Front hub assembly replacement ??'s

[BigAlsPSD]

I am just wondering. How does putting grease in the abs port help since unit bearings are sealed bearings?

If you open one up you will see where the grease will be able to enter the bearing, via the ABS port above the tone ring.

 

[Zmann]

LOL what a perfect answer

 

[njjeep]

That's good to know. Does the extra grease interfere with the signal from the tone ring to the abs sensor?

 

[Zmann]

not for anyone that i have read about yet,,but avoid graphite lube

 

[lincolnlocker]

Holy chit! I didnt know riffraff had them. I dont onow if there the same for a dually but i pd $300 for one of mine.

 

[91turbogsx]

I just picked up 4 brand new for $100...

 

[DocBar]

Too much grease can be worse than not enough grease. Has anyone had premature failure due to overgreasing?

 

[GreenMachine]

I just picked up 4 brand new for $100...

Wtf do share?

 

[91turbogsx]

I happened to stumble across a guy who bought an auto parts store inventory that was damaged by a tornado. All the boxes were junk but the parts are fine. So I bought anything he had for Super Duty's.

 

[GreenMachine]

Damn thief lol

 

[TyCorr]

Too much grease can be worse than not enough grease. Has anyone had premature failure due to overgreasing?

I doubt it.since yoh arent packing.the.grease in by hand, or at least I do bearings by hand. Not on a.superduty of course.

 

[DocBar]

I doubt it.since yoh arent packing.the.grease in by hand, or at least I do bearings by hand. Not on a.superduty of course.

Using a grease gun makes it easy to overpack bearings. I've had to ship lots of motors out for repairs due to overgreased bearings.

 

[lincolnlocker]

so how do you over grease a bearing? didn't know it was possible.

 

[TARM]

Over greasing a bearings on a motor is night a day to doing it to a wheel bearing. I have never heard of a single premature wear from any kind of greasing these unit bearings. There is a huge group of guys now doing it and they all that have reported had nothing but positive outcomes. The only thing you can hurt is the other seals as it will come out. With that said I think its a waste to over do it and why chance it as who knows if it lets more stuff in thru those seals. All we are trying to do is prevent the grease from being all used and dried up. Add and spin a 1/4 turn until you feel it sort of get stiffer when you turn it like it was when new. Usually at least one full turn around as it varies with how much is put in with each pump of the gun. I have posted all this info including a bunch of pics etc many times. One day I will need to combine everything I have written or other wise collected saved etc into one big how to reference. Keep meaning to but end up putting it off :shrug:

You want to get timken unit bearings. The non abs now have the same abs port it just has a plug in it the last time I saw a set.

The best prices are from Rock auto or amazon. Many times the 4 studs do not come off easy and get mangled. I like to replace the studs as well. Some times the unit bearing come with them sometimes they do not. IIRC amazon came with the studs.

Oh to answer a question someone had the torque spec for the 4 unit bearing studs is 135lb/ft

Now I personally use loctite on any parts that have to do with suspension or steering but its tech not called for so its up to you.





I strongly recommend that if you unit bearings are needing to be replaced that you carefully check your ball joints as many times they are also in need of replacement. If they are I strongly recommend XRF over Moog. Moog has turned to cheap lesser parts than they were years ago. I have had very good luck with XRF and if you do a search over on PSN you will find a good amount of data I have posted on them. Do not feel like posting it up as its not part of the main topic. They also sell a complete tie rod kit I have links to in one of the quote threads. They actually have greasable fittings on some joints which moog no longer do.

You will also want some anti seize. Spread it all over the face that studs screw as it will make getting them off much easier next time. They are a wear item. But if you do grease them they will last much much longer unless you are breaking them from a combo of large tires and hard driving. Grease them 2x a year and the needle in the rear that requires removal of the unit bearing assemble every 50K or 2 yrs.


