with just a fractionally bigger inside bore than the axle (like scaffold pole) will have the job done in no time. However, as you said, a press has lots of uses for other jobs in which case the bigger the better!

Sent from my SM-T310 using JeepForum

 

^ Yep thats how I've done mine.

 

The shop I used to work at had a 40 ton press that was really old. It pressed those bearings on without an issue. If you freeze the bearings that Harbor Freight press should work well.

 

Freeze the bearings? Or heat them? Seems like you'd have to freeze the axle and/or heat the bearings (which you could do with a torch vs an oven, in a pinch)... or am I tired and talking out of my butt?

 

Nope ...you are spot on ! Freezing the bearing and retainer would make it even harder to get them on !!!

 

Cool. This vocational school thing is paying off. Lol.

 

Yes, I used the HF 12 ton to put my rear axle bearings on.

 

I've used the HF 20 Ton press, it's very useful and the axle fits in real nice. Aside from pressing bearings you can use it to replace bushings and axial ball joints.
The 12 ton is ok but I think the price difference for a 20 ton is not that much ($50 ?).

 

You pack the grease in the bearing AFTER you fit it to the shaft. They don't come with any grease in them....!

 

is it better to pack them with grease before? and that heated bearing will go right smack on the seal. just my opinion use a proper tool (i.e, bearing/shop press).

 

Makes no difference. It's a two part bearing don't forget...so you can get at it to pack it just as easy...installed or not. It will not be hot enough to damage the seal even if it did seat against it....which it doesn't!..The bearing sits on a step in the shaft...it only comes into contact with the seal when installed in the axle, after it had cooled...which only takes a few seconds after contact with the freezing shaft.

 

Never heat a new bearing for installation with a torch you will lose the temper.
T bearing only needs to be a couple hundred degrees.

 

You don't pack the axle bearing anyway, so heating it (especially in oil) doesn't matter.

 

You do...read the FSM.

Quote from FSM.


(5) Lubricate bearing with Mopar Wheel Bearing
Grease or equivalent. Wipe excess grease from the axle shaft.

 

You do...read the FSM.

Quote from FSM.

(5) Lubricate bearing with Mopar Wheel Bearing
Grease or equivalent. Wipe excess grease from the axle shaft.

I've never packed them, I've never seen anyone either. I've done over twenty-five sets of them, including mine over six years ago which are still fine. I guess packing them doesn't really matter.

 

They are only splash lubed. When you remove the shaft dif oil does not pour out the end of the axle so they are not submerged in oil . If you don't pack them with grease they will be running dry when you first get moving until you corner when the oil comes done the axle tube. I'm not aware of any non sealed bearings that should be fitted dry.....Just common sense to me! Each to their own I guess.

 

They're boxed with oil. I don't repack them with grease because I've always pressed them on.

 

First, what has how you fit them got to do with if you pack them with grease or not? You only pack them after they are on the shaft.
Second. They only come with a trace of oil to stop them rusting in storage....not the correct quantity or type to lube them under load.
And thirdly, I'm sure the fsm would not tell you to grease them if Jeep did not think it was required.
I'm out!

 

You don't have to get all fired up, I'm not trying to start an argument. All I was saying is that since I don't heat the bearings I'm not worrying about the oil losing some of it's lubrication properties. I understand that most won't overheat the bearings, but some may. It's a bearing, there's really not a wrong lube for it. You use grease, I use diff oil, which does travel down the axle tube at all times while driving. No one goes 100% with everything in the FSM. I worked in a Chrysler/Jeep dealer for years with 18 techs, not a single one of them packed the rear axle bearings. Almost every time the seals will leak before the bearings go bad.
I'm fine for agreeing to disagree, as I'm sure you'll do you and I'll do me. Just don't take what I said as an argument or any other implication. I just simply stated what I have done in they past.