wheel bearing trouble

[MannyDantyla]

Alright, let me give ya a rundown of all that I've done the the front wheel bearings..

About a month ago, the driver-side front wheel bearing went bad - it was making a chirping noise and the wheel could wobble when it was off the ground - so I replaced it. Actually, there's three bearings: the inner and outer wheel bearing and the axle spindle needle bearing. I got lazy and din't replace the axle spindle needle bearing, only the other two which weren't in too bad a condition TBH. When I opened it up, the hub nuts were loose (I didn't hardly even need the special tool to remove them) so I assumed that was the issue.

Only a week or two after that it started to make a little bit of sound again. But it wasn't until a few days ago that it got real noisy and loud. So last night I opened it up again. The wheel could wiggle side to side with it off the ground, but the nuts were't loose. I think I didn't seat the bearing properly (the procedure for seating the bearings is just crazy). But this time I took the axle spindle off too and I could see the the axle spindle needle bearing was bad! Stupid lazy me for not replacing it the first time. I replaced it this time but I didn't replace the other two bearings, they seamed alright. However, the grease surrounding the bad axle spindle needle bearing had little bits of metal grit in it from the bad bearing. I looked but I don't think this traveled into the other bearings but I didn't look that hard really.. I put the wheel back on and this time I checked to make sure the wheel couldn't wiggle before I lowered the truck back to the ground.

But there's still a noise coming from the driver-side front wheel! It's slightly different than what it was soundling like before yesterday's repair, but not the chirping noise from before the original repair. It's more like a chattery kind of noise that gets a little louder as I come to a stop but can't be heard once the truck is stopped. It's not nearly as in sync with the wheel speed as the original chirping noise. I still think it's the wheel bearing and not the throughout bearing because it doesn't matter if clutch is in or not. I don' think it's the differential because it doesn't matter if I'm speeding up or slowing down. I have no idea if it's the tramsission or TC but it doesn't sound like it's coming from there.


Do you think I just need to replace the bearings again?

Help?

 

[MadOgre]

The needle bearings are to support the axle shaft when it is rotating and doesn't carry any weight of the vehicle or tire. That is accomplished with the inner and outer 2 piece bearings.

Did you pre pack the bearings with grease and torque to the proper specs with proper procedure?

Have you checked the knuckle ball joints ?

 

[MadOgre]

A common mistake is that people will use the new roller bearing to set the chamfer piece of the new bearing in. This is a NO NO because it destroys the roller bearing and puts little grooves into the chamfer face.

 

[firebane]

You need to make sure that the new bearings are packed full of grease and I will highly recommend a bearing packer and not using your hand.. There are cheap $5 units that work well albeit being a bit messy.

You also need to make sure the seals and bearings are all installed properly. This includes the spindle bearing seal and the thrust washer. Most people install the thrust washer with the chamfer facing out but it needs to face in. Also people tend to put the spindle bearing seal on the wrong way.

Third you need to ensure that you properly torque the inner and outer spindle nuts. The inner nut needs to be torqued to 50ft/lbs if I recall and then backed off. I usually torque to 50ft/lbs then back off the nut till the hole closest to the nub on the nut goes into place. Then the outer nut is torqued to 90ft/lbs if I recall.

If none of these things are done correctly you will end up with loose nuts or wheel bearings that will wear out faster.

 

[MadOgre]

Tighten adjusting nut to 50 ft lbs while rotating the tire then back off 90 degrees. Then tighten to 35 ft lbs while rotating the tire then back off 3/8" then install the sleeve retainer washer and what not

the outer locking nut is torqued to 160-205 ft lbs

 

[MadOgre]

You also need to make sure the seals and bearings are all installed properly. This includes the spindle bearing seal and the thrust washer. Most people install the thrust washer with the chamfer facing out but it needs to face in. Also people tend to put the spindle bearing seal on the wrong way.

Its pretty much physically impossible to install the bearings backwards.

 

[firebane]

Its pretty much physically impossible to install the bearings backwards.

Bearings yes. Seals no.

There is a plastic/brass thrust washer which has a chamfer on one side that people put in backwards and there is a seal on the backside of the spindle bearing that can be put in backwards as well.

