Anyone have any pointers on the easiest way to replace the front wheel bearings (inner and outer) on a 89 K5? I just picked up the parts and like normal i am just going to start taking things a part. I have been trying to find a good document on the best way without luck. Any advice is appriciated. Since i couldn't find anything on this site i may just go a head and pull out the camera and make a little how too doc if i cannot find one.
CK5
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Replacing Wheel Bearings
- Thread starter djohnson
- Start date
bowtieboy4life2000
1/2 ton status
i just re-greased mine and it is very easy. take off the hub then ther will be a iner snap ring and then one you have to use a 2 little screw drivers to get out then the BIG nut a ring and then another BIG nut that you have to have a specil tool for then it will come out.
Look for writeups on doing ball joints on a Dana 44; your 10 bolt is basically the same.
The socket you need is a magic four-point axle thing:
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=APO&MfrPartNumber=T72048&CategoryCode=3493
-- A
The socket you need is a magic four-point axle thing:
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=APO&MfrPartNumber=T72048&CategoryCode=3493
-- A
one little stupid tip is... the rear wheel bearing is held in there by a seal. i take that 4 prong socket set it up right on the table so the prongs are facing upwards then put the socket extension down into it and drop that into the hub from the top of the hub when its sitting on the table. it fits like perfectly in there then just tap it with a hammer a few times to get that bearing out of there
its super easy, pull off the locking hub and youll get to the first large nut.
back that nut off and theres a locking ring that you need to pull out, it doesnt screw out. pull it out with two picks or something, snap ring pliers work well.
then youve got another big nut and you take that off, at this time im assuming youve got the tire and brake caliper off already. then the hub assy will just slide off.
knock out the seal in the back and remove the bearings. clean it all out and grease the **** out of it.
replace the fresh grease packed inner bearing and put in the new seal.toss some more grease in there.
then put the outer bearing, fresh packed as well, and slide the hub assy back on the spindle.
torque the first inner nut to 50 foot pounds to seat the bearings and back off to 35.
that nut you just put on has a little tit on it which needs to line up with the locking ring as afore mentioned.
once you get that lined up and smooth so it doesnt rock back and forth! thats bad! then you can tighten the outer nut to tight as hell.
then install your locking hub setup and then youre done. i think thats pretty much it.
it definatley helps to lay out your parts on a paper towel in order of removal. then place the new parts right by the old ones and just put em back in in that order.
back that nut off and theres a locking ring that you need to pull out, it doesnt screw out. pull it out with two picks or something, snap ring pliers work well.
then youve got another big nut and you take that off, at this time im assuming youve got the tire and brake caliper off already. then the hub assy will just slide off.
knock out the seal in the back and remove the bearings. clean it all out and grease the **** out of it.
replace the fresh grease packed inner bearing and put in the new seal.toss some more grease in there.
then put the outer bearing, fresh packed as well, and slide the hub assy back on the spindle.
torque the first inner nut to 50 foot pounds to seat the bearings and back off to 35.
that nut you just put on has a little tit on it which needs to line up with the locking ring as afore mentioned.
once you get that lined up and smooth so it doesnt rock back and forth! thats bad! then you can tighten the outer nut to tight as hell.
then install your locking hub setup and then youre done. i think thats pretty much it.
it definatley helps to lay out your parts on a paper towel in order of removal. then place the new parts right by the old ones and just put em back in in that order.
thanks for the pointers, now I'm off to the gurage. i'm sure i will be checking for something else once i get into it. New Bearings and Warn hubs here i come. Have to get this thing ready for the sand outside walden. If anyone is up that way this weekend and sees a black blazer it's probably me so just yell and i'll have a beer for anyone with good advice
lectric80
3/4 ton status
Everyone here talked about everything but the races. If you are replacing the bearings, it is well worth it to install the new races. This will require a brass drift of some type to drive the old ones out, and a bearing install tool for seating the new races into the hub. I wouldn't run new bearings on old races, just doesn't bode well for long term life of the bearings.
thanks everyone for you help it was very simple. When i took it appart the bearings looked good and so did the spindle bearings. I replaced the inner and outer bearings and greased the hell out of them. I didnt replace the new races. Didn't have the correct tool so i will probably tear it back appart and put them in after this weekend. Also replaced the hubs, which must have been causing the noise.
thanks again
thanks again
how to
here is the step by step with all the advice from above.
