Front Wheel Bearing

[polizi212]

Two quick questions!

1. Where can I find the procedure and tools needed to do the front wheel bearings on my 2008 Explorer 4x4 with the 4.0 V6?

2. Where is the cheapest place to buy the bearing? I have been looking online and the best price I find is a Motorcraft hub29 for $200.99 from Rockauto.com

I checked with the dealer and they say I need a hub29 for the front of my Explorer the price they quoted me was crazy high! I will not buy one from ebay unless someone here can point me to a reputable seller!

 

[Explorer_PL]

If you can get it for 200 and it's Motorcraft HUB29, go for it.
Check youtube, or bunch of other posts here for some instructions.

I know, Ford wants close to 400 for same thing.

 

[71455vert]

Super simple job I just did both my fronts last week (& now I hear the right rear grrrrrrrrrrr)

Anyway the only odd tool you need is a 32mm socket & a breaker bar ( I used my torque wench)

before you jack up the car take off your center cap & break the axle nut loose.

Then jack up the truck & remove the wheel Caliper & caliper bracket. Then remove the rotor
Then with the axle nut loose but still on the axle shaft give it a good rap with a small heavy hammer till you see the axle shaft break loose from the hub & then remove the axle nut

Then there are three bolts holding the hub from behind ( I think it was a 15 mm) I hear on 3rd gen they can be a pain but my 06 with 140k came out just fine.(but I did need a breaker bar) undo all three & then just tap the hub with the hammer from side to side & it will slowly come out.

If you can do brakes it is only one extra step I did both sides in about an hour & a half with a floor Jack & hand tools.
Also may as well do the brakes when you are in there I did the brakes & rotors anyway.

 

[edwx]

Dude.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=376945

Yeah, $200 for a Hub29 is decent.

 

[03WIExplorerLtd]

Timken are great hubs...I'd suggest looking at them.

 

[edwx]

SKF hubs are USA or Canadian made, and use Timken bearings and come with the 5 bolt kit. SKF BR930456 or BR930741

 

[polizi212]

Perhaps you all can chime in here and tell me if I am on the right track! When driving my Explorer I get a sound much like you would hear from off road tires on the road but my tires are not off road and it only seams to be coming from the front drivers side! I believe that this is probably the wheel bearing going out, do you agree with me???

 

[edwx]

You got it! But the sound can be deceiving as to where it is coming from. Might be the drivers side and/or passenger side. If you don't want to do both, you can just start with the replacing the drivers side and see what happens.

 

[Ornery]

I don't get why Rock Auto shows that your truck should use Hub67, yet you were told Hub29? Price would drop to $165 (or even $158 with free shipping on Ebay) if you go with Hub67.

 

[polizi212]

edwx, I am really leaning towards that driver side since thats really where the sound seam like it comes from also the passenger side was replaced by the dealer just before I got it! Odd thing was they didn't use a OEM part since it was not a certified used car from ford they chose to use a car quest part!

Ornery, I too dont understand the difference in that part other than price.

Why cant we just change the bearings instead of the whole hub???

 

[edwx]

If you won't read this thread on the research I did on the Motorcraft HUB 67 and the SKF BR930456 versus The Mororcraft HUB 29 and SKF BR930741, then there is nothing more I can say. If you want to possibly save money, read it. If not, just buy the more expensive hub!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=376945

 

[polizi212]

edwx, I have read your thread and I am trying to make sense of it all, In as much as I would like to save money I want to make 100% sure I am using the correct parts. I am trying to find out what if any difference there is in the hub29 and the BR930741, I can find no significant difference except the price which is only 23.00 different than the Motorcraft hub 29 on Rockauto. I have looked at ebay but I am very suspicious of getting ripped off and given cheap Chinese parts instead of what I want! From whom did you purchase your parts from???

 

[polizi212]

To add to my above post I have found all the secs for the SKF BR930741 and the SKF BR30456 and they are identical in every way. as far as the physical specs! But I wonder if there is a difference in the ABS harness or other parts??

 

[Ornery]

Well, if you buy that Hub67 from RockAuto, and it isn't right, they should swap it back on their dime, since they list as a number for your application.

I would buy the Ebay unit, since I'm just a born gambler (I kid, I'm too cheap to risk losing money, but I'd still buy the Ebay item). Rock Auto has sent me brake pads with one wrong pad in the box. They made good on it, but the point is, they're not perfect either.

