How do you replace the left rear wheel bearing on a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Answer 1

Remove the wheel. Push the brake caliper piston back with a prybar or heavy screwdriver to make clearance to remove the caliper. Remove the entire caliper assembly by removing the 2 large bolts with an 18 mm socket and breaker bar.(they are tight!). Remove the rotor. Remove the 4 nuts on the axle retaining ring located behind backing plate using a 9/16" wrench. Attach a slide hammer to the wheel studs on the axle and hammer the axle out. Put the axle in an arbor press and press the bearings off of the axle. Press new bearings, seal and collar back onto the axle. Reassemble the rotor, caliper, etc. This can be done at home if you have access to a slide hammer and arbor press and some basic hand tools.

The requestor was asking about the rear wheel bearing, as am I. There is no disk brake caliper on the rear wheel.....

Do you have drum brakes then? If you email me at mudislife2@Yahoo.com ill get more information on the Jeep and see if i can help you better.

In the step where he said "Put the axle in an arbor press and press..." That line has omitted some steps. After axle is removed from axle tube, remove the 4 studs from the axle bearing retainer. There is a soft steel retainer ring that must be removed before the bearing can be removed. The soft steel retainer is removed by drilling a 3/8" hole into the ring (don't drill into the axle... stop short of the axle) and splitting the ring off the axle with a cold chisel (this is stated in the service manual.)

Once the retainer ring is off, install bearing splitter press tool between bearing and flange, then place the axle into a press, with blocks under the bearing splitter press tool (KD tools 2264, or OTC 1183). Press and remove bearing and seal from axle. To reassemble, you'll need a pressing ring will press on the inner race only of the bearing. First, put the retainer back onto the axle, then slide the seal onto the axle, cavity side to the inboard end of axle, then slide bearing onto axle, then press bushing. Support press bushing on press arbor plates, axle into arbor flange end up, and press axle flange until bearing is seated. Then slide new retainer ring onto axle, and press that on similar to bearing. Pack the new bearing with fresh grease, then install 4 studs into retainer plate, and reinstall assy into axle tube.