G2 axle shaft bearing shot

jeeeep

Hooked
I'm wondering how many of you running 37's have had to replace the bearings on rear axle shafts after 1 year.

I had G2's installed March 2016 and I'm already getting a rolling squeak.

I did a visual check on the flanges and they appeared to rotate fine (I need to put a dial indicator on them) and no bent flange squeal like before when I hand rotated then tires.

As I rotated the wheels I could feel them grinding, also felt them grinding with the wheel off - both sides.

I find it hard to believe that they would already be failing unless it was installer error, does anyone know if G2 axle shafts are pre-assembled? I'm wondering if they were greased properly.

I plan to reach out to G2 in the morning, it'll be a full year on March 26
 

WJCO

Meme King
I don't have any experience with running 37s on a d44, but regardless, it shouldn't really matter the tire size in relation to your concern. The axle shaft is supported by the diff carrier and the axle bearing at the end of the tube, so really the easiest thing to get damaged is the flange. And as far as greased, that axle bearing is lubricated by gear oil from the differential. Any metal in the fluid?
 

jeeeep

Hooked
I don't have any experience with running 37s on a d44, but regardless, it shouldn't really matter the tire size in relation to your concern. The axle shaft is supported by the diff carrier and the axle bearing at the end of the tube, so really the easiest thing to get damaged is the flange. And as far as greased, that axle bearing is lubricated by gear oil from the differential. Any metal in the fluid?


I hadn't considered the bearing is lubed by the gear oil :doh:

I better pull the cover and check for metal in the fluid - I need to change it anyway.
 

aermotor

Member
There really isn't much to a rear axle shaft install. A little grease in the bearings when you first put it in. You MUST make sure you tighten the 4 retainer bolts evenly so it sucks in properly and does not damage the race or the bearing. I would pull them out and visually inspect both.

I managed to bugger up my race on with stock shafts because the bearing was already going out and I missed it. Replaced it with Ten Factory shafts and ran them on 37s for at least a year, then put them into my second JK with no issues.

Do you wheel them pretty good? There is a chance they are slightly bent if so. I would pull it all apart for inspection.
 

deadguy

New member
I had both of my rear axle shaft bearings go bad on shafts that I purchased. Each bearing (Chinese crap) literally fell apart from the cages breaking at some point. The first one that broke ate itself and sent metal throughout my newly regeared and arb'd housing which was a hoot fixing seals and cleaning out shavings to not cut any more. I pulled the other shaft just to be safe and the same issue was happening on that side as well. Please use a trusted bearing and make sure your putting in the proper type and amount of gear fluid IMG_20160929_163456595.jpg IMG_20160930_171448463.jpg

Sent from a guy with a jeep
 

jeeeep

Hooked
It was a bent flange.

I pulled the tires off and let it run on jack stands, the driver side was barely turning cause it was hanging up on the brake pads.

Also turns out the G2 shafts I had installed were not chromoly but OEM replacements - lesson learned to make sure I'm getting what I paid for. Blinded by the need to wheel :doh:

installed Nitro chromoly, no need to press any bearing as they arrived ready to install :thumb:

swapping the axle shafts was easy, dealing with doing the maintenance on the brake hardware while it was off was time consuming.

runs great, I think I just gained 10mpg with the easy rolling - seat of the pants mpg lol
 
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