Replacing wheel bearings

[sunwoman154]

My son has been advised that the front right wheel is very "loose" and the bearing needs to be replaced. Mechanic wants $240 for this.... the part is $70. Advice?

 

[Glacier991]

In the "Useful Threads Forum" there is a thread on a 1st Gen Brake job. Part of that thread is dead bang on for what you will be doing, including bearing replacement. I think you will find what you need there, including pictures.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122696

 

[squeege]

do it yourself..its easy as pie, even for a non mech

 

[EMG7895]

The bearing shouldnt be $70, maybe $10 apiece and a couple more for the seal. You should be able to get good bearings and a new seal for $25

 

[Tony H]

Very simple task. Packing the bearings with wheel bearing grease is messy.
I question whether the bearing is really bad or it was a bit lose. Check your Races too.
If the bearing were truely bad you prbably want to replace the Races. also pretty easy.

 

[DeRocha]

My son has been advised that the front right wheel is very "loose" and the bearing needs to be replaced. Mechanic wants $240 for this.... the part is $70. Advice?

Welcome to the site... You'll find lots of good info here on many topics.. The suggestions on replacing the above wheel bearings is accurate providing the vehicle is a 91 Exlorer. I say this because your profile indicates you have a 91, whereas your questions was about your son's vehicle. So Is the vehicle in question a 91 explorer?

 

[duff]

I did one on my 91. I've done extensive mech work but it's an easy job. Use the old races to bottom out the new ones.

Funny thing is; I replaced mine because I heard it rumbling. I did a swerve test and heard it get louder when turning to the left, heard less when turning to the right. Bearing had a slight blue tint but was not sloppy. After replacemet it stll made the same noise.

 

[papoxlt]

i have the same problem did you ever fond out what it was

 

[duff]

Apparetly Not Yet !

I figured I'd just see what happens. Checked it yesterday. The passenger wheel is sloppy as hell again. Even worse than it was last fall. Cheep bearings would last more than 1k miles. I readjusted the nut but the wheel is still sloppy. I'm wondering if the spindle is bent or maybe a bad rotor ? Can anybody tell me how to diag this ?

Duff

 

[sn0border88]

New bearing and races should run about 70 bucks for all 4 timken bearings and matching races, thats the price I got at national auto a few days back. The job is easy, hard part is getting the torque right but if you follow the instructions provided by DMB you should have no problems. Also, always use new races and new bearings never use a used part with a new counterpart. There are small grooves in the used part that will damage the new part and they will wear unevenly.

 

[Rhett]

Apparetly Not Yet !

I figured I'd just see what happens. Checked it yesterday. The passenger wheel is sloppy as hell again. Even worse than it was last fall. Cheep bearings would last more than 1k miles. I readjusted the nut but the wheel is still sloppy. I'm wondering if the spindle is bent or maybe a bad rotor ? Can anybody tell me how to diag this ?

Duff

What do you mean by 'sloppy'? You mean while driving, the steering isn't tight? Or do you mean when the front end is jacked up, and you grab the wheel, it's all over the place?

Bad ball joints?
Maybe the tie rod ends are worn?
Steering gear?

If you've replaced the bearings (and I mean the entire setup, races and seals also), and they are properly torqued, then they can't be the problem.

 

[duff]

When the front end is jacked up, and you grab the wheel, it's all over the place. Ball joint's, tierods...are fine. It's the wheel on the spindle.

It was tight last fall when I installed the new bearing set. Now it's sloppy again. Something else is in play here because when I removed the old bearings, they didn't look all that bad. Plus; After I installed the new bearings, I still heard a bad bearing type rumbling noise coming from the same wheel. It continued to get louder over time, and now the wheel is lose as hell again.

That's why I ask how to diagnose this. If the bearings are good, I assume it could only be a poorly machined rotor, or a bent spindle ? Are there any other parts related to this condition ?

