How to: 2002 Explorer rear wheel bearing replacement (pictures)

[rick72_us]

Thank you Tyler92

Thank you Tyler92 for the great post. I completed this job on my '02 Explorer about 2 weeks ago and I'm not sure I would have been willing to tackle it without your pctures and great instructions.

 

[jpoprock]

Hey guys... check it out...

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2355732&postcount=8

Thanks Tyler92!!!

 

[Tyler92]

Again, you're all welcome. Just glad this has helped a few hardy soles willing to tackle this job. It is a bear to do but you can save some serious cash by doing it yourself.......

 

[JarvisB]

where is the part that I'm supposed to take the spring out?

This is a perfect write up, just that I am not sure when I will be able to take the springs out. I am going to install ground force lowering springs very soon so just would like to know how, where, and when. Thanks in advance

 

[jaesto]

Tyler92. The pictures were removed from the posting. Can you please help us out putting them back to be able to follow you directions a but easier.
Thanks in advance

 

[jaesto]

Never mind. I saw the pictures. My computer at work was blocking them.

 

[mikeinri]

I can't see the pics in the jpoprock link above either, and maybe that would help answer this question.

Anyway, how do I know if I need to buy just the rear wheel bearing, or the kit that includes the bearing and flange (I assume that means hub)? Here's what I'm finding on rockauto:

TIMKEN Part # HA590259K
4WD; Indep. Rr. Susp.; Kit = Flg, Brg, & Snap Ring

I assume this means flange, bearing and snap ring, how do I know if I need all those parts or just the bearing:

TIMKEN Part # 516008
4WD; Indep. Rr. Susp.; Opt.; Rear

Also, are these the correct parts for a 2004 V6?

If I buy the whole kit, I still need to have something pressed, right?

Mike

 

[mikeinri]

Sorry, I referred to the wrong link above. The pics I can't see are in the jpoprock link.

If I order parts online to save money, I need to be sure I get the right ones...

Mike

 

[miker104]

The photos seem to be gone from the jpoprock link. Refer to the original ones posted by Tyler92 on the first page of the thread.

IIRC Ford originally only sold the bearing/hub/snap ring as a kit, you couldn't buy just the bearing. At some point they made the bearing only available. IMO if you are going to the work to change the bearing, might as well change the hub too. I have read in other places that damage, almost undetectable on the hub can make your new bearing die early. One question that comes up often on these bearings is which one to buy, they vary widely in cost. Some have said that the cheap Chinese ones are junk and others have had no problem with them. How long are you intending to keep the Explorer? If you want to keep it for a long time, I would buy a quality bearing, like the National Repair Kit (P/N 521000) as I have heard that bearing is made in the US. The bearing alone runs from $25-$83 (rockauto.com).

There is one member here that bought the rear bearing/hubs from here:
http://www.primechoiceautoparts.com/p-5088-hub-bearing-hub-assembly-premium-new.aspx
those are definitely made in China (price is $26.50 for each side)

Since I'm lazy I only want to do this job once so I am going to buy quality parts and replace the hub and bearing at the same time. You may also want to replace the axle nut that holds the axle shaft (CV axle half shaft) to the wheel hub. Some say change it, some say don't. It's your call.

 

[mikeinri]

Well, I have an estimate from a Ford dealer, here's what they wrote, and what I found doing a google search online (fordoemparts.net):

6L2Z 1215 A Bearing Assembly (Need 2)
5L2Z 1A124 A Ring (Snap / Retainer Ring, Need 2)
1L2Z 2C028 AB Shield (Backing Plate, Right Side)
1L2Z 2C029 AB Shield (Backing Plate, Left Side)

I don't see a "flange" anywhere. The price of the bearing is too low to be the complete bearing and hub assembly.

So, why would I need a backing plate and not the flange (from the drawings online, I think by flange, they are talking about the outside of the hub, where the wheel studs are connected, and the backing plate goes behind/inside the ebrake shoes)?

Mike

 

[mikeinri]

Tackled this job this weekend, so far I have everything apart and the hubs are pressed, ran out of time. A couple of items that I ran into that were different than what Tyler wrote:

On my 2004, the rear axle nut is 36 mm. 1 3/8 inch is roughly 32 mm, and was too small for mine.

Timing of rotor removal... Per Tyler and the Haynes manual, it appears that you would remove the rotor before removing the axle nut. That didn't work on my truck, as I needed to use the ebrake to hold the hub still, because the axle nut fought me the whole way on the passenger side (had to use the cheater bar all the way out).

As for the upper ball joints, as I noted in a different thread, one trick if you can't get this out is to remove the trailing arm and lower arm bolt, then push the axle back through the hub. Spin the knuckle/hub assembly around on the ball joint axis, so the back of the hub is facing outward (turn it inside-out). Then, open the pinch joint as much as you can, look in there, and you will see a small area just under the ball joint stud within the split opening, into which you can stick a screwdriver and pry against the bottom end of the stud, it should pop right out.

For the trailing arm, on one side, I had to use a pickle fork, with the fork "tines" wrapped around the trailing arm, and the fork bar running behind the hub toward the front of the truck. Then, just hit the pickle fork with a hammer, and it pushes it right out.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[jpoprock]

I was noticing that after I replaced my rear hubs and springs, that the camber of my rear wheels tilt in at the top, and out at the bottom a little bit. I'm sure that if I had weight on the rear, that they would then level out. But I wondered if that was normal or not. It wasn't obvious until I caught a glimpse of my truck from the side while mowing, and wondered if they were supposed to be that way. It's VERY slight.

 

[ishootu]

Hub assemblies

I believe I will be tackling this job soon. I have already done the fronts. However, is it necessary to have the bearing pressed on? I am looking to buy the Timken HA590259K Hub Assembly. Key word to me being "assembly" as in it's already one piece. Anyone have feed back on this?

