'98 Dakota 4x4- Can I run it with CV axles off?

From : Annonymous

Q: i know on a lot of front wheel drive cars if you pull the axles out and roll the car you will trash the bearings but i dont know if this would happen to the dakota with its cartridge type bearing assembly. the reason i ask is i am trying to diagnose what acts and sounds like a bad passenger wheel bearing but when i have checked it out there is no play. there is however play and leakage from the cv mounting flange on the front differential so i am wondering if a bad bearing there would transmit the vibration through to the wheel and feel like a bad wheel bearing. simple check is to remove both cv axles adn drive it to see if the vibration is still there or gone. any thoughts on this i would prefer to hear from people that know for a fact whether or not i can do this. at $120 for a new wheel bearing and just under $60 for seal and bearing for the axle shaft in the front pumpkin you can see why i want to be sure which is bad. thanks john .

Replies:

From : kevin

if you do that you will have to purchase 2 new wheel bearings and pay for a tow home been there done that. if you want to driv it you will have to get just the axle stubs and put them in. kevin i know on a lot of front wheel drive cars if you pull the axles out and roll the car you will trash the bearings but i dont know if this would happen to the dakota with its cartridge type bearing assembly. the reason i ask is i am trying to diagnose what acts and sounds like a bad passenger wheel bearing but when i have checked it out there is no play. there is however play and leakage from the cv mounting flange on the front differential so i am wondering if a bad bearing there would transmit the vibration through to the wheel and feel like a bad wheel bearing. simple check is to remove both cv axles adn drive it to see if the vibration is still there or gone. any thoughts on this i would prefer to hear from people that know for a fact whether or not i can do this. at $120 for a new wheel bearing and just under $60 for seal and bearing for the axle shaft in the front pumpkin you can see why i want to be sure which is bad. thanks john .

From : Annonymous

thanks kevin. i wasnt sure if these trucks are different. guess not. thanks a lot john on thu 20 may 2004 161524 -0400 kevin ecmss@cyberbeach.com wrote if you do that you will have to purchase 2 new wheel bearings and pay for a tow home been there done that. if you want to driv it you will have to get just the axle stubs and put them in. kevin i know on a lot of front wheel drive cars if you pull the axles out and roll the car you will trash the bearings but i dont know if this would happen to the dakota with its cartridge type bearing assembly. the reason i ask is i am trying to diagnose what acts and sounds like a bad passenger wheel bearing but when i have checked it out there is no play. there is however play and leakage from the cv mounting flange on the front differential so i am wondering if a bad bearing there would transmit the vibration through to the wheel and feel like a bad wheel bearing. simple check is to remove both cv axles adn drive it to see if the vibration is still there or gone. any thoughts on this i would prefer to hear from people that know for a fact whether or not i can do this. at $120 for a new wheel bearing and just under $60 for seal and bearing for the axle shaft in the front pumpkin you can see why i want to be sure which is bad. thanks john .