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04-13-2010, 11:12 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Tetonia & Pocatello, ID
Posts: 114
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Front Wheel Bearings
I see where the SMB maintenance check list called out every 20K to check and re-grease the front wheel bearings. I have done this several times on my trailers, but for the SMB I think I will turn it over to a mechanic. Just looking for a heads up, if there is anything special the mechanic needs too know. I guess the local Ford garage will have no problem with it, but might go to a mechanic that does lots of 4x4 modifications. I imagine it is pretty straight forward, but with these rigs that often is not the case.
Thanks in advance,
Scott
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04-13-2010, 08:48 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 582
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Re: Front Wheel Bearings
Yes. It should be very straightforward. However, given a choice, I wouldn't let a Ford Dealership touch the Dynatrac axle. I would take it to a rock-crawling shop that has experience with Dynatrac. Otherwise you are likely going to get the excuse matrix from a Ford Dealership.
The only exception I would make is if I had a long-standing, trustworthy relationship with a dealership.
Just my $.02 worth... Which together with someone else's still won't get you a gum ball.
__________________
Current: 2014 15 Passenger V8
Former: 2009 SMB 4x4 6.0
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04-13-2010, 10:35 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Pasadena, CA
Posts: 785
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Re: Front Wheel Bearings
Quote:
Originally Posted by stikine
I see where the SMB maintenance check list called out every 20K to check and re-grease the front wheel bearings. I have done this several times on my trailers, but for the SMB I think I will turn it over to a mechanic. Just looking for a heads up, if there is anything special the mechanic needs too know. I guess the local Ford garage will have no problem with it, but might go to a mechanic that does lots of 4x4 modifications. I imagine it is pretty straight forward, but with these rigs that often is not the case.
Thanks in advance,
Scott
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Fortunately, I've got a great local (sort of) mechanic that is familiar with SMBs. I needed to replace my front wheel bearings at about 30k, and he tells me that it is a very straightforward job using basic OEM parts. That said, SMBs are tough on wheel bearings due to their weight, especially if you do a lot of off-roading. Hence the recommendation to check every 20k.
Good luck
R
__________________
2006 SMB 4x4, EB-51, 6.0psd
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04-13-2010, 11:44 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Western Colorado
Posts: 1,228
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Re: Front Wheel Bearings
Anyone know where there is a how to?
__________________
Desert Solitaire
2003 7.3L EB 4x4
Timberline 4x4 conversion
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04-14-2010, 10:27 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Posts: 1,296
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Re: Front Wheel Bearings
I ended up having the Ford dealership do them while I was having other work done. I, like Saline, would prefer to have the knowledge to do them myself, so I too would like to see a "how to" document or link.
Phil
__________________
Phil
- 2005 EB50 6.0PSD - SMB 4x4
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04-14-2010, 09:20 PM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,417
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Re: Front Wheel Bearings
I agree, find a good off road shop or a mechanic you can trust. Stay away from a dealership as a rule. I had a couple of friends working at a dealership but never knew if they were assigned to the job.
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer
Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures.......... On and off road adventures
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04-21-2010, 05:40 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Indy
Posts: 583
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Re: Front Wheel Bearings
Quote:
Originally Posted by stikine
I see where the SMB maintenance check list called out every 20K to check and re-grease the front wheel bearings. I have done this several times on my trailers, but for the SMB I think I will turn it over to a mechanic. Scott
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I was looking at the maintenance schedule for my 2008 Quigley 4x4 and see on their website, that the wheel bearings are not servicable:
<<<ROUTINE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE:
There are two types of Quigley 4x4 Ford solid axle systems. Since 2003 our Quigley Ford 4x4 system solid axle utilizes a sealed non-serviceable hub and bearing assembly. All previous generation Quigley 4x4 Ford systems have a serviceable hub and bearing assembly.>>>
In the schedule for the older hubs, they call for lubing the bearings every 15,000 miles. I guess you just wait until the wheels fall off on the new ones, since there is no mention of life expectancy, etc.
