Spindle Assembly Replacement Help

[Colt94XLT]

Hey guys, first post. I'm looking for a little help with replacing the entire spindle assembly, or figuring out a way to get the ridges out of it. This is a 94 Explorer XLT RWD btw.

Recently my passenger side inner bearing obliterated itself. I drove on it quite a while (extremely broke right now). I was able to change out both inner and outer bearings. I packed by hand. I could not get out the outer race so I reused it, it looked good. The inner race sat in the hub loose, the outer wall was bored out. I had to force the inner bearing onto the spindle. I put it all together, quiet and no play, and it lasted about a week until the roaring and play came back. I start a new job in a few days, 80 mile roundtrip, I don't want it failing on me during.

This time around, my second time ever doing bearings, I talked to more mechanics and did some more research. I'm not much of a grease monkey but I have an ok understanding. I have everything apart, I have new bearings waiting, I have better tools on hand. I'm getting a new hub/rotor tomorrow afternoon, so that issue will be fixed. Now with the spindle..

It has a raised groove on it. The bearing will not go over it easily, I have to hammer pretty hard for a while at it. I'm thinking I have to get another assembly from the junk yard, unless you guys have an idea on how to smooth it out or even if it'll be ok running on it.

The main question is, how do you replace that whole assembly? I can see some bolts, so I assume I'll take some of those off. I just want to have my ducks in a row since this is my only vehicle and I live 10 miles from the nearest auto store. I can't find any videos on this particular vehicle year, let alone any diagrams. Except AllData, which tells me to use a ball joint tool and to pop out the ball joints. Anyone done this before?

Sorry this is long winded, and I probably went everywhere with it, just want to give all the information I can.

 

[FR-425]

It's just that simple. Remove the spindle bolts.

Only tricky here is the ABS sensor block. you will need a 12 point 6mm socket to get that out, and pre-soak it with WD well ahead of time.

If you can get those out without stripping them, the day will go soooooo much smoother.

You don't need to push the sensor through just get the cast iron block off.

Have a look at this thread: yes it's for the 4x4 but it's all the same knuckle-out. you know except for the hole through the spindle, bla, bla,

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218254

 

[Colt94XLT]

It's just that simple. Remove the spindle bolts.

Only tricky here is the ABS sensor block. you will need a 12 point 6mm socket to get that out, and pre-soak it with WD well ahead of time.

If you can get those out without stripping them, the day will go soooooo much smoother.

You don't need to push the sensor through just get the cast iron block off.

Have a look at this thread: yes it's for the 4x4 but it's all the same knuckle-out. you know except for the hole through the spindle, bla, bla,

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218254

Wow! Great stuff. So I can just replace the spindle itself and not have to deal with the whole knuckle? Doing that would be easier, and it would save my friend from having to sneak more tools out from the back of the auto store for me.

 

[RangerX]

Just in case you somehow miss it, in the link posted above is another link, listed under Step 1. This: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122696 is what you really need if you're not removing the whole knuckle.
Also, I've never seen a 2wd spindle, but if it is the same as a 4wd as FR says, and you can't slide the bearing easily onto the spindle, there's a problem.

 

[Colt94XLT]

Just in case you somehow miss it, in the link posted above is another link, listed under Step 1. This: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122696 is what you really need if you're not removing the whole knuckle.
Also, I've never seen a 2wd spindle, but if it is the same as a 4wd as FR says, and you can't slide the bearing easily onto the spindle, there's a problem.

I missed that part, but it only shows how to do brakes and bearings. Very informative none the less. Thanks for that.

 

[RangerX]

Hmm, you're right. I 'remembered' it going a little deeper in, but maybe I was thinking about the original linked thread!
Either way, you got some good info, and more help here if you need it.

 

[Colt94XLT]

Thanks guys. The spindle doesn't come off the knuckle on the 2wd. The knuckle is $45 at the local chop shop and an hour wait for them to get it. My buddy thinks the original spindle will be ok with a new hub. Have ridges been known to cause any issues? I need it to at least last a year.

 

[Colt94XLT]

Apparently none of the 8 auto part stores carry the rotor, so it'll be a 4 hour wait for a delivery on it. I'll grab a picture of the spindle and post in a few.

 

[Colt94XLT]

Here are pictures of the spindle in question. They are high res, so I linked instead of embedding the pictures to this post.

http://i.imgur.com/Jt8TYOa.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bUdQPL4.jpg

 

[FR-425]

Ok, well shoot! didn't know the spindle on those was cast into the knuckle.

Bum deal.

And yes those spindles are shot!

 

[FR-425]

Yep, Ok just shoot me in the face then, I'm atarded!

It's pretty clear in this diag. that the spindle/knuckle is all one casting.

This is for a Ranger, but how many different flavors of the TIB can there be?

 

[Colt94XLT]

Well guys unfortunately I had to keep the old spindle on. Grabbed the new rotor and put it all together, nice and solid. Packed the bearings real good, greased everything. Had to force the rotor on the spindle after correctly putting the inner bearing inside of it and pressing the seal on. Torqued it the best I could to spec but the torque bar I had was weird. A bit tough to spin, will do about a full rotation. New rotor is a bit noisy, scraping noise with the caliper on, using old pads (good). Test drove a bit, low speeds, seemed ok. Can't do high speed test until tomorrow.

 

[Colt94XLT]

Oh and if I took a picture of the deep well that was made by the old rotor rubbing against the bottom you'd soil yourself. It's on the wider part, behind your red mark on the top, but on the bottom of the spindle. Doesn't touch anything now, it's a few mm deep. I imagine I'll get the spindle replaced in a few months. Dangerzone!

 

[RangerX]

That's some nice damage! :smoke: I've done the same thing to my 4wd spindles a time or two.

So you put the old one back in until you get a new one in a few months...are you going to use this vehicle for your 80 mile commute??

 

[Colt94XLT]

Yeah. I have no choice but to live life on the edge. I might be able to plate my 03 Tracker in a month and drive that, but it has over 200k miles and I can tell the motor is weak, it might last a year or two with local commute.

I got my X for a steal, $500. Motor and tranny are strong. As long as it can limp along with me, I'll be able to put money into it. I love it. RWD, but it pushed through 2 foot deep snowed over country roads (and closed city roads during the blizzard) this winter while the 4WD's were abandoned in the drifts. ...also driving on that busted wheel bearing, it was way too cold to fix that.

 

[Colt94XLT]

The ABS also magically worked during the winter. But only in the winter. How beautiful is that?

 

[Colt94XLT]

Sorry to bump and old thread, just want to update. Replaced the rotor/hub, got new bearings again, and now it rolls like new. Plan on buying a new spindle in the future. Thanks for all of your help guys, much appreciated.

 

[jd4242]

If your replacing it grab a 95-97 spindle, rotor and calipers from a ranger..pretty common and its a upgrade. Ranger has better brakes and dual piston calipers

 

[Colt94XLT]

Ah, thank you!

 

[jd4242]

Incase you instead in a performance upgrade have a readeither way atleast upgrade to the 95-97 dual piston calipers. .pretty common find in junk yards and makes a nice upgrade



http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=387173