Wheel bearing repair

[mouse]

So, Ive' been crusing the site and found the tech article on replacing the spindle bearings on a ford ranger. I have a guy I work with who has a 93 ford ranger 4x4, with manuel hubs, and I think a dana 28 but not sure on that one.

The other day his front wheel fell off and now we have it on jackstands in front of his house. The truck has over 300,000 miles on it and the wheel bearings were shot!

So my questions are we need to replace the wheel bearings. What size spindle lock nut socket do we need?? The bearings fit inside the rotor is their any special way to do this? Do they need to be pressed in? Will any wheel bearing grease be ok to use?

As for the spindle bearings how do you check to see if they are still good? Any way to do this without taking them apart?

Once again thanks for your help, I'm new to working on rangers and a novice to begin with. I have only done jeep axle repairs, maintence, ect,

Thanks guys
Mouse

 

[Cutter26]

I'm doing my wheel bearings today. Its a easy job. Just knock the seal out of the back side of the roto, put the new bearing in, put the seal back on. The outter bearing goes on after you put the rotor back on. Put the spindel lock nut back on, I use a screw driver and hammer to tighten down the nut. not the proper way. Make sure you get the right bearing. The part store gave me A37 bearings, but the right ones are 603049. Just look on the bearing itself to get the right numbers. I have a 95 ranger, I'm sure the bearing are the same.

 

[Explorin94]

So, Ive' been crusing the site and found the tech article on replacing the spindle bearings on a ford ranger. I have a guy I work with who has a 93 ford ranger 4x4, with manuel hubs, and I think a dana 28 but not sure on that one.

The other day his front wheel fell off and now we have it on jackstands in front of his house. The truck has over 300,000 miles on it and the wheel bearings were shot!

So my questions are we need to replace the wheel bearings. What size spindle lock nut socket do we need?? The bearings fit inside the rotor is their any special way to do this? Do they need to be pressed in? Will any wheel bearing grease be ok to use?

As for the spindle bearings how do you check to see if they are still good? Any way to do this without taking them apart?

Once again thanks for your help, I'm new to working on rangers and a novice to begin with. I have only done jeep axle repairs, maintence, ect,

Thanks guys
Mouse

If it is the Dana 28 front axle you will need the set 45 front bearings a total of 4 all together. If it is a Dana 35 front axle you will need a set 37 front bearings agian 4 total. make sure you replce the seal when doing this job. You will need to get the spanner socket for the axle nuts. That socket will work on both the 28 and 35 axles. The races will need to be drove in with either the old race after you get it out or a brass punch. As for checking the spindle bearings you will need to remove the spindle for that. Just take the 6 nuts holding it on off and hit the spindle with a deadblow hammer. If the bearings are good put some grease on them and put it back together.

I'm doing my wheel bearings today. Its a easy job. Just knock the seal out of the back side of the roto, put the new bearing in, put the seal back on. The outter bearing goes on after you put the rotor back on. Put the spindel lock nut back on, I use a screw driver and hammer to tighten down the nut. not the proper way. Make sure you get the right bearing. The part store gave me A37 bearings, but the right ones are 603049. Just look on the bearing itself to get the right numbers. I have a 95 ranger, I'm sure the bearing are the same.

Don't use a screwdriver to put the nuts back on. Go borrow or buy the correct tool for the job, unless you like to do your jobs twice. The parts store did get you the right bearings (set37) as the ones you bought should have had a race with them. Did you replace the race too? if you didn't then your problem may/will come back to haunt you. All the bearings will have the same number and the races will have a different depending on application.

 

[merc2dogs]

Right, trhe correct socket is less than $20, and will make it a lot easier to do the job, which means you'll be more likely to do regular maintenance etc.

Personally, I have the correct socket, but find I use an adjustable C-wrenche more often. They're just easier for me I guess. I don't have to remove everything, I can just slip it in and make the adjustment before most people have the stuff off.

Ken.

 

[Cutter26]

I agree on the socket, but nothing is open today. My dad has a spanner socket for a d44, will that fit the d35. I did get the 37 bearings first but they were not the right ones for my truck. Here are some pics of the old bearing, and the box the new bearing came in. you can see the parts code on the box.

 

[4x4junkie]

The D35 does use the SET-37 bearings (that # on your box seems to ring a bell also). I believe it's the same bearing, just different brand (I used the Timken SET-37s).

D44 uses the same 4-prong socket as the 35. Be sure to put at least 225ft-lbs or so on the outer locknut when tightening it down. The book spec of 150 often isn't enough for it to stay tight.

 

[Cutter26]

Thanks for the torque spes. I was wondering about that. Sorry mouse for kinda pirating your post.

 

[mouse]

Thanks for the torque spes. I was wondering about that. Sorry mouse for kinda pirating your post.

No worries, It looks like we have the right bearings and it looks as if the axle is a dana 35 (10 bolts on the cover). We actually got the parts store to lend us the spindle nut socket and after taking off everything the races were actually warped and excessively tight on the spindle. The outer axle shaft also had hit the pavement and boogered up the splines some, I'm hoping we can still get the hub back on. We had to file some of the splines in order to get the spacer off.

So after seeing that the spindle had been grooved out fairly badly we decided to order a new one, and yes that means we must wait until Monday.

Thanks for all the help guys, this site rocks...it looks to be a good community.
mouse

 

[mouse]

So were waiting on a spindle for weeks and it's finally here. My buddy found a used one that looks to be in good shape. We are now installing the bearings and I'm not sure of the best way to get out the old race and reseat the new one??

Explorin94 mentioned using a brass punch to pound out the race and then reseating the new race with the old one... Anyone care to elaborate on how it's best to do this?? I think I can pound out the race, but worry about getting the new ones back in...

Thanks for the help, Mouse

 

[4x4junkie]

I just tap them in using the punch. You can tell the race is fully seated in the rotor when the sound of hitting the punch suddenly becomes extremely hard and metallic sounding.

 

[mouse]

It's looking as if his rotor is warped from the heat of the old bearing dissolving. I took out the old races last night and they were in very tight. I had to use a chisle and a sledge to even move them at all. This was after tons of penetrating oil. The old races also cracked and feel apart while hammering them out. It looks as if they turned brittle from the heat. I would have thought they would have held up better.

So we are getting a new rotor with races seated in and hopefully be ready to put this back together, Thanks