Oh heck here is a thread I posted and c&p here:

I think you got some bad info somewhere about greasing thru the vacuum air port that is found in the knuckle That does not go into the sealed bearing system of the unit bearing. Once you take your unit bearing out and see how the air port works you will see that it only goes into the sealed area of the knuckle that the unit bearing is mounted. It would lube the surface between the unit bearing and the knuckle but that is it.

What likely was suppose to be said was the ABS sensor port that is in the exposed part of the unit bearing. This port will allow you to grease the supposedly "non-servicable" and non-greaseable bearings.

Now you do have two sets of bearings. You have the big main bearings and then on the back side you have the hand greaseable needle bearings. TO get to the latter you need to pull the unit bearing. Not a very hard job at all.

I have written a post or two on how to grease the unit bearings and pictures of what a opened up unit bearing looks like.

The people that have been greasing there unit bearings since new have had them last many times longer. The ones that were opened up after being shot were found to be bone dry and crusty. The bearings while being sealed are not water or air tight. This can be seen as when you grease them with a little pressure grease will come out all the seals the same as a greaseable ball joint.


IMO the ONLY brand unit bearing you should purchase is those manf by Timken. They make the OEM ones for Ford and from countless reports last the longest. Look at Amazon or Rock Auto for the best prices. Almost 1/2 IIRC of what Ford retails them for.


Here are some pic of a blown sealed bearing unassembled: See much grease in those bearings BTW???

Here is some pics of a older unit bearing being greased. This was exaggerated as they had never been done before. You do not need to grease new bearings at all IMO for the first year unless you drive they under water especially salt water. But after that I tend to do them once a year as part of my big yearly maintenance procedures. Needle bearings which you can see in the picture below I do once every 50-60K miles. It takes the removal of the hub unit ( not to be confused with the hub locker unit)

Here is a pic of how it looks. You will also notice when you spin the flange its a bit tighter from the resistance of the grease just like when it was brand new. The grease Timken uses is Mobil 1 Synthetic grease Auto Zone i know carries it but think Advanced Pep Boys and walmart may as well. They do not use any moly impregnated. I am not sure if its an issue or not but figure doing it the same way cannot hurt. Actually as lithium NSG#2 grease meant for wheel bearings will work IIRC.


For the record I do not think its necessary or even good to grease your bearings until grease is flowing out thru the seals unless they are very old bearings and you are trying to get them to last a bit longer. I do not think its good for the seals themselves.

The best way I have found and has been the general consensus by those doing it is to give a few pumps and then turn the wheel mount 1/4 turn. Then a few more pumps and turn so on for a full round. You will know its good when you start to feel resistance coming back as you turn like it is with a new unit bearing. The gear will work its way into the bearings as they spin. The idea is to prevent they from going dry not forcefully packing them. But its up to you. If you plan on greasing them regularly like me it may not be any issue at all to grease unit you get seepage.

Ok the way to get the grease into that ABS port as standard fitting does not create a seal is to either wrap it with tape to make a fitting fit somewhat snug or to try different tips.

This one was found at Advanced auto parts and should do the trick well. Some people had some machined specifically for this port. You could always drill and tap a hole into the unit bearing in the line as the ABS port then thread a zerk fitting into it and do as normal Just be very careful to not allow metal shaving into the whole. Think magnet vacuum and upside down or at least not straight up. Just an idea.

Here is a pic of that fitting from Advanced:

Here is a drawing of the fitting a man by the name SpringerPOP over on Ford-Trucks made and machined for a bunch of guys over there.

Here is what it looks like finished with oring and zerk fitting:

Here is the hole you are going to be greasing into the ABS Sensor port: ( and no its nonmetallic so it does not have any effect on the sensor or its readings.)


Here is where the line is going to the ABS sensor port as you can see the retaining clip on the knuckle. You can also see the vacuum port on the knuckle there.

You must remove the wheel and caliper mounting bracket to access the sensor port. Very easy and well worth it.

Here are some shots of the process using the custom fitting. But you should get the idea of how you can make something fit and work.

