i have a 2001 ford ranger 2wd an the front wheel bearings are bad. do i need to buy the whole hub assembly or can i just buy the bearing. if i can just buy the bearing how do i go about replacing it?

 

its all one contained unit

 

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Your ranger has spindles up front. YES you can go into your local auto parts store and pick up two sets of bearings for each side. Inner and outer. Only live axle 4wd's need the entire hub assembly.

Remove your wheels, caliper, dust cap, cotter pin, retaining nut, and rotor. Remove old bearings, and replace with new. Easy. Just don't forget to pick up some wheel bearing grease.

 

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yes it is pretty simple. The only thing he left out was you must first remove your wheel, then the calipers, then dust cap, cotter key, etc.

Don't forget to buy the new hub seal for the back side of the rotors.

 

is there a certain way or tool to get the bearings to come out or will they just slide out?

 

they will just come out, dont forget to buy the inner seals, and unlike half the people on here, dont forget to replace the bearing races, which you will remove and install with a brass punch

 

I just replaced mine. Don't forget to pack the bearings really well with grease.

 

What are the bearing races? Can you elaborate? I just put new rotors on my truck and transferred the bearings over, packed them good with grease and new seals, but what are the races?

 

Races are what the wheel bearings 'ride' in. Usually new wheel bearings will come with the new races. If you replace the rotors however they already had the new races installed.