 

[MadOgre]

Are you talking about the sleeve retainer washer that has a little tangs that need to be engaged in the spindle key way ?

 

[firebane]

Are you talking about the sleeve retainer washer that has a little tangs that need to be engaged in the spindle key way ?

I think you are referring to having manual hubs?

I am referring to the washer and seal bottom left and bottom middle:

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[MadOgre]

This ?

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You must be registered for see images attach

 

[MadOgre]

OH lol

The thing is unless he's having the noises while in 4wd its a wheel bearing or ball joint issue

 

[MannyDantyla]

Oh! I should also say that after I got the spindle off and the axle was free, I began to pull the out and then I got scared and thought this could be a major disaster and I put it back in and held my breath. I pulled it out maybe half a foot before realizing the mistake. Could this be the problem??

The needle bearings are to support the axle shaft when it is rotating and doesn't carry any weight of the vehicle or tire. That is accomplished with the inner and outer 2 piece bearings.

Did you pre pack the bearings with grease and torque to the proper specs with proper procedure?

Have you checked the knuckle ball joints ?

I pre packed the bearings by hand and torqued to the factory service manual's orders. 50 ft pounds on the inner nut, back off and re-torqued to 35 foot pounds - all with the hub spinning. Backed it off again 1/4 turn and then tighted just enough for the little peg to fit into one of the washer holes. Then about 150 ft pounds on the outer nut.

What should I check on the knuckle ball joints?

A common mistake is that people will use the new roller bearing to set the chamfer piece of the new bearing in. This is a NO NO because it destroys the roller bearing and puts little grooves into the chamfer face.

Ok I don't understand anything that you just said so I'm going to assume I did it wrong.

I gently hammered in the needle bearing into the axle spindle so that it was flush with the outer surface. I wasn't sure if the bearing was supposed to be flush with the outer surface of the axle spindle or not, maybe it was supposed to go further in a few millimeters so the smaller oil seal could have some room to stretch its legs. I believe I had the flat surface of the oil seal facing the needle bearing and not the plaster/fiber washer thing (is that the camfer? thrush washer?? #269 in the attached image) which, btw, had one edge that was tapered and I had that facing pointing towards the differential.

You need to make sure that the new bearings are packed full of grease and I will highly recommend a bearing packer and not using your hand.. There are cheap $5 units that work well albeit being a bit messy.

You also need to make sure the seals and bearings are all installed properly. This includes the spindle bearing seal and the thrust washer. Most people install the thrust washer with the chamfer facing out but it needs to face in. Also people tend to put the spindle bearing seal on the wrong way.

Third you need to ensure that you properly torque the inner and outer spindle nuts. The inner nut needs to be torqued to 50ft/lbs if I recall and then backed off. I usually torque to 50ft/lbs then back off the nut till the hole closest to the nub on the nut goes into place. Then the outer nut is torqued to 90ft/lbs if I recall.

If none of these things are done correctly you will end up with loose nuts or wheel bearings that will wear out faster.

The chamger edge on the spacer needs to be facing IN? Yeah that could be the problem right there...

Tighten adjusting nut to 50 ft lbs while rotating the tire then back off 90 degrees. Then tighten to 35 ft lbs while rotating the tire then back off 3/8" then install the sleeve retainer washer and what not

the outer locking nut is torqued to 160-205 ft lbs

yup, that's the one

 

[firebane]

That needle bearing SHOULD and requires a seal. If you look at the image I posted the spindle bearing and seal are shown.

The spindle bearing is to sit further down so the seal can protect it. When the seal is installed the "V" goes towards the inside of the vehicle and sits flat against the thrust washer. If you don't do these things dirt and debris can get in there and destroy that bearing.

Also my spindle bearing was good so I just put a ton of grease into it to keep it going longer.

The inner spindle nut SHOULD have a small nub (bottom left) on it that aligns with the hole for the washer in front of it.

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[MadOgre]

Wow that's a lot lol

 

[MadOgre]

The wheel moving around and the noises have nothing to do with anything behind the spindle, Unless you are getting the noises while in 4wd only?