Front Differential axle bearings

LIBERTYinLIBERTY · **Posted:** Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:26 pm

Anybody replace the front differential axle bushings with the 5066056AA Axle Shaft Bearings? just curious if you are getting a vibration from road and a droning sound above 55 mph? Already replaced front hubs... It's like I can feel every little crack or bump in road...

flash7210 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 03, 2018 2:55 pm

You're talking about the bearing on the passenger side where the CV axle goes in?

The drone you hear could be your tires.
Feeling every bump in the road could be tires or suspension.

Maybe you should check your diff fluid levels?

APC9199 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 03, 2018 8:36 pm

That is a Crown part number, so no one here SHOULD have used that part number. Look here instead,

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=87767

It is very unlikely the drone is coming from those bearings. The OEM ones are a plastic bushing, not a bearing. It is more likely tire noise, a gear-mesh (or carrier bearing) problem in the front or rear differential (front can sound like rear in the KJ, and vice versa), or bad driveshaft u-joints. You could be getting a drone if the cv-shafts are too loose from those bearings being worn out, but it will feel like your tires are going to fall off from being out of balance, long before it makes any noise. Another unlikely possibility is bad ball joints somewhere on the front a-arms. You could be feeling a slight jerk every time you hit something in the road if the a-arms are flexing too much. Like Flash said, it could just be suspension.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:14 pm

5066056AA is not a Crown part #. It's a Mopar part # for which Crown sells replacements. If you dig around at bit you can find vendors that sell the Mopar 5066056AA. However, it appears that PN has been replaced with Mopar 5066056AB.

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:46 am

As Papaindigo says, both numbers are originally OE
However,
Crown parts catalog lists both part numbers as well.
Their 5066056AA is their caged roller bearing for this application
Their 5066056AB is their plastic bushing (clone of OE) for the same.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:49 am

It appears 5066056AA & 5066056AB are different parts, "A" is a metal bearing, and "B" is a plastic bushing. ("B" may be a superseded PN?)
It is a little weird in the fact that the online Mopar sites only list the "B" part (plastic bushing) :dizzy:

Even if you search for the "A" PN, it will return the "B" part.
and most all of the aftermarket retailers online only list the "A" part (metal bearing), searching for 5066056AB returns "0 matches".
I am presuming they are interchangeable?

But RockAuto.com does list them both.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/omix- ... aring,1664

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:10 pm

I would agree that AA is a bearing and AB is a bushing but whether or not they are functionally different parts is murky at best. All I can say for sure is the normal, to the extent that DCJ is normal, Mopar practice is to leave the numeric part of the PN # the same and change only the alphabetic part of the # if the original part is replaced by a functionally equivalent later part design. If the 2 are functionally identical I have no opinion on which is "better" as I know nothing about this particular part.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:52 pm

papaindigo wrote:

I would agree that AA is a bearing and AB is a bushing but whether or not they are functionally different parts is murky at best. All I can say for sure is the normal, to the extent that DCJ is normal, Mopar practice is to leave the numeric part of the PN # the same and change only the alphabetic part of the # if the original part is replaced by a functionally equivalent later part design. If the 2 are functionally identical I have no opinion on which is "better" as I know nothing about this particular part.

I agree with what you said, very muddy indeed, it appears this may be a case of a superseded part number?
I have no experience with this particular either as I have not had to replace any on my Jeep.
But if I were going to, I believe I would opt for the metal bearing over a plastic bushing. :?:

There may be others on this forum who have performed this service who could provide more insightful information on these two parts and their interchangeability...

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:38 pm

If anyone knows a GOOD DCJ parts person or someone else who has access to a dynamic version of the parts fiche I'd recommend an inquiry to see if XXAA was in fact superseded by XXAB. I'd check but am headed out of town shortly and just don't have time.

Some online sites like https://www.moparamerica.com/oem-parts/ ... -5066056ab say yes but... the difference is so obvious as to make one wonder.

LIBERTYinLIBERTY · **Posted:** Wed Apr 04, 2018 2:40 pm

I have replaced the bushings on both sides with the metal bearings and outer seals and have noticed the noise and feel the road, that's what I am talking about. Tried to replace the plastic bushings with the some and broke it trying to press it in and that's when I put the metal ones in.

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Thu Apr 05, 2018 1:26 am

I was unable to find the caged roller bearing available from anyone besides Crown
The numbers I showed were from the Crown catalog, not from any Mopar source.
While Crown does offer both, as shown, as the part numbers shown, whether or not they correspond with original Mopar OE numbers, I cannot verify.
In my mind, it's very likely, but I do not know for sure.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Thu Apr 05, 2018 12:01 pm

GordnadoCRD wrote:

I was unable to find the caged roller bearing available from anyone besides Crown
The numbers I showed were from the Crown catalog, not from any Mopar source.
While Crown does offer both, as shown, as the part numbers shown, whether or not they correspond with original Mopar OE numbers, I cannot verify.
In my mind, it's very likely, but I do not know for sure.

See my earlier post, Rock Auto lists the metal bearing and it is NOT a Crown part, it is a "OMIX-ADA" bearing. :wink:

Says it fits: JEEP LIBERTY 2002-2007

Summit and Jegs both list the PN as a "Crown" part!

View at:> https://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/omix- ... aring,1664

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Thu Apr 05, 2018 7:45 pm

Omix Aida is well known for repackaging Crown parts.

APC9199 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 05, 2018 8:02 pm

Just refer to my post above and order the "Spicer" version. Supposedly a much better option than the cheapo replacements, although I haven't ordered any yet.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Thu Apr 05, 2018 9:39 pm

He stated:

Quote:

Bearing is Spicer 566131
Seal is Spicer 50608
I was ordering omix-ada parts... parts ended up to be Spicer parts with omix-ada stickers on the box.

APC9199 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 06, 2018 9:17 am

Just google those spicer part numbers. They can be obtained directly without the Omix-Ada middle man, and no wondering what you'll get.

Front Differential axle bearings

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