For a "HOW TO" on greasing your needle bearings goto Guzzles page as that will save me a ton of typing and pic loading:


Guzzles How To Grease Your Unit Bearing's Needle Bearings


I planned to do a dedicated thread to servicing replacing and greasing the entire front ends of these trucks but have not gotten around to it. Maybe this week sometime. Help to get some How to stickies for this stuff.




Credits: Many of the pics and data came from posts I had written previously as well as some by others I have saved over the years and threads over on Ford-Trucks. Please feel free to go over there and do a search on greasing unit bearings in the 99-03 7.3 section. Tons of threads to choose from.

When you do them you should do both. They are not cheap. I strongly recommend Timken as they are what OEM is and people have had the best luck with them. The lowest price I have found for them is either Rockauto or Amazon.com Be sure to know your wheel lug thread. They are one of these two: Coarse threads (14x1.5) are up through 2002 and the fine threads (14x2.0) started in 2003 Sometimes those dates are not solid so check. They use what they have. The part number is 515021 for fine threads and 515020 for course. They run about $205 a piece here RockAuto

About $ 190 here Amazon.com


I was told by a few that ordered thru Amazon that they also came with not onlyt he wheel lugs but also the knuckle studs and nuts. Those do not come with the ones from the local parts stores. The Rockauto is suppose to have them as well. You should call and double check.


Its a very easy job. 1 hr per side. remove: 4x4 locking hub and washers, wheel, brake caliper, caliper mount, rotor, disconnect anti-lock sensor cable and air locker hose if used. 4 bolts holding the unit bearing on the back side of the knuckle and pry it off. The only sticking point can sometimes be getting the unit bearing to break loose from the knuckle. Some dead blow hammer and or pry bar usually is all that's needed. If you have a 3 jaw puller that fits its a non issue.

Trust me if you can at all afford to do both now.

My suggestion for maintenance going forward: You should clean and repack the needle bearing and grease as well as grease the main wheel bearing by unbolting and pulling the anti-lock sensor from its port in the unit bearing and grease thru there unit you see it come out the seals on the sides of the unit. Do both of these ever 6 months. They will last a far greater time.

Here is a list of links I think many will find quite helpful that have not done a ton of their own work on Super Duties:

(If you follow the link to the Ball Joints How to it will include the unit bearing as that has to come off as part of the process)

Courtesy of SuperDutyPSD.com


Ford Super Duty Ball Joint Replacement Procedure

Ford Super Duty Knuckle Seal Tool - AKA OTC 6695

Ford Super Duty Power Steering Flush

Ford Super Duty Power Steering Filter

Ford Super Duty Coolant Flushing Procedure

Ford Super Duty Water Pump Replacement Procedure

Ford Super Duty: How to change the oil on a 7.3l Powerstroke

Ford Super Duty: How to replace the fuel filter on a 7.3l Powerstroke

Ford Super Duty Bypass Oil Filter

Ford Super Duty Remote Start Installation

Ford (Donaldson) Severe Duty Air Intake AIS

Ford Super Duty Coolant Filter

4WD Vacuum leak repair. (new article)

Ford Super Duty Spare Tire Carrier

Fumoto Oil Drain Valve

Ford Super Duty Transmission Filter

Ford Super Duty Commander Gauges

Ford Super Duty Bilstein Shocks

Ford Super Duty Alarm With Remote Start Installation

Frantz Fuel Filter

Ford Super Duty Timbrens



Some more:


Replacing Injectors (ford-trucks.com)

How to bleed brakes (thedieselstop.com)

Gravity bleeding brakes (thedieselstop.com)

Brake Replacement (competitiondiesel.com)

Transmission Fluid Flush (thedieselstop.com)

Fuel Filter/Separator Drain Valve Repair (Tom)

Slip Joint Greasing (eurekaboy.com)

Door Panel Removal (eurekaboy.com)

How to check Glow Plug System (KlHanson @ TDS)

How to install a U-Joint (Landcruiser but it will work) pirate4X4.com







Non-Engine Torque Specification


Description: Torque Specification Nm (lb/ft)

