Front Wheel Bearings Install

[Curious Hound]

I'll see your lard and raise you whale grease.

Oh. The heavy duty stuff.

 

[ford4wd08]

I use any old red or blue high temp grease... make sure you wash out whatever is in there, certain greases are not compatible with each other.

My process is basically tighten the inner nut so that it's very snug, spin the rotor, back nut off 1/8-1/4 turn or wherever the washer lines up at. Then the outer as tight as possible. I only torque new bearings. Used bearings are often FAR too loose at the published torque specs so I just go by feel on those. The rotor should have just a little resistance when turning by hand after it's all assembled.

While it's apart, it's a good time to clean and repack the spindle bearing too, and check the seal on the axle shaft - usually they've crumbled away into dust by now.

I'll take a look at all of it. I'm thinking the bearings are most likely ok and were done when the latest brake job was completed, but it is cheap insurance to install new bearings.

 

[Josh B]

My manual says use Lithium high temp grease. They have it at orielly's, probly the other places too, in a plain ol grease can. I was along time sorting that out, after a kid at napa handed me a can of old time grease and said "this is what everybody uses". I was almost through the whole can before going to get more, and looked around myself and found one away from the high priced group which simply said High Temp Lithium based grease

 

[ford4wd08]

Got them done over the weekend. Thanks for all the tips, went very smoothly.

I found some surprises along the way....

I'm sure that didn't help with the vibration I was feeling.

I still have a vibration, but I believe it is the U joints.

I jacked up each wheel on each side after putting the new Timkens in and tossing the china junk and they felt smooth.

I tried to shake the tire and wheel, no movement at all. The ball joints even felt solid.

Next step is to replace all the U joints.

 

[Curious Hound]

Got them done over the weekend. Thanks for all the tips, went very smoothly.

I found some surprises along the way....

I'm sure that didn't help with the vibration I was feeling.

I still have a vibration, but I believe it is the U joints.

I jacked up each wheel on each side after putting the new Timkens in and tossing the china junk and they felt smooth.

I tried to shake the tire and wheel, no movement at all. The ball joints even felt solid.

Next step is to replace all the U joints.

Surely, you cleaned off all the mud dauber creations. Even though they are close to the center, they still throw things out of balance a certain amount. Off balance = vibration

 

[ford4wd08]

Surely, you cleaned off all the mud dauber creations. Even though they are close to the center, they still throw things out of balance a certain amount. Off balance = vibration

Of course I cleaned it off!

Every time I work on this thing, I find a new nest! They had infested this thing! I even found some inside the wheels between the drum shoes!

 

[bobbywalter]

damn dirty daubers....