I was checking the brakes on my Samurai and when I went to take the wheel off I noticed it was really loose and wobbly. It looks like it's loose at the Birfield Joint? So I took it to my local tire shop and their guys said it was probably a worn out bearing. They said they could fix it but depending on how messed up things were it could cost anywhere from $100-$1000. So I told them I'd fix it myself and thanks for the diagnosis.
  So do you guys have any ideas or suggestions? I know I've read posts about rebuilding the Birfield Joints.

Which way do the wheels wobble?

If you were to grab it at the top of the wheel (right below the fender) and push on it, if it wobbles in and out its probably the wheel bearing.  You can pull it apart and check out the bearings.  Looking for wearing, and discoloration. 
If you wont want to spend money and the bearings look deacent, but just might need to be re-packed. You can just give them some fresh new greese and put them back in.
Or just go all out and buy new wheel bearings.

What i would do is just get a whole new birf-rebuild kit, which comes with fetls, seals, king pin bearings (they could be worn out to causing it to be loose) and then get the option with wheel bearings.  They you will have a fresh new front end.

My 2 cents

Hope that helps some what


Amilla

Well it's not the birf's, you could take them both all the way out and it will drive just fine in two wheel drive, it has to be your king ping bearings(they come out easy with the four little bolts ya take off) or the front wheel bearings, or just maybe a little tie rod end wear but not a grand worth.

  Thanks for the replies. It wobbles left and right, not so much top to bottom. The guy at the tire shop pointed out the 4 bolts that sit on top of the whole assembly and said he thought it was the bearing in there. Is that the kingpin bearing? Can i get to that bearing by taking those 4 bolts out and pulling things apart from the top?

I'll probably just go ahead and get the whole rebuild kit and do both wheels I'm at it.

yep, your king pins are under the four bolts, make sure you jack your rig up a little bit and take your front tire off first,take the weight off of them. the bottom bearings get the water sitting on them. pull a bottom bolt out once and a while and run a stick up the hole through the grease and get the water out if you go through rivers alot.

Thanks you guys, you've been a huge help. I'll check the kingpin bearings and look into getting replacements. Is there anything else that could be worn down as a result of bad kingpin bearings?

It its wobbling left to right, isnt there a possiblity that could be tie rod ends that are worn out and letting it wiggle that way?

You might want to check those, i know mine are shot on my sammi and the wheels like to dance all over the place when im driving...Gets kinda scary on the freeway

Amilla

  I'll check the tie rods as well. I've got to get a tie rod puller too. Does anybody know where I could get some decent tie rods for a good price if need be?

Check any auto parts store, they will all have rod ends, if not they will have to order them up.  Im not sure what the best ones are, but im sure if you search around you can get a good idea.  Id say just look for some heavy duty ones.

Hope that helps

Amilla