What a PITA to remove rear wheel bearings

[atikovi]

The rear bearings were getting loud in my 2015 PIU so it was time to change them. Getting access and everything else out of the way was pretty straight forward. Wheel off, caliper and bracket off, rotor off, axle nut removed, axle pressed in, four hub bolts removed. That took less than an hour. Next came the bad part of getting the thing out of the knuckle. That took over 4 more hours, and I did have a hub knocker and also used the nut and bolt method. Still have the other side to do. What is the best bearing to put in? Motorcraft? Any other brand not made in China?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

imk when it comes to that kind of stuff i use MC. not sure if these sre made for tours but on my 2nd gen ive had good luck with SKF for hubs, not sure about besrings

 

[J_C]

AFAIK, it is a hub, not individual bearings. On Rock Auto I'd get the SKF, but wouldn't mind the ***, Timken, or of course Motorcraft... but these days I wonder if the MC is even the same COA and quality as the factory part was, so I seldom see it worth buying the MC over the other aforementioned brands if it costs more.

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I've never pulled a 5th gen hub, but I'd guess the two easier ways to get it free would either be heating the knuckle, or a few rounds of penetrant then an air hammer (or if you've got the elbow grease then just a blunt chisel and hammer) to rotate the hub in the knuckle. Just keep rotating it till it loosens up a little, rather than the first move being to try to axially pull it outward. That may not work, is just something else I'd try.

Since it's a pain to pull, I'd also think about putting some silicone paste grease on the knuckle mating surface after cleaning it off, in case it ever needs pulled again, might keep corrosion down.

 

[atikovi]

Ordered one SKF bearing since they say it's made in USA. Timken and Motorcraft say China. Took both bearings out but one of them felt nice and smooth so cleaned out the corrosion on the knuckle, slathered it with anti-seize and put it back.