Wheel bearing race spinning in rotor

arrabil · Aug 20, 2007

What does it mean that the wheel bearing race was freely spinning in the rotor when I repacked the bearings in the Ranger today? The rotors are about five years old / 25,000 miles max. The outer locknut was not loose.

I put some red Loctite in there for now because I didn't have a replacement race on hand but is this going to be a permanent solution? Tell me I don't need knew rotors, they're expensive for the 96 model.

Thanks!

Wicked_Sludge · Aug 20, 2007

you need new rotors.

my bet is the bearings got hot and started seizing.

arrabil · Aug 21, 2007

There were signs of overheating. But who knows how long its been like that. I haven't touched the bearings in three years easy. I noticed everywhere I used Amsoil grease that it was separating into liquid and sludge, including the little bit still in the tube, so I decided to replace it all with something else, hence the maintenance. Is there any harm in continuing to run the races/rotors like this?

Jspafford · Aug 21, 2007

If the races are allowed to spin they will eventually wear out the mating surfaces and it is possible the whole assembly could come loose.

Wicked_Sludge · Aug 21, 2007

what jspafford said.

not to mention the incredable amount of heat you'd be producing and the metal filings circulating through the bearings, wearing them even faster.

yes its best to change them ASAP.

High Desert Ranger · Aug 22, 2007

Did you use new rotors?
Where they chineese made?
Might have been bad from the start if they were chineese made.

arrabil · Aug 22, 2007

They were the cheaper Chinese ones from NAPA.

How about tack welding the race to the rotor? I can tack it from the back where there is zero bearing contact.

Jspafford · Aug 22, 2007

You can tack weld it but that is just a bandaid fix. Careful not to warp the races. You are using the proper torque on the inner nut right?

arrabil · Aug 22, 2007

Jspafford said:
You can tack weld it but that is just a bandaid fix.

That doesn't cause me any grief. What makes this a bandaid that won't last until the rotors don't pass inspection?

You are using the proper torque on the inner nut right?

My torque wrench goes down to 20in/lbs, thats what I'm using, and I'm making sure it doesn't move when I torque the outer nut. I don't have any problems on the driver side of the Ranger or either BII rotor. Does that sound good to you?

High Desert Ranger · Aug 27, 2007

arrabil said:
They were the cheaper Chinese ones from NAPA.

There is a more expensive Chinese version?

arrabil said:
How about tack welding the race to the rotor? I can tack it from the back where there is zero bearing contact.

Use loctite and if the void is too big, Use a product called "Bearing Mount" to fill the void.

I wouldn't suggest tack welding it, that will destroy the hardened surface on the bearing race. And it may cause a warped race (you could make it slightly oval)

How long since you first put it together, and does it look like the race has spun at all in the housing or is it just a loose fit?

You might be able to go back to Napa and get an exchange rotor for no charge because it is "Defective".

arrabil · Aug 27, 2007

High Desert Ranger said:
There is a more expensive Chinese version?

Per memory, yes. There were four rotor choices. Two cheaper ones from China and two more expensive ones where the most expensive was definitely USA made.

Use loctite and if the void is too big, Use a product called "Bearing Mount" to fill the void.
I wouldn't suggest tack welding it, that will destroy the hardened surface on the bearing race. And it may cause a warped race (you could make it slightly oval)
How long since you first put it together, and does it look like the race has spun at all in the housing or is it just a loose fit?

At this point I've just left it alone. The truck drives fine. There is no noise coming from the wheel. I already used Loctite. Its been like this for three years or more probably so I'm not going to worry about it. The Ranger doesn't often go more than 25 miles from my house anyway.

You might be able to go back to Napa and get an exchange rotor for no charge because it is "Defective".

Somehow I doubt they're going to take five or six year old rotors back for any reason.

Will · Aug 27, 2007

The correct way to half-ass it is to take the races out and peen the inside of the hub, then drive the races back in. Peening means hitting it with a punch with the tip rounded to a dome with a grinder. The peen leaves little craters, causing the metal to raise a little around the crater. This will reduce the bore so it will work again as it's supposed to. I've done this many times on a variety of shit heaps.

wahlstrom1 · Aug 27, 2007

You beat me too it Will. I was just reading everyone else's response's and was gonna write that down.....pean them and check them again in a month. If they are spinning then, then replace them.

-andrew

Mutant Pony · Aug 27, 2007

If you Make an equal amount of peens all the way around, evenly spaced, It will work for a while. As many peens as you can fit without getting out of pattern. They taught us that in auto repair school. Back then replacement rotors were expensive an hard to get. Now a days you just go buy a new one.
I use this method on all my off road Rangers, It is a common problem.
You should repack your wheel bearings at least once a year. I thing Ford says 10,000 miles. If you do a lot of water crossings You need to do them even more frequently.

arrabil · Aug 27, 2007

You should repack your wheel bearings at least once a year. I thing Ford says 10,000 miles.

Uh huh. I don't treat this truck with much love now that its the fourth vehicle. Although the three years repacking did occur at about 10K miles.

Now a days you just go buy a new one.

Wow, the rotors have come down in price significantly in five/six years. Maybe they're all Chinese now. I'll have to think about it.

Thanks for the peening instructions. Thats really good info!

Wheel bearing race spinning in rotor

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