A learning experience
My '05 started making bearing noise. Seemed to be coming from right front. I would turn to the left to load it up and it would get louder, turn to the right to take some load off it and it got quieter.
1st lesson learned: For some reason, the '05 Explorer XLT 4WD acts backward from what I'm used to. It turned out, after replacing the right one, to actually be the left causing the noise. Since it's not a bad idea to do both, I went ahead and ordered one for the other side and did that one too. NOTE: I got the cheapest Chinese bearings I could find.
Later I went through a similar experience on the rear end.
Same deal, different procedure, cheap Chinese bearings.
About 13 months later (1 year warranty), I started hearing bearing noise again. This started the fun again as I worked my way around the vehicle again. This time I shelled out the extra $$$ and got the SKF kits all around. it's been 2 years and still no failures.
2nd lesson learned: Cheap Chinese bearings (1 year warranty) last about 12.5 months in Upstate NY (lots-o-road salt).
Now, to the hub that won't come off after the infamous PITA bolts are removed. I tried lots of things: slide hammer, screw driver, 3 cans of PB Blaster, MAAP Torch - those babies weren't moving. My final Solution involved a couple different size cold chisels and a 3 lb hammer. Working around the flange until I got a little spacing to show up, then it wasn't too bad prying it the rest of the way off.
a 3 claw puller helps with the hub bolts, pushing the CV back a little bit to get some room to work in, but I bought a set of those deep offset wrenches at AutoZone when I was in for something else one day, thinking about those bolts and how hard they are to get to. They really do help, but I really need to get a swivel adapter for my sockets - that's on my to-get list. I think either would do the trick. that 3 claw puller is also the way to go to get the axle freed up from the hub splines.
I had to do the front bearings on my RAM 1500 about a year later, and it's almost identical with the exception of wrench sizes - so getting those offset wrenches paid big dividends for that and the replacement of the Chinese parts on the Explorer not long after.
Once you have the right tools and know how they go together, changing the front bearings really isn't a tough job. Just like anything else, getting the old part off is always a bear, then putting the new part on is easy-peasy.
And a side note on the rear bearings. Maybe I'll start a separate thread, but my first one took me 6 hours (not counting taking the wheel knuckle to get the parts pressed), and the last time took me 30 minutes - so there is definitely a learning curve. I'll just say that the guys that design this stuff must lie awake at night trying to come up with ways to make it easy for the factory to put together, and as #&$*&#*& difficult as possible to take apart.
Oh yeah, when using a big hammer on a cold chisel, do yourself a favor and hold the chisel with a pair of vise-grips, not your hand. You'll thank me later for that little tip.