Steve
__________________
2008 Ford E-350 Quigley 4x4 V10 - 196,000 miles
RB50, PH Top, Dual AGM Group 27 Deka, 2000 Tripplite Inv., No Propane or Water Systems
Van Weight 8,100 pounds, added one rear leaf spring, BFG AT KO LT265/70R17 E Tire press 52psi.
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04-21-2010, 05:51 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Washington - Ridgefield
Posts: 4,728
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Re: Front Wheel Bearings
That is the Ford F-Series axle. On another site I've heard the bearings last about 70K. I'm there and don't really know what symptoms to watch for.
Mike
__________________
Alaska to Key West, Labrador and more
Prostate cancer survivor. See Thread Prostate cancer and Sportsmobiles
2015 VW GTI 2020 Fiat 124 Spider
2012 E250 Hitop camper
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05-16-2010, 06:53 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 100
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Re: Front Wheel Bearings
Its not that hard to do yourself, and for the Dynatrac axle I would echo the 20k mile period. We ended up waiting till about 30k for lack of a place and time, and the grease was starting to get pretty black and lumpy, especially in the outer bearings of the hubs.
We carry a spare set of wheel bearings and a hub grease seal. For tools its all standard except a (for us) 6pt spindle nut socket (its huge, and not cheap), and a seal puller is very handy too.
I am rolling through it again this week and can try to take some pictures and put a write-up on our website along with the new transmission flush page I'm putting up (tracking down all the steps necessary to flush the Torqshift was a PITA due to the internal thermostat).
Basic steps:
Make sure you have wheel bearing grease for disk brakes (handles high temperatures better)
2 New grease seals
Spanner nut socket
-Remove wheel
-Remove caliper & place on springs (don't hang it by the brake line, unclip ABS wire first)
-Remove locking hub cap and big O ring
-Remove spiral snap rings (2 of 'em in our case) in inside rim of hub
-Pull out locking hub body (2 of the screws from the hub cap can help here)
-Use screwdriver to reach in and bend out lock-tab on spindle spanner nut
-Use spanner nut socket (huge, 6pt for us) to unscrew spindle nut
-Remove lock washer with bent tabs
-Remove 2nd spanner nut in same manner
-Carefully pull off hub, supporting its weight so as not to scratch up spindle or drop out outer bearing
-Outer bearing pulls right out, clean, inspect
-Inner bearing is behind grease seal, loose seal by tapping in with punch and hammer to release glue
-Pull out seal with seal puller
-Remove inner bearing, clean, inspect
-Clean all the grease out of the hub (there is a lot between the bearings, its never used, but may be of incompatible type with new grease, causing failure)
-Pack bearings with grease (squeeze in from large end till it fills carrier and comes out at small end and around rollers
-Fill hub between races of inner and outer bearings with grease (to keep from that area sucking up all the grease in the bearings at speed)
-Put in inner bearing
-Push in new grease seal till flush with hub, put grease in seal groove
-Put hub back on spindle, careful of the grease seal, support the weight of the hub till it bottoms on inner bearing
-Push in outer bearing till it is in its race
-Screw on inner spanner nut, 50ft-lb, back off 1/4 turn, tighten up again with hand on socket only. Hub should spin smoothly, no looseness.
-Lock washer with tabs goes on
-Grease & screw on outer spanner nut, 70ft-lb
-Bend a tab from the lock-washer into a spanner nut slot (w screw-driver) to lock it in place
-Put in locking-hub parts in reverse order to disassembly
-Put on caliper (166ft-lb)
-Put on wheel
Check brakes before you go drive, may have to pump them a bit to get the pads back down to the rotors.
-e
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05-19-2010, 01:21 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Tetonia & Pocatello, ID
Posts: 114
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Re: Front Wheel Bearings
Thanks for taking the time for the write up - can't wait for the pictures on your site. I have previously repacked the bearings on a couple of trailer and this gives me the confidence to give it a go on my '07 E350 with the Dynatrack front axle.
Scotty
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