How difficult is it to change out the front wheel bearings in 2004 Ranger?
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How difficult is it to change out the front wheel bearings in 2004 Ranger?
I've got a used front axle housing on the front of my truck, so I'm not sure of what kind of abuse it has taken. Recently, a strong shake has come about when going 60+ mph. I was told at a shop where my clutch was recently replaced that it is most likely my wheel bearings. There is very little play in the wheel, so I am thinking it's not the ball joints.
Does anybody know how difficult it is to change these out? And can anybody list the steps to removing these? If it's anything like changing out the wheel bearings on my TTB 89 Bronco with locking hubs, I may not have the patience.
Does anybody know how difficult it is to change these out? And can anybody list the steps to removing these? If it's anything like changing out the wheel bearings on my TTB 89 Bronco with locking hubs, I may not have the patience.
#2
Remove hubcap
Loosen axle nut
Remove wheel
Remove brake caliper and zip-tie out of the way
Remove upper balljoint pinch bolt and separate from knuckle
Remove outer tie-rod castle nut and separate from knuckle
Pull knuckle out and remove outer CV joint from knuckle
Remove 3 or 4 bolts on the back of the hub assembly and remove
I think that's it...? Search I'm sure there is a write up. Should be able to do it in an hour or two on your own.
Loosen axle nut
Remove wheel
Remove brake caliper and zip-tie out of the way
Remove upper balljoint pinch bolt and separate from knuckle
Remove outer tie-rod castle nut and separate from knuckle
Pull knuckle out and remove outer CV joint from knuckle
Remove 3 or 4 bolts on the back of the hub assembly and remove
I think that's it...? Search I'm sure there is a write up. Should be able to do it in an hour or two on your own.
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I just did my hub assembly last weekend. It was a *****. The bolts were a pain in the ***. Be prepared they red locktited tthem at teh factory, so get some MAPP gas and heat them up before you try and turn them. NAPA has a "lifetime" Hub assembly for 4x4 with 4 wheel ABS for 217.00. It seemed like a quailty part, I had to order new bolts from ford since mine were torn up from trying to get them off.
Make sure that you torque the hub nut correctly. It is to be torqued to 162 ft/lb on my 2005, so yours should be the same. The Hub assembly mounting bolts are around 85 ft/lb+ red loctite. the caliper mounting bolts are around 85 ft/lb+ red loctite. The caliper slide bolts are around 26 ft/lb I believe.
Make sure you clean up the area for where the new hub goes in, use some PB Blaster, or parts cleaner. Use as well some Anti-Sieze on the shaft as well where the flange mounts into the stearing knuckle just incase you ever need to take it apart again. Then you just need to plug in the ABS sensor. If you get the one from NAPA it comes with all new ABS sensor wire mounts. It's really easy to put in ... the old ones just a c*** to get out.
PS: have a cold chisel to seperate the wheel hub from the steering knuckle, just rap on it a few times. You may want to grab a gear puller to pull the hub off the cv shaft, I found it easiest becuase I had it laying around. Any questions PM me, and I will help you the best I can.
Make sure that you torque the hub nut correctly. It is to be torqued to 162 ft/lb on my 2005, so yours should be the same. The Hub assembly mounting bolts are around 85 ft/lb+ red loctite. the caliper mounting bolts are around 85 ft/lb+ red loctite. The caliper slide bolts are around 26 ft/lb I believe.
Make sure you clean up the area for where the new hub goes in, use some PB Blaster, or parts cleaner. Use as well some Anti-Sieze on the shaft as well where the flange mounts into the stearing knuckle just incase you ever need to take it apart again. Then you just need to plug in the ABS sensor. If you get the one from NAPA it comes with all new ABS sensor wire mounts. It's really easy to put in ... the old ones just a c*** to get out.
PS: have a cold chisel to seperate the wheel hub from the steering knuckle, just rap on it a few times. You may want to grab a gear puller to pull the hub off the cv shaft, I found it easiest becuase I had it laying around. Any questions PM me, and I will help you the best I can.
#11
PS if its the vibration I had, ford kept saying it was the tires out of balance. but the whole center console was shaking, I really felt like the truck was falling apart, but it was this little mysterious part. When it gets worse it will make a churping noise that you can hear when you are driving next to those concrete devider walls... kind of sounds like a brake clip dragging.
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x2 they growl mine never shook and as for the bolts go we didn't have a to many issues we only broke 3 sockets and basically make sure you have a pipe to put on a wrench and your set lol
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There is no need to remove the knuckle when doing a hub. You can get to the bolts with the knuckle and the axle shaft in. It is very tight but it can be done. Have you checked you tires for irregular wear like chopping the edges? That will make a similar noise as wheel bearings. You might want to check that first because hub/bearing assembly's are not cheap for 98+ trucks.
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I finally ordered the hub/wheel bearing assembly from Rock Auto. I was originally going to get it done at a shop, but my passenger side one decided to burn up literally on the ride there, so that one got fixed instead. I'm doing the driver's side myself hopefully this weekend.
From everything you guys have said as symptoms of wheel bearings, I am sure that the mechanics was correct in his assumption that it was going. I can't wait to get this done and get my truck back on the road, the F250's just too big, too slow, and too much of a gas hog to keep using as my daily driver.
From everything you guys have said as symptoms of wheel bearings, I am sure that the mechanics was correct in his assumption that it was going. I can't wait to get this done and get my truck back on the road, the F250's just too big, too slow, and too much of a gas hog to keep using as my daily driver.
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Nice... I've now paid $450 into this. I paid 300 for a shop to do the passenger side - probably looked just like your video, and I paid about $150 for the Timken at Rock Auto for the driver side. I jacked up the truck yesterday and there's hardly any play in the tire, but better safe then sorry... I'm still changing it out on Saturday.
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