Have been away from working on my cars front suspension for almost 2 months.
Had a little play when hold the tire at 12 and 6 o’clock and no play at 3 and 9.
Working on right side now and have the axle carrier on my bench and hub removed.
Inner bear fit on stub axle measures 1.374". There is no grove all around axle. Dimension is consistent.
New inner bearing ID is 1.377 which will be 0.003" loose fit.
Outer bearing fit of axle measures 0.864". and new bearing measures 0.866 which will be 0.002" loose fit.
Ordered and received two new sub axles from a known supplier using their parts guide.
Sub axles arrived yesterday but are the wrong ones. Called supplier and they confirm that their online guide was in error. Axles sent are marked C27787. Supplier said Correct number is suppose to be CCC5136 and have seen those offered by a couple of differnet vendors as the correct stub axles for my 1987 XJ-S.
After reading archive reports of how some have found it impossible to remove these axles am considering now to just putting in the new bears.
Reason for chickening out on proceeding with trying to remove axles is that the carriers if broken in the process are hard to find and cost more than willing to spend a this time.
OK lets here from those that have been here and done that. Thanks in advance as usual.
I didn’t find removal of the stub axle all that difficult. The trick is to use the hub as a puller. You always want to be pulling on tapered fits, not pushing. Loosen the Jesus nut on the back side a couple of full turns, assemble the hub with the old bearings, and tighten the bearing adjusting nut tight. Then give the loose nut on the back side a few taps with a hammer to encourage the axle to pop loose. If you can’t get it to come loose in this manner, no harm done, just tighten the Jesus nut back up and install your new bearings.
Dunno why you’re replacing the stub axles if there is no wear groove, though. Most replace them because there is a wear groove on the bottom where it’s hard to see. Try measuring your axles in both the vertical and horizontal directions.
Bearing grade Loctite will fix that.
I have often used it to recover situations like yours.
You just nip up the assembly so the bearings are concentric.
When the Loctite cures you back it off a bit to give whatever end play you need.
The only drawback is Loctite does not like too much heat, I think about 180deg C max is typical.
How does nipping it up make the bearings concentric?
The bearing should seat onto the radius of the stub axle?
There is no radius on the stub axle. It’s basically going to sit flat up against the surface of the upright, same as it does when the bearings are properly adjusted, and be off-center by that .003" slop. I don’t believe there’s anything that can be done about that.
The Loctite is a good idea while in operation, but it could presumably make it rather difficult to get apart next time. You might choose regular threadlock Loctite rather than the stronger bearing set Loctite.
You are correct, brain was getting mixed up with the rear hub on my XJR 
stupid brain!!!
And yes it would make it difficult for the next replacement, but nothing an angle grinder judiciously applied wont fix 
Have just asked a big favor of one of my favorite parts supplier. Seeing if he can measure the OD of where both bearing fit to the stub axle. Judging by the price they list on their site what appears to be an OEM and an after market stub axle. The correct part number is CCC5136 for my 1987 XJ-S.
Before any more attempts to remove the old stub axle are done will wait and see what the dimension are suppose to be.
Impatience worked for once! Knowing 0.003 loos fit is not satisfactory I tried removing the right front sub axle just now with success. Used sugestions of Kirby and loosen the stub axle nut and then tightened the begebers out of the bearing nut. Flipped the unit over and using lumber set it square to the work bench. With the axle nut flush with the end of the shaft knock the heck out of it with a three pound hammer. Two hits and it came loose.
Going to need new nuts.
Thanks for all that tried to help me. Now I have to source a set of stub axles that are aftermarket as the OEM parts are way too expensive.
Will be making another donation to this great forum website. Won’t you join me in doing this.
Well spotted.
I should have said “so the bearings are aligned”.
If there is 3 thou clearance bearing to stub axle, and the bearings pair is 2 inch apart, then the bearing assembly may be out of concentricity by an angle 3/2000 radians, or 0.086 deg.
For rebuilding a precision machine tool - far too much.
For fixing a stub axle - not so much.
Threadlock grade might do the job for 3 thou.
However Loctite did not spend money developing bearing grades for mere amusement.
I would go with bearing grade.
It makes pulling things apart no more difficult than typical interference fits.
Because Loctite type products will degrade at temps much over 200deg C, you have the option of applying heat to loosen things up.
You can’t do that with interference fits.
The fact that a fair number of XJ-S stub axles need replacing suggests Loctite could be a better way to refit the bearings on the old axle - and save money…
Heating the entire upright and hub assembly to 200degC would be fun!
You know women are crazy about big fancy kitchens with big fancy ovens. There are a lot of car parts you could fit in one of those ovens and cook to a nice even heat.
Is it amusement or amazement or merely that I am naïve.
I read of axle stubs and the wear at the journal where the rear race resides?? And all related comments?
I’ve removed and replaced many a front hub on USA critters with no thought of an issue there. Just snug up with the axle nut to seat things, and then back off to get running clearance.
In my new PM entertainment, I watch You tube. last night included a heavy truck mechanic doing deferred maintenance on a big Volvo truck. Powered by a pure mechanical L10 Cummins diesel. Down and under to swap in new bearing shells on rods and mains. Interesting torque sequence. Snug first, then three increments with the torque wrench. Then slacken. Repeat the three increment torque sequence. Then only done. Assure concentricity??? or proper torque??? Or both…
Side bar: I suspect the blue wrench would make short work of either Loctite compound…
Carl
Carl
I am at a loss to understand how you’d hope to get a blue wrench within six inches of the location needed. The hub is on the axle, the bearing won’t come off because it’s held by Loctite, the seal is behind the bearing, so you can’t get the hub off.