Replaced front wheel bearing

[winterwolf]

I've looked through the posts for postings on wheel bearings for 94's and can't seem find anything that matches the problem that I am having.
My brother-in-law and I replaced the wheel bearings on the drivers side of my 94 XLT 4x4. Found out it was wheel bearing when checking ball joints (was told needed them when bought Thurs). The wheel had tremendous play in it so, I limped back home from his house.
Today we replaced the inner and outer bearings with a used set he had from his 91 Ranger. We checked play when put wheel back on and everything tight. No play from bearings, ball joints or tie rods.
Went for a drive and noticed I now have a deep rubbing/roar that wasn't there before doing the work. The original inner bearing was the one that was gone and we had a hard time getting off the spindle.
Now, I am wondering if it could possibly be because we have the bearings too tight? We cleaned them with brake cleaner and repacked before we assembled everything.
The hubs have been changed from auto to manual and have parts that look like these(found in this post):

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=199915

Sorry for the link, couldn't figure out how to put a pic in my post.

Any help be appreciated as need truck functional for work.

Thx in advance

[TedJ]

What procedure did you use to torque the bearings?

The preload (tightening the inner nut) should be 35ft-lb (iirc), wiggle it around to seat the bearings, then loosen and tighten just till there is no endplay (hand tight). Then the locking washer (the one with all the holes and tab) and then 150ft-lb on the outer nut. If the locking washer gets its tab sheared off or the pin on the inner locknut is sheared off, then tightening the outer nut will also tighten the innner one, making the bearing preload way to tight.

How hard was it to spin the rotor by hand after you finished installing and torquing the bearings?

Did you replace the bearing race as well? (It probably is chewed up from the bad bearing)

[DeRocha]

Originally Posted by winterwolf

I've looked through the posts for postings on wheel bearings for 94's and can't seem find anything that matches the problem that I am having.
My brother-in-law and I replaced the wheel bearings on the drivers side of my 94 XLT 4x4. Found out it was wheel bearing when checking ball joints (was told needed them when bought Thurs). The wheel had tremendous play in it so, I limped back home from his house.
Today we replaced the inner and outer bearings with a used set he had from his 91 Ranger. We checked play when put wheel back on and everything tight. No play from bearings, ball joints or tie rods.
Went for a drive and noticed I now have a deep rubbing/roar that wasn't there before doing the work. The original inner bearing was the one that was gone and we had a hard time getting off the spindle.
Now, I am wondering if it could possibly be because we have the bearings too tight? We cleaned them with brake cleaner and repacked before we assembled everything.
The hubs have been changed from auto to manual and have parts that look like these(found in this post):

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=199915

Sorry for the link, couldn't figure out how to put a pic in my post.

Any help be appreciated as need truck functional for work.

Thx in advance

If the old wheel bearings were worn they would have created a wear pattern on the surface on the race(s) on which they ride. When you install old bearings on a different/worn set of races it would be common to hear noise as they two surfaces are not matched. I always replace wheel bearings with new races.

How did you tighten the wheel bearing nuts and what torque settings did you use?

Also check out the 1st gen brake diary for lots of good info and pics.

[DeRocha]

Just notice Ted beat me to the punch.. all good info..


BTW to use pictures that you see on the internet

1) Right click the pic and select "Copy image location"
2) On the edit menu when enterng this text click the "Insert image button" (looks like a mountain and sun)
3) Past in the image link you copied from step 1

[winterwolf]

I appreciate the insight that you have given me. I never thought about the race being worn in the same pattern as the bearing because looked and felt fine.
Going take apart tomorrow (if not raining...lol) and have a look. Going to put a new race in for sure.
As for tightening everything, I think he tightened the inner nut too much trying to seat the rotor on the spindle, so when do it again, going seat the rotor and back the nut off, put washer, washer w/pin and then tighten the outer nut.
Noticed that it's not a normal hex nut but a nut that has notches in it. We used a flat screwdriver and hammer to tighten it.

I will let you know what I find...worse come to worse, pay the 50 bucks for new set bearings. We have 2 new sets of races so, don't need worry about them.

[TedJ]

I would strongly suggest against the hammer and screwdriver. You will not get the torque required. A special socket with 4 tabs on it is used to tighten those nuts. You should be using one of those and a torque wrench. Failure to do so may cause wheel separation, and trust me that's a whole load of fun you'd rather avoid.

Inner nut should be prevented from tightening when tightening the outer nut by the keyed washer part. If it is not, either the keyed washer has its key sheared off or the pin is sheared off the inner nut (or you put the outer nut without the pin on the inside)

I don't wanna be Mr. Safety here, but these parts are really dang important, imagine what happens when the tire falls off at 65mph. The keyed washer engaging the pin on the inner nut and the keyway on the spindle is critically important.

DO NOT drive the vehicle until this is fixed properly.

[jd4242]

are the 91 ranger bearings the same for a 94 ex?I heard that 91 sometimes came with the 28 front end.don't know if that could have anything to do with it
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[Tbars4]

...The Dana 35 has been in all RBV's since 1990 except for the 90-97 Aerostar AWD vans, Ranger (4 cylinders) and some 3.0's from 93-97 and these are known as Hybrid Dana 35's.

...I had a similar situation on my passenger side of my X, and it turned out to be the rotor...I replaced it and, with tightening it to the spec's found here on the Forum and not in the books, I have not had a problem since...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...hlight=Project

[jd4242]

Originally Posted by tbars4

...The Dana 35 has been in all RBV's since 1990 except for the 90-97 Aerostar AWD vans, Ranger (4 cylinders) and some 3.0's from 93-97 and these are known as Hybrid Dana 35's.

...I had a similar situation on my passenger side of my X, and it turned out to be the rotor...I replaced it and, with tightening it to the spec's found here on the Forum and not in the books, I have not had a problem since...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...hlight=Project

yea sorry just looked back on the threads that I saw that in and they were talking about a 90
Posted via Mobile Device

[nitro71]

I wouldn't drive it till you fix it either.. You might spin the race then you'll need to buy a new rotor/hub(whatever it fits in..)

[winterwolf]

Well, I found out by spinning the rotor the noise is coming from the bearings that I installed. Also found out that the 'tit' on the outer ring is sheared off...not impressed.

Could the bearings that I installed be bad even though looked and felt fine when cleaned and repacked them or could it be because neglected to change the race that they sit in?

What would've caused the 'tit' to shear off the outer ring?

Thx in advance

[Tbars4]

...You can find info on the replacement of those spindle nuts here...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=232754

...Due to not tightening properly, bad installation practices, or because they will break off when they come loose, will cause that problem...As for the race and bearing, it is never changed by most people and over the years has worn down like my rotor did...

...How you repair it now will show the end result of how soon you want to do this again..