 

[Tony H]

OK, you replaced the Races and the Bearings. How did the spindle look? Remember that the Race is only half the touch surface on the bearings. The Spindle is the other. If it is pitted or scored on it's surface, that will cause noise even with new bearings. The loosening up issue: Was the nut really loose or not? If it's not and the whell is all over the place you have other issues. if it was loose, did you replace the small locking 'pin' that keeps the nut from spinning?

 

[duff]

Somehow your post came in after mine: See above.

Spindle surface is smooth. I'm wondering if it may be slightly bent.

 

[Rhett]

When the front end is jacked up, and you grab the wheel, it's all over the place. Ball joint's, tierods...are fine. It's the wheel on the spindle.

If the wheel moves all over when the front is jacked up, it means all or one of at least the following:
1) bearings loose or worn
2) ball joints bad

That's not to say the spindle, etc. can't be a problem, but the two above are by far the most common. Well, I'm sure you know all that already.

How do you know the ball joints are good? Have they been replaced recently?

 

[duff]

Because - You check ball joints by jacking up from the frame - not the axel. It is checked this way because the Ex suspension is such that the spring is above the upper balljoint, If the suspension has the spring between the balljoints, you would jack up the wheel from the lower control arm.

Once jacked up, If you lift the wheel up vertically you will feel and will be able to see the play watching the ball joints. Mine have no play. Plus; The wheel is lose in every direction. Also; When I shake the wheel side to side, I can see there is no slop in the steering linkage - tierods and steering arm - there is no idler arm on a 91 Ex. That is how that is checked.

I have adjusted the bearing nut a few times. Eventually the wheel again becomes sloppy. Plus as I said before, I have always had a bad wheel bearing rumbling sound, even after the bearing set was replaced. You can tell a bad wheel bearing while driving by putting pressure on a wheel. If you swerv to the left it puts pressure on the right wheel, If you swerv right it puts presure on the left wheel. A bad bearing will get louder with presure and almost quiet when you swerv the oposite way. That is what I hear coming from the passenger side.

So; My question is: Can someone tell me what components are involved with this problem(I'm assuming only the rotor, bearings and spindle). Also; What is the process to determine what component is at fault.

 

[Brandons]

Because - You check ball joints by jacking up from the frame - not the axel. It is checked this way because the Ex suspension is such that the spring is above the upper balljoint, If the suspension has the spring between the balljoints, you would jack up the wheel from the lower control arm.

Umm i just went out and checked mine (actually got some play in my bearings it seems). If you could check play in the bearings you can check ball joints, you cant get the jack close enough to the wheel not to be able to.

Heres a video i just took checking it, i took this vid instead of setting up a 32" LCD tv.... thats next. Look at the attached image first, this is were to look for play (in the red mutated circles), as you can see the spring has nothing to do with it.
VIDEO

Hope this helps.. time to watch some tv..

 

[duff]

Aint the internet great !

Yep ! That's how it's done.

I guess it doesn't matter whether you jack on the frame or axel on an Ex because the spring doesn't put pressure between the ball joints.

Anyway; Yes - It looks like you have bearing slop too. Since the Ex uses the key for adjustment, I guess you can only get them so tight.

But again; I've replaced mine on one side and they lasted only about 1500 miles. Both before and after, they were singing the rumbling song. So I assume they are wearing out quickly because something else is not allowing them to align straight on the spindle when tightened down.

Any Ideas ?

 

[Rhett]

What condition are the threads on the bearing nut and keyway? Maybe the nut is coming loose over time. Although with the key in place, it should not be able to come loose. Hopefully the key channels are keeping the key in place. Are your key channels wallowed out?

I assume you did pack the bearings quite well with grease before the install.

I still say if it were me I would replace the ball joints, just so that I would know everything is new and to spec. I have seen ball joints that gave no play, and yet once removed they disentigrated. Safe to say, if you have over 100,000 on them, you might as well do it, whether you're getting play or not.

 

[Brandons]

I read you only tighten the bearings in hand tight, i was about 1mm away from the next notch for the key on that side