How I changed my 05's Front Wheel Bearing

[evilmike198]

Just a heads-up to everyone:

I contacted the guy thepotroast recommends for buying OE Ford wheel bearings cheap. Here's his email back to me verbatim (all-caps emphasis his):

"SORRY BEEN OUT OF STOCK FOR AWHILE COULD YOU PLEASE INFORM THE EXPLORER FORUM THAT I DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE OR PLEASE TAKE MY EMAIL ADDRESS OFF OF THERE I HAVE BEEN SLAMED WITH EMAILS THANK YOU "

So looks like we're going to have to look elsewhere for cheap OE assemblies.

Mike

 

[thepotroast]

Just a heads-up to everyone:

I contacted the guy thepotroast recommends for buying OE Ford wheel bearings cheap. Here's his email back to me verbatim (all-caps emphasis his):

"SORRY BEEN OUT OF STOCK FOR AWHILE COULD YOU PLEASE INFORM THE EXPLORER FORUM THAT I DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE OR PLEASE TAKE MY EMAIL ADDRESS OFF OF THERE I HAVE BEEN SLAMED WITH EMAILS THANK YOU "

So looks like we're going to have to look elsewhere for cheap OE assemblies.

Mike

Thanks for the update

 

[fscotte]

Hey all! Just wanted to add to this WONDERFUL thread. Like many unknown people, I searched Google on how to "replace front hub bearing on ford explorer" and ended up finding this thread. I read and re-read the experiences and tips from all the posters and I'll have to tell you all, you had me freaking scared to death!

I just finished replacing both front hubs on my 2003 Ford Explorer, and I have to admit I did not have any of the problems outlined in this thread. The 3 hub bolts actually came out very nicely. In fact I was able to use my fingers for the last few turns.

What I did was use a standard 3/8" drive socket, a 3/8" extension, and 3/8 socket wrench. That's it! I had to use a short pipe on my socket wrench for some extra "oomph" to break the bolts free, but after that they just came out with little effort. However, I have to say, I've ALWAYS kept my Explorer in the garage. So apparently that may have helped keep it from rusting.

The biggest and most time consuming problem was the hub bearing itself. After I took the bolts out, it simply would not come off. It's was just stuck in there. The axle moved in and out just fine but the bearing was corroded/rusted/stuck onto the knuckle. I finally made the call to my local Ford service garage and the tech suggested that I hit the bearing several times with a hammer to try to get it to spin free. Well, after repeated hard hits, the hub FINALLY started to give. I was then able to get a flathead screwdriver worked into the gap and pried the hub away from the knuckle.

I eventually used the hub puller AFTER the hub broke free. I was scared to use it before the hub broke free cause I didn't want the puller to push the axle too far in and damage something in the CV joint. Not sure if that's a realistic possibility, but I didn't want to take a chance.

Also, I must say that I sprayed some "break free" solution into the hub bolt slots so maybe that helped in come off too.

I'll have to be honest and say that I wouldn't mind if I had to do this again. It wasn't bad at all, and I sure was happy as a lark that I didn't have the problems so many others did with the hub bolts!!!

 

[thepotroast]

Welcome to the boards fscotte

Glad you found our forum, as well as the thread, and congrats on doing the job yourself! Good tips by the way, hopefully it will help someone else in the future as well.

Don't be a stranger...there's lots of great tips and threads on these forums

 

[ericdrob67]

I live in a Great Salt state, and had a Bear of a time with the hub bolts.... Being 6'7" and a solid 280lbs, they were prolly the tighest bolts ive ever encountered. Stripped teeth inside two craftsman 3/8" ratchets(go go lifetime warranty )

Few tips that helped me alot... Getting the 13/15mm off set box end wrench from Sears. and use Heat. propane torch saved me a good hour of cursing about how tight things were. I was also able to use my 2 jaw puller to press in the axle about 1/2 to 3/4" to give some extra room for your socket on the bolt.