Removal
Install
Ok that may be more detail than anyone needs for this simple of a project but oh well just drink another beer before you start.
here is the step by step with all the advice from above.
Removal
- Get a bunch of rags out, you are about to get grease everywhere. A big piece of card board is good for laying out parts
- take of f the wheel
- take off the break caliper and put it out of the way
- Take off the front of the locking hub, should be 6 allen screws, put it aside.
- take off the center snap ring. it is on the spindle in front of the inner part of the hub. Snap ring pliers work best but almost anything will work
- take off the compression ring on the outside of the locking hub. this is the hardest part I used a little allen wrench and pulled it out from behind
- pull out the locking hub.
- Remove the first spindle nut. This requires a 4 prong spindle nut socket, I went to a few parts stores and no one could tell me which was the correct one. There was only one with 4 prong and it worked go for that one.
- remove the washer, note the grove in the washer the fits in the axel
- remove the 2nd spindle nut, note this has a point on one side, this fits into the washer and goes out.
- pull off the rotor , watch out the outer bearing will just fall out if you are not paying attention.
- Remove the inner seal and throw it away, you will want to replace this
- remove the inner bearing
- punch out the races, they go from the inside out.
- Start cleaning
- ** to get to the spindle bearings just take off the 6 boldts that hold on the dust cover, tap the spindle with a rubber mallet and it should break free and you can just pull it off. These bearings need to be hammered out and pressed back in. Grease the hell out of them and check the seals to make sure they are not bad.
Install
- Grease the hell out of your bearings
- Seat the new races and make sure they are not crocked you will need a bearing install tool.
- drop in the outer bearing and put in a new seal, Grease.
- push in the new inner seal, grease
- drop in the outer bearing , more grease
- slide the hub on the spindle
- replace the first spindle nut (tit out), torque to 50 lbs and back it off to 35
- slide in the washer and make sure the tit lines up with the first nut and the grove so it is smooth
- replace the second spindle nut and tighten the hell out of it
- slide in the hub
- replace the inner snap ring, if you just push the axel out it is real easy to get it in the grove
- replace the compression spring
- replace the locking hub face
- replace caliper and wheel.
Ok that may be more detail than anyone needs for this simple of a project but oh well just drink another beer before you start.
lectric80
3/4 ton status
Ok, I don't know about you, but since the races come with the bearings, I don't see a reason you wouldn't replace them. First, there is no way with your eye or your fingers that you can tell how much warpage is in the races. Second, all steel on steel wears over time, eventually the bearings are going to wear faster because the races were never replaced and are getting thinner everytime. If it has worked for you, great, but I am not going to recommend that to anyone, unless it is a trail fix to get home.
Cheap insurance against increased wear, IMHO.
rufusbooth
1/2 ton status
X2. the bearings form a wear pattern on the race and the race should be replaced. it is similar to a lifter wearing a pattern on a cam. I am sure you could get away with not replacing it...they do come as a set for a reason.
Cheers,
Rufus
Cheers,
Rufus
jonathon
1/2 ton status
Do you need a press to do this right?
no, just a brass drift to knock the race out from the backside.
rufusbooth
1/2 ton status
x2 a drift and lots of bounty! it is usually a mess! :-)
jonathon
1/2 ton status
What about as far as installation? I found a race install kit for $60 but if I can avoid it.... I doubt I'd use the tool that much.
lectric80
3/4 ton status
There are some kits available for rental at Autozone, but most of the kits don't have a size big enough to do the races on our trucks. Autozone did have a larger race tool, that was around $15-20, that was designed specifically for the larger bearing races that our trucks use.
jonathon
1/2 ton status
Good info, thanks!
rufusbooth
1/2 ton status
I have a tool to reinstall the races now. But, for years I removed and installed them with a drift punch. the tool is much faster and easier but it can be done with careful use of a drift and hammer.