 

[polizi212]

I guess either way I am screwed LOL, looking at the SKF and the hub67 they are identical to the hub 29 which is absolutely crazy!! And I have to really wonder what the difference really is! besides the price! More research on the plugs and abs components should help I think that is where the difference lies! Perhaps edwx will chime back in on that side of it!!

 

[edwx]

The HUB29 and the BR930741 will both fit. I wouldn't worry about ordering from Ebay. The parts come in clearly marked factory boxes, and if there ever was a problem, any vendor would let you return it. Most have at least a 14 day return policy anyway. Reputation is EVERYTHING on Ebay, that's why I like it. I'm not sure where Motorcraft gets their bearings, so I went with SKF, Made in USA with Timken bearings. The last thing I was worried about was the abs harness. RockAuto cross-references the HUB67 to the SKF BR930456...that's what convinced me, plus the specs of the BR930456 match exactly a hub unit that Advance Auto Parts was trying to sell me. Just keep doing your research and make your best decision. You'll do fine.

 

[polizi212]

Thanks edwx like I said I cant find any difference in the BR930456 and the BR930741 they are identical in all specs, if I go with the one that is called for for my truck its the BR930741 and its equivalent to the Hub 29 and on rock auto anyway the price is only 23 dollars difference! Do you remember the seller of the ones that you purchased?

 

[edwx]

I got mine from auto-parts-liquidators on ebay. Here's a link to the cheapest BR930741 on Ebay today. I'm a sucker for free shipping and no tax.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SKF-BR93074...Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d075ed9ed&vxp=mtr

 

[polizi212]

Yesterday I got a warning message on my dash "Service RSC Now!" with a very annoying warning beep! The ABS light and stability control lights would come on but after a few minutes would go off but the wrench light would stay lit, then every time I would make a left turn it would do it again. So I made a quick trip to my local Autozone and had them pull the codes and I had a code C1145 RF wheel speed sensor. So I went home and start looking for the part and I find them but that wheel speed sensor is like is about $160.00. Well since I am cheap and I need to replace my Driver side wheel hub as well I bought a new wheel hub locally. I took the ABS sensor off the new part put it on the right front and that cured my ABS issue.

I dreaded doing the hub bearing but all the bolts came out really easy. I did not have to resort to any breaker bars, impact wrenches, or torches. I was to the part of having to use a hammer to get the old hub out but it was late and my wife and kids didn't like the loud pounding so I called it a night. Lucky for me my attached garage can be heated since it was 32 degrees yesterday here, It was about 55 in the garage. So today my plan of action was to get the old hub off get the new one on and then since it was to be close to 50 degrees temperature wise I am going to treat my Explorer to a Car Wash!

I started the job again about 10 am and at that point I had everything off Wheel, caliper etc. I could get a pretty good hit on the one side of the hub but not the other so I took off the dust/splash shield, it was only held in with 4 bolts and that allowed me to get a pretty good hit on that side of the hub. After about 10 minutes of hard hitting the hub started to move and after a few more minute of strategic massaging it was out. I cleaned out the rust from the area the hub sits in and place the new hub in place and after applying a few more gentle hits it was seated in place. I spent the next 20 minutes putting it all back together and checking and double checking my work. The test drive was a pure joy to not hear that front end noise, In fact it was strangely quite to drive now. If or when I have to do another I should be able to do it in about a hour now that I have it down. I wrapped up the project including cleaning up my mess in the garage at about 1130 so overall not too bad!!!

Unfortunately the car wash didn't happen today. Oh well its going to rain anyway!!!

 

[Ornery]

Rain? Noooo!

After I got mine all washed & dried in the sub freezing, it warmed up and got nice & sunny. Took my dad out to lunch for his birthday, showing off the Explorer a little. Went over a patch of really rough, pot hole riddled blacktop and the ABS, traction control and wrench icons came on. Didn't need my dad seeing that, so I reset it once and the ABS & traction control icons went off. Reset it again and the wrench icon was off and has stayed off.

I've since been told by "Turdle", a worn bearing could cause that, but he did offer me a spare sensor in case that was the problem. Nice guy! I checked the play in each wheel last night, and they are tight... whew.

I'm going to clean the connections with Caig DeoxIT and examine the sensor rings, or "Tone rings" for cracks. I have a feeling that may be the trouble. Either way, as long as the lights stay off I'm not going to sweat it too much. Kind of short on funds anyway, so I'm relieved the bearings are off the radar... for a while.

Glad to hear your problem is behind you. That's always a great feeling!