 

[thepotroast]

Few tips that helped me alot... Getting the 13/15mm off set box end wrench from Sears. and use Heat. propane torch saved me a good hour of cursing about how tight things were. I was also able to use my 2 jaw puller to press in the axle about 1/2 to 3/4" to give some extra room for your socket on the bolt.

Identical wrench that I used (deep offset box end 13/15mm Craftsman). When I was done with both of my sides...the 6 P.I.T.A. bolts actually discolored the wrench, there was a distinct blue/purple color on the box end when I was done...and I applied no heat to it at all. The bolts are insanely hardened in there.

 

[ShawnTRD]

I only got my wifes out about 1/2 inch then pulled the hub out and used a angle grinder to cut the bolts off.

 

[thepotroast]

I only got my wifes out about 1/2 inch then pulled the hub out and used a angle grinder to cut the bolts off.

20/20 hindsight tells me that if I ever have to replace the front hub assemblies again, I will be cutting the bolts off as well.

 

[Komplekx]

Heating up the 3 hub bolts helped tremendously. I used a mapp torch to preheat the bolt and a friend held the torch on the exposed bolt thread as I backout'd out the bolt. They were out in 10 mins. Also, not sure why but my bolts were covered in RTV & loctite.

 

[thepotroast]

Heating up the 3 hub bolts helped tremendously. I used a mapp torch to preheat the bolt and a friend held the torch on the exposed bolt thread as I backout'd out the bolt. They were out in 10 mins. Also, not sure why but my bolts were covered in RTV & loctite.

You held a torch on the bolt heads that are 1/2" from the CV boot? You're a braver man than I, sir.

 

[majorhavoc]

20/20 hindsight tells me that if I ever have to replace the front hub assemblies again, I will be cutting the bolts off as well.

me too

 

[High_Order1]

I HAVE BEEN SLAMED WITH EMAILS THANK YOU "

ahhh, the power of a focused group. Now, if we could only put that to some good use...

Shawn

PS - without starting a flame war, I've had some time to think. I really, really do not think anything that depresses the axle half into the vehicle is a good thing. I don't know how fragile that joint is, but it can't like it much... just my .0002

 

[Komplekx]

thepotroast - heat was only applied to non-cv boot side - hub casting / exposed thread(s).

Cheers,

K

 

[thepotroast]

thepotroast - heat was only applied to non-cv boot side - hub casting / exposed thread(s).

Cheers,

K

Ahh, makes more sense! Heating up that threadlocker does tend to help. Do you recall if your bolts had yellow threadlocker on them? I'm not sure why RTV would have been down there though

The Ford OEM hub assemblies come with the yellow threadlocker on the bolts. Perhaps your hubs were replaced before?

 

[Komplekx]

thepotroast-- the bolts did have the yellow lock-tite & the black rtv crud. I am the original owner - never had them repaired or replaced until last week. But I did have 2 abs sensors fail while in warranty. Dealer took care of it & never really told me what they did to remedy the problem (only part numbers & codes on receipt). I wonder if they replaced the hubs or removed them to replace the sensor on the hub? That would explain the rtv...

 

[jrford]

thepotroast-- the bolts did have the yellow lock-tite & the black rtv crud. I am the original owner - never had them repaired or replaced until last week. But I did have 2 abs sensors fail while in warranty. Dealer took care of it & never really told me what they did to remedy the problem (only part numbers & codes on receipt). I wonder if they replaced the hubs or removed them to replace the sensor on the hub? That would explain the rtv...

what are those codes?
My guess is the replaced the Master Cyl Switch and Rear ABS sensor.
When mine was replaced my front original factory hubs we found RTV, as if it was glued in. . .

 

[96Ag]

Hey all! Just wanted to add to this WONDERFUL thread. Like many unknown people, I searched Google on how to "replace front hub bearing on ford explorer" and ended up finding this thread. I read and re-read the experiences and tips from all the posters and I'll have to tell you all, you had me freaking scared to death!