• Front Ball Joint (Upper): 69ft/lb (may vary based on manf)
  
• Front Ball Joint (Lower): 150 ft/lb (may vary based on manf)
  
• Brakes, disc, front brake caliper pin bolts (2): 42 lb/ft
  
• Brakes, disc, rear brake caliper pin bolts (2): 27 lb/ft
  
• Brakes, front disc brake caliper anchor plate bolts (2): 225 Nm (166 lb/ft)
• Brakes, rear disc brake caliper anchor plate bolts (2): 173 Nm (128 lb/ft)
  
• Brakes, Caliper Bleeder Screw: 13-18 ft/lb
  
• Crossmember Bolts: 70 Nm (95 lb/ft)
  
• Driveshaft to transfer case bolts: 111 Nm (151 lb/ft)
  
• Flex Plate Inspection Cover: 20 Nm (27 lb/ft)
  
• Master Cylinder Outlet Tube Fittings: 19 ft/lb
  
• Shock Absorber (front lower): 103 Nm (76 lb/ft)
  
• Shock Absorber (front upper): 103 Nm (76 lb/ft)
  
• Shock Absorber (rear lower): 62 Nm (46 lb/ft)
  
• Shock Absorber (rear upper): 62 Nm (46 lb/ft)
  
• Stabilizer Bar Link Bolts: 115 NM (85 lb/ft)
  
• Starter Mounting Bolts: 22-28 Nm (30-38 lb/ft)
  
• Thermostat Housing: 20-30 Nm (27-41 lb/ft)
  
• Tie Rod End -Inner, castellated nut: 90 Nm (122 lb/ft)
  
• Tie Rod End -Inner, Sleeve Clamp Bolts: 55 Nm (75 lb/ft)
  
• Torque Converter Drain Plug: 12 Nm (16 lb/ft)
  
• Torque Converter Retaining Nuts: 35 Nm (47 lb/ft)
  
• Transfer Case Bolts: 31 Nm (42 lb/ft)
  
• Transfer Case, fill/drain plugs: 27 Nm (37 lb/ft)
  
• Transmission Filler tube bolt: 10-13 Nm (13-18 lb/ft)
  
• Transmission Fluid Cooler Tubes to Cooler Bypass Valve: 27 Nm (37 lb/ft)
  
• Transmission mount-to-crossmember nuts: 94 Nm (127 lb/ft)
  
• Transmission, Auto, Drain Plug: 25 Nm (34 lb/ft)
  
• Transmission, Auto, Pan Bolts (20): 15 Nm (11 lb/ft)
  
• Transmission-to-Engine Bolts: 61 Nm (83 lb/ft)
  
• Water Pump Bolts: 18 lb/ft
  
• Water Pump Pulley bolts (4): 18 lb/ft
  
• Wheel Bearing/Hub Assembly Nuts(Unit Bearing) (4): 135 lb/ft
  
• Wheel Nuts, Loaded: 224 Nm (165 lb/ft)
  
• Wheel Nuts, Unloaded: 210 Nm (155 lb/ft)

 

[Zmann]

most boat trailers are a force in /out grease fitting .. it's the same princable as What Tarm is posting ,, I might not use a pneumatic gun ,, just for the seals sake but other than that more grease is good in this application

 

[Dmstrucks02]

Man I could read all that for days, good info Tarm!

 

[TARM]

I need to eventually get my whole collection of data and info into one big doc and have it stickied or linked so people can go and do a search of it and find anything they might find helpful. My hope is to save people a ton of searching and getting good info.

 

[Dmstrucks02]

Man it saved me some time. My truck is actually at the shop right now and they are telling me the tie rods and drag link are bad so I'm going order the XRF kit

 

[DieselCowboy]

I know this is probably a stupid question but if you convert an automatic hub to a manual unit can you do away with the hub vacuum plumbing?

 

[Zmann]

from the fender mounted solenoid down to the knuckle
it can all go and be capped so crud doesn't get into the hub .. the rest of the vacuum is for the HVAC