my rear axle is taken apart on my 07 Rubicon. has anyone noticed a loose race ring on their Rubicon D44? (i think that is what it is called - it is the ring about an inch wide that slides in the axle tube).

my race rings (on both sides) in the rear have some play in them. they don't seat solidly and spin.

is this normal, or is it a problem? i thought that they had to completely seat solidly in place and not spin, or have any lateral play at all. it fits snugly enough to have to be tapped into place.

what could cause this, or do i not need to worry about it? it this just normal manufacturing tolerances?

is what i'm trying to explain even make sense? maybe this part is called the "outer race" of the wheel bearing. it is right inside the axle tube, when the axle is dissassembled. (it slides in from the end).

is there anything i can do about this, other than take it to a dealer and try to get the axle replaced under warranty? if i have to take it to a dealer, i'm worried they will ask me how i noticed this problem, then deny the warranty fix for having taken it apart.

any input or advice would be greatly appreciated!

thanks!

mike

 

Glad you found this and posted about it. I think I have the same problem, but it is fixed now:

I think this is the same thing that my shop guy let me know about on on '08 X. He is a great techie and even had my shims custom fabricated. Since I am not gonna tackle the gear-swap, I did not see what he was talking about. In any case, he welding something in my D44 (forgot what he said) and then listed the item as 'Welded inside axle ring".

Whatever that is worth, it sounds like I had a similar issue. He tells me it is better than stock now, and there is NO way I am going back on this install. If Jeep ever sees this on their service end, I guess I will have some explaining to do. New gears are great though, and just what I needed....

Good Luck!

 

has no one in here taken apart their own axles?

 

The bearing is a 2 piece bearing. The "race" is supposed to be able to move inside there. If somebody welded inside your axle it is beyond me to why.

Can you post a picture?

 

my camera's memory card is shot, so i can't get a pic of my own axle, but here is a pic of the race.

it is the outer race of the wheel bearing (at the end of the axle housing).

arrow pointing to race:


it doesn't spin freely, but it rotates back and forth a little. i thought these were supposed to fit in very tightly with no play at all.

is it possible that it will be tightened back into place when the axle is reassembled and the retaining bolts tightened back down? or is this something that i need to take back to the dealer to have replaced. as far as i know, the outer race isn't a serviceable part, so if it is not fitting properly, i'm assuming at least the axle housing would have to be replaced.

 

here is a pic of the race i am talking about, (my camera memory card is fried, so i can't get a pic of my own) this is the same, except the one on the JK is in the end of the axle housing, since i don't have manual hubs.







is it possible that this will just be tightened in place when the axle is reassembled and the retaining bolts are replaced?