I just finished replacing both front hubs on my 2003 Ford Explorer, and I have to admit I did not have any of the problems outlined in this thread. The 3 hub bolts actually came out very nicely. In fact I was able to use my fingers for the last few turns.

What I did was use a standard 3/8" drive socket, a 3/8" extension, and 3/8 socket wrench. That's it! I had to use a short pipe on my socket wrench for some extra "oomph" to break the bolts free, but after that they just came out with little effort. However, I have to say, I've ALWAYS kept my Explorer in the garage. So apparently that may have helped keep it from rusting.

The biggest and most time consuming problem was the hub bearing itself. After I took the bolts out, it simply would not come off. It's was just stuck in there. The axle moved in and out just fine but the bearing was corroded/rusted/stuck onto the knuckle. I finally made the call to my local Ford service garage and the tech suggested that I hit the bearing several times with a hammer to try to get it to spin free. Well, after repeated hard hits, the hub FINALLY started to give. I was then able to get a flathead screwdriver worked into the gap and pried the hub away from the knuckle.

I eventually used the hub puller AFTER the hub broke free. I was scared to use it before the hub broke free cause I didn't want the puller to push the axle too far in and damage something in the CV joint. Not sure if that's a realistic possibility, but I didn't want to take a chance.

Also, I must say that I sprayed some "break free" solution into the hub bolt slots so maybe that helped in come off too.

I'll have to be honest and say that I wouldn't mind if I had to do this again. It wasn't bad at all, and I sure was happy as a lark that I didn't have the problems so many others did with the hub bolts!!!

You have just given me hope sir!

I am tackling this tomorrow. Luckily I have a pretty good set of tools to work with, though I am going to get a deep offset wrench to be safe.

 

[D-Mack]

You guys are awsome for sharing your experiences. I bought the deep offset wrench at the craftsman store (Sears at the mall has jack for tools) and it helped a lot. I backed the hub bolts out just enough to get the dremel in there to cut them. Space was limited, so after I cut half way through, I broke them off by tightening them back up.

My 2004 also had the RTV on the hubs, keeping them stuck in place once the bolts were cut. I had to heat them up with a propane torch and pound away on them with slide hammer (thanks autozone). Like the Ford tech stated previously, do not use a gear puller to push the CV joint in to leverage the hub off. The puller is just to break the CV spline shaft free of the hub.

I tried to save some money by buying the hubs at autozone, but after ordering them there twice and not getting the speed sensor cable and no new bolts included, I had to go to the stealership and pay the extra 70 bucks or so. It was worth it because I got new cables and all new bolts, and I ended up needing one of the cables because the driver's side one broke when I was removing it from the hub.

When I took it for a test drive, the ABS light came on for a few minutes, but then went out (both times: one hub Saturday, the other Sunday). I felt some pulsations in my steering wheel on the test drives and thought I messed up my CVs or front diffy. It went away after several miles. Long story short, it looks like I messed up my lower ball joints while yanking out the hubs. I've got a big ugly rejection sticker on my windshield now, so next weekend's project is ball joints and outer tie rod ends.

Keep up the great posts!

 

[Komplekx]

Hi D-Mack - I screwed up one CV assm (half shaft) the first time I replaced the hub on my buddies explorer. Before reading up (@ the Xplorerforum) I used a gear puller to hold back the half shaft to easily remove the bolts. Unfortunately, I really cranked down on the gear puller. After re-assembly, I noticed the grinding & popping while turning in the newly replaced hub's direction (test drive). So, we replaced the half shaft assm. 2 days later - problem solved. When I changed my hubs 2 weeks ago - I knew how to properly remove the hubs w/o damaging the half shaft. Cheers!

 

[Castle]

I'm going to tackle both front hubs on my '02 this weekend. I have air tools (impact gun and air wrench) so we'll see how this goes.

Thanks for posting your experiences, after reading everyone's advice this sounds like a simple job.