I just replaced all 4 wheel bearings on the front of my 91 today. I got the bearings at a local parts store. They cost me $9.99 a peice for the best Timken brand they had (made in Brazil). Plus a new bearing seal for about$2.00 a peice.
The frist thing to do is to remove your wheel, and pull the outer part of the hub off(If this has never been done before you may need to remove 2 clips from the wheel studs that keep the hub from sticking to the wheel when you remove it). Then you have to remove the "c" clip from the axle and slide off the toothed washer spacer. Then you have to pull off the inner guts of the hub(which slide off with a strong hand grip). Then use a magnet to remove the tiny peice of metal from the front side of the huge axle nut(this allows the huge nut to spin pretty easily). Take the nut off. Then if you can, remove the outer bearing(If not wait until you have the caliper off). The next step is taking the brake caliper off. To do this, use a socket with an extension(about a 3/8 or 5/16 socket) and place the socket(with extension) on the caliper slides(top and bottom) at about a 45 degree angle and tap with a hammer until the slide is past the edge of the caliper. Then remove the socket from the extension and use the extension to tap the slide out the other side of the caliper. After removing the slides, the caliper should slide straight toward the cabin(you can flip it over and lay it on top of the rotor to get it out of the way). Remove the inner brake pad. The rotor should just slide off the axle now pulling the inner and outer bearing off with it. The inner bearing will not be able to be removed until you pry the bearing seal out with a srewdriver, then it shoutld come out easily. If your rotors are still good you will need to use a flat punch and tap the seats out of the rotor. The new seats probably will need a little force to get them into place in the rotor. The new bearings will need to be packed with wheel bearing grease(I used waterproof grease). Place the inner bearing into its seat and grease the new bearing seal. Put new bearing seal on. The bearing seal is usually hard to get started so be patient or you will ruin it. Now slide the rotor with inner bearing and seal in place onto the axle and place outer bearing in its seat. Now the huge axle nut can be screwed on. Tighten it down to 35ft/lbs., then back it of 1/4 of a turn and tighten it to 16in/lbs. and if the little peice of metal won't slide in tight slighly until it will. The inner guts of the hub can now be slid up on the axle(they won't go easily, bruised thumbs are common after this job). the toothed washer spacer can now be slid up on the axle and the "c" clip can be snapped back into place. Now put the outer hub back on(I went down to the Ford dealer and bought some of the retainer clips for a few cents a peice and replaced them on mine). Now it is time to put the brake caliper back on. First the caliper has to be compressed(open the bleader valve as you compress it to blead out any air that would go up into the system). Put inner brake pad in its place(bottom edge first) and slide caliper on. Place the caliper slides in their slots and tap them in with a hammer(There is a top and bottom to them). Now it is time to put the wheel back on and make sure there is a very slight amount or no play back and forth.
I am picky so I cleaned all parts and regreased them as I took them off. Be sure not to get grease on the rotors or break pads and the caliper slides need anti-seize caliper grease on them. This job isn't hard but if it isn't done right you're the one that loses.
Anything I didn't explain good enough please tell me and I will try again.
Chip
