fan clutch bearings?

My engines been running rough and making a slight grinding noise. Sounds just like my friends wrangler right before the bearings in the fan clutch blew apart. I figured dirt got in my fan bearings and are making it grind and drag. The fan slightly wobbles by hand much like a wheel with bad bearings would. I took off the belt and the pulley spins freely, but wobbles a little. I could see it possibly causing the grinding noise when it spins fast, and maybe the rough running engine is just a figment of my imagination, influenced by that there grinding sound. I unbolted the fan (4 bolts), and figured the pulley will just pry off because I don't see a big nut in the center.It didn't really budge but I didn't pry too hard. What should I do? Do the bearing/fan clutch need replacing?

I have an electric fan that I would like to put there instead, so i am mainly concerned with getting that pulley safe and sound. This is on a 74 CJ5 258 and the fan clutch looks nothing like it does in the FSM.

 

It probably does not have a fan clutch. IIRC fan clutch came with the heavy duty cooling system, std on V8's maybe an option for 258. Sounds like you need a new water pump. That is characterized by a wobbly shaft. You want to get that fixed because when the bearing finally goes (and if it is making noise that is not a long way off) it will barf coolant out the hole and that is just unhappiness. How many blades is your fan?

This is off the top of my head so I may be slightly off:

Std cooling system: (Std on 6)
4 blade fan (no clutch)
2 core rad
NO fan shroud

Heavy duty cooling system: (std V8, 6 option??)
6 blade clutch fan
fan shroud
3 core radiator

 

your right, there is no clutch and it is attached directly to the water pump. I've had water pumps go before where they weep out of that seep hole. Would dirt cause the bearing to go or is that just associated with age?