Also, I am glad I read this. I thought all I was going to have to do is:

remove caliper, remove rotor, undo nut, pull hub assembly, then reverse the process. Now I am thinking I may replace the shocks/struts as long as I have the whole damn thing apart.

 

[guillermo2458]

can you show me how to take the ring lock

i wanna change my wheel bearing on my 2002 mountanier on the rear wheel i saw u pictures but i dint see how you take the ring lock is in the back of the wheel bearing or in the front i dont know can u tell me,please

 

[fornetti14]

I believe I will be tackling this job soon. I have already done the fronts. However, is it necessary to have the bearing pressed on? I am looking to buy the Timken HA590259K Hub Assembly. Key word to me being "assembly" as in it's already one piece. Anyone have feed back on this?

Also, I am glad I read this. I thought all I was going to have to do is:

remove caliper, remove rotor, undo nut, pull hub assembly, then reverse the process. Now I am thinking I may replace the shocks/struts as long as I have the whole damn thing apart.

Take a look at the post after yours. This is what they mean by "assembly". You'll need to have a press to push the bearing into the hub assembly.

 

[miker104]

i wanna change my wheel bearing on my 2002 mountanier on the rear wheel i saw u pictures but i dint see how you take the ring lock is in the back of the wheel bearing or in the front i dont know can u tell me,please

I think the snap ring is installed in the knuckle that holds the bearing. You have to disassemble the hub/bearing and remove the snap ring to press the bearing out of the knuckle. It is not installed in the parts shown on the photo in your post.

 

[jpoprock]

Yes, the bearing has to be pressed in with a press. Make sure you get it in all the way. Then you put the snap ring on last. So it goes on the outside, not the inside. It's a tough bugger to get in place too. It took two of us to do it. One to feed it, the other to snap it into place. You won't be able to get the bearing in unless you have a press of some kind. My neighbor had a bearing press, so that's where I had it done. You may need to call around before you tackle this, because places you would have assumed could press them in, doesn't do it anymore. And waltzing in on a Saturday at 2PM is not a good idea. So, plan and call ahead so they don't tell you to come back Monday!

I don't remember how we dealt with the snap ring. I reused my old hubs. so I think we pressed the bearing out, then got the snap ring out. I don't remember taking the snap ring out first, but we may have. Getting it out isn't too hard, but getting the new one IN can be a trick.

Also... good luck with the job. I changed my rear hubs and broken springs with a buddy. Neither of us had ever done it, but we're both fairly adept. It took us 19 hours!! It's a difficult job for one person as it takes strength. I think the hardest thing about the job was the springs. It's impossible to do without a spring clamp (Harbor Freight!), and you don't have a lot of room to work with either. Plus, the springs sit in these carrier/stop ring things, and you have to get it lined up just right. It was a nightmare. That was the hardest part. You will also need a torque wrench as well.

If you are a gear head... and have the tools and the facility to do this, you'll have no problems. Might take you 12hrs. HA! In hindsight, I didn't feel the job was all that difficult. It was just very time consuming and at times very physical. It would have taken me DAYS to do it if I were by myself. And if the springs weren't involved, it would have been MUCH MUCH easier. Just be prepared for problems, and hopefully you have all the sockets you need, etc.

Good luck!

 

[jpoprock]

Wow, I just noticed that my pix aren't showing up from a log time ago. I'll see if I can fix that and report back!

Jason

 

[mikeinri]

I am by no means an expert, but I just finished this, and had very similar questions.

Inside/outside can be confusing, and there aren't any clear pics that show this disassembled, so try to think of it this way (working from the most outboard part inward toward the differential):

Hub

Knuckle (with brake dust shield attached)

Bearing

Snap Ring

Basically, once you remove the hub/knuckle/bearing assembly (all pressed together), turn it around so you are looking at the bearing side (not the lug nut side), and you will see the snap ring right there.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[jpoprock]

Ok, let's try this again...

Just a follow up on this repair...

It wasn't too bad... but it did take me and my buddy 19 total hours and about two cases of beer to do it!! The only real instructions that I had were provided by Tyler92 from this forum!! The hardest part of the job was actually getting the springs off, reinstalled, and lined up. Dealing with a spring compression clamp was a pain due to how little room you had to work with. If the spring needed rotated so that it could seat into the carrier thingy properly, you sometimes couldn't rotate it because the clamps got in the way. I also got lucky and didn't damage anything that wasn't already bad!

I went with Timken hubs and bearings and Moog springs. BOTH of my springs were broken btw. I can't believe the difference that new springs made to the ride!

One major snag that we ran into, was that when I took the bearings up to Napa to have them pressed out and the new pressed in, they told me they didn't do that any longer! I almost died because my rear end was tore down, and now Napa doesn't deal with hubs (At least my local Napa doesn't). So, I called my neighbor who has a 20ton press. He wasn't sure if he had anything big enough to press the old bearings in and out, but he did after all. Thank god too, because I would have been in deep trouble. That took a big time chunk out of the day, as well as having to go to Harbor Freight for some specialty tools I needed.

But in the end, it wasn't too bad. My buddy and I basically tag teamed the job. He'd wrench for a while, the I'd wrench for a while, etc. Neither of us had done the job before either!! I think I could do it much quicker now, but I certainly don't want to have to do it any time soon!

The amount of beer that was consumed was staggering too. HA!

Here are some pix! (notice the printed instructions courtesy of Tyler92)!

I'd say my spring was toast wouldn't you?

The right side hub

Taking it all apart...

Splined Shaft

Catastrophic Bearing Failure!

Pressing it out

Right Side Complete!!

Hillbilly jack stand!