73CamperSpecial
Registered Member
I need to replace the wheel bearings in d44/14bolt and was wondering if anyone knows how easy or difficult it is to do? Im good at wreching on my truck but have not messed with axels yet. Thanks!
CK5
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Are wheel bearings easy to replace?
- Thread starter 73CamperSpecial
- Start date
xenomarine
1/2 ton status
it's pretty easy, but it's not cheap. you'll need a press or some wood and a hammer to get one of the races out, because it's a captured bearing. i suggest looking at the 14 bolt bible, it gives some explanation to this.
I just replaced the bearings and races in my 14 bolt last weekend. It cost me around $95.00 for the bearings,races and seals. I can get you the exact part #s if you need them. I got all my parts at autozone. It was my first time doing this in a 14 bolt. Ithought it was pretty easy. I am no mechanic either. At first I put the bearings in backwards. I had to complletly start over. Once I found out the correct way the bearings and races went in, it was easy. All I used was a hammer and a brass drift and a pair of plyers. It is not difficult. You can do it. Good luck.
ezoliver
Mall Crawler
Easy, yes. They take a little time... I used a hammer, some punches, various pliers and some small prybars. Just go slow and take your time, make sure to tap all new bearings and races in with the outside edges only as not to damage any races.
I used a press to push in the rear seal. You can do it with a large block of wood and hammer or mallet also.
I used a press to push in the rear seal. You can do it with a large block of wood and hammer or mallet also.
it takes a lot to ruin a set of bearings in a 14ff. most of the time you can get away with cleaning them up really well. What symptoms are you seeing or why do you think you need to replace them?
yup, just did mine the other week using the same basic hand tools as the other guys. pretty simple just make sure after you get the snap ring back in you flip the hub over and pound the race against the ring.
My Suburban sat for 12 yrs. When I swapped the 14 bolt in 13 yrs ago, I didnt do anything to it then. I just swapped disc brakes on last weekend. I thought while it was apart I might as well do it. I didnt know gear oil lubes the bearings. When I pulled the hub the bearings were dry as a bone.
i also put some gease on the new bearings to help with start up. also jacked one side and let some gear oil slide down to the bearings. did that on both sides. don't know if that is standard procedure, but thought it was a good idea.
73CamperSpecial
Registered Member
oh i im just guessing they are dry and i get this weird humming sound on the highway @ 60 to 70 mph.
kodiakisland
Registered Member
You can also rent a kit like this from most parts stores for free(as long as you return it) to install the new races. Not needed but it sure makes it easy.
73CamperSpecial
Registered Member
wow that would be nice to have!
When I put in my bearings last week, I packed them when grease like a regular bearing. Was this the wrong thing to do? Will the grease make its way to the carrier?
Depends on who you ask. Some say the grease will hurt the bearings, while others say the lack of grease from the start will hurt it.
There was a "discussion" about it a while back.
i just give the top of the rollers a light coat of grease for the first time drive after.
havent had a burn up yet. oh ya i am a auto mechanic for 10 years.
thing i love the most on this topic is when you pull them out and it smells like gear oil. then the new ones going in get packed with grease. how do people get from 1 to the other ? the world might never know.
havent had a burn up yet. oh ya i am a auto mechanic for 10 years.
thing i love the most on this topic is when you pull them out and it smells like gear oil. then the new ones going in get packed with grease. how do people get from 1 to the other ? the world might never know.
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Well crap. I hand packed mine pretty good. Both bearing have lots of grase in them. Should I take the hub off and try to remove some of the grease, or just leave it as is? I hope I don't have to take it all apart. I was wondering why the bearings I pulled out were dry as a bone. That's why I replaced them.
