Wheel bearing replacement.

[Irishman999]

Step one is getting this locking hub selector off.

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Once this cap is off its time to pull all the inside parts.

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First thing encountered is a snap ring you have to pull, so far the easiest way to get it out is a razor blade to pry it out of the groove and a flat blade screw driver to work it out.

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Once the small ring is out you can pull this aluminum piece out to get to the spanner nuts.

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Before the hub assembly comes off you have to pull the caliper off, very simple. Its two long studs that require a large Allen head to remove.

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[Irishman999]

With the caliper off the next step pis removing the spanner nuts that hold the entire assembly on. This requires a special socket I got at Orileys auto for about ten bucks.

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The spanner nuts are very important, there is two of them with a keep in between the two nuts. The inner spanner nut has a peg that fits into a keeper with another spanner nut on the outside to hold everything tightly together.

The whole reason for this repair was my inner spanner nut having the peg sheared off for some reason. This let the two spanner nuts back off causing the spindle to move outwards causing problems. i found a new spanner nut with a peg at Orileys for about 10 bucks.

Here is the the parts inside your hub, minus one spanner nut. I could explain how this all goes together but its better to just familiarize yourself with these parts and do one side at a time. If you forget which direction something goes in just take apart the other side as a reference.

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[Irishman999]

After the inside spanner nut is off the whole hub and rotor will slide off of the spindle. At this point I put the whole thing inside of my solvent tank and cleaned all the grease inside and out. If you dont have the luxury just clean it out with a can of brake parts cleaner.

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I am doing more of a restoration than a general repair on this truck so I decided to remove this dust shield to clean and paint it. 6 Bolts hold it on the spindle so it was simple to remove so I could clean and paint it.

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[Irishman999]

Now for the technical part, I changed out both inner and outer bearings and the outside race's. I could not find a inside race for sale and suspect they never go bad, the only race that can be trashed is the outside race.

First order of business is the inner wheel seal, old one comes out releasing the inside bearing. Save yourself alot of hassle and spend the ten bucks to get this tool. Its a "seal puller" and it works awesome, 100 times easier than any other method.

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Now that the bearings are out its time to get the race pounded out. Once again there is a special set of tools I got to make this a thousand times easier. I picked up this set of drivers from harbor freight for 20 bucks and it was well worth the money.

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Pound out the outside race using the correct diameter driver and it will drop out of the outside of the hub, just a few smacks from a hammer should dis lodge it.

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Installing the new race is exactly the same just in reverse, take your time and make sure the race is driven in straight. With the driver set its a piece of cake.


At this point I had everything clean so I dropped my whole assembly in the solvent tank, cleaned everything and painted everything in caliper paint.

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[Irishman999]

Next is greasing the two bearings, take your time with this. I got YES another special tool to grease the bearings, this cone device is the ****. You put it in between the two cones and pump the whole thing full of grease with a grease gun, it worked great and was well worth 5 bucks.

Timken bearings.

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Here is the greasing setup I used, the most important thing is making sure there is enough grease inside the bearing.

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PUT THE INNER BEARING IN FIRST, and then you can install the seal. I usually put a thin layer of silicone on the outside of the seal for extra assurance its not going to leak. Just carefully tap it into place until its flushly in the hub. I will mention again, take your time because if you **** this up your going to be getting another seal at 5 bucks a pop.

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[Irishman999]

Carefully slide the rotor/hub assembly back onto the spindle and squirt a **** load of grease inside the hub. After its sufficiently full install the inner spanner nut to hold it on.

This part is crucial, you have to set the bearing pre-load. Install the spanner nut with the peg first, with the peg outward. Tighten the nut and turn the spindle by hand until it wont move, after a few times just back the spanner nut off 1/8th of a turn and align the peg with one off the various holes in the keeper.

Once you have the pre load set install the outside spanner nut to lock everything together.

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[Irishman999]

After your bearing pre load is set, everything goes back together in reverse order. If you become confused as to the directional orientation of a piece just take apart the other side of your axle as a reference.

At this point you should be good to go, pay attention for sounds after you do this.

 

[HotRodPC]

Nice Write up, I'm sure it'll be reffered to often.

I've been going to do a back brake write up w/ baring removal on a 14b FF rear axle, but didn't take enough pics. Its done very similar to this method too.

 

[Irishman999]

Thanks dude, after some more work on the front axle I will be giving the rear 10 bolt some attention.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

Excellent write up!

 

[HotRodPC]

Thanks dude, after some more work on the front axle I will be giving the rear 10 bolt some attention.

Just glad to see your new found interest in the truck. You were starting to get pretty discouraged with it.

 

[Irishman999]

Just glad to see your new found interest in the truck. You were starting to get pretty discouraged with it.

The parts washer and square footage to actually do a proper repair made all the difference. Now that I have everything I need its alot of fun, the satisfaction of a job finished is awesome.

I am tackling every little problem with it that drive me crazy one at a time.

 

[HotRodPC]

The parts washer and square footage to actually do a proper repair made all the difference. Now that I have everything I need its alot of fun, the satisfaction of a job finished is awesome.

I am tackling every little problem with it that drive me crazy one at a time.

You've got the right idea now.

Also, keep that cheap set of bearing race drivers handly. It also works on some seals, and I bet it will also fit some transmission bushings.
I bought a cheap bushing driver set on sale at HF, same brand as that for like $7.99 or $8.99, and it just so happens to have to the right size driver for small bushings like in the pump shafts, sun gear bushings etc for Th350, 400 and 700r4 transmisisons. So I don't have to carefully use sockets now for those drivers. I fully intend to get that set you got there. One of the things at HF that will probably functions just as well as the high dollar sets. I don't like spending big money on tools to beat on.

http://www.harborfreight.com/bushing-bearing-set-38145.html

 

[oneluckypops]

Nice job. I hope you dont mind a little constructive critism though.

Theres an easier way of removing the seal WITH OUT a seal puller, infact the method I use doesnt even tear the seal up so if you choose to reuse it you could,

When you take the spanner nuts off slide the outer wheel bearing off, THEN reinstall 1 of the spanner nuts, then grab ahold of the rotor with both hands and pull it off like using a slide hammer, this will remove the inner bearing AND seal,

 

[crazy4offroad]

Nice write up, only thing I see is you need IMG tags on the first pic in post #6, as well as mention installing the outer bearing before the spanner nuts. Otherwise great job! (I end up editing posts a million times when I do a write up lol)