Hello. I just replaced all wheel bearings, races, and spindle bearings in my front end. I also replaced rotors, pads, calipers, and converted the automatic hubs to manual, with Mile Marker hubs. First test drive, the front left hub started chirping, and heated up. The hubs were not engaged and I was in 2WD mode. Looking for help on what I should be looking for when I take it apart. Thanks!

 

Just throwing a couple things out there (only experience with Jeep hubs)

1. bearing to tight?

2. brake hose colapsed causing brake to drag?

Hope this helps
Paul

 

If the spindle nut wasn't tighted good enough then it can back of which allows everything to migrate outward and then the brake tabs will rub on the brake rotor, grind down, and chirp like hell. A two or three months after my first wheel bearing job ever the same thing happened to me.

And like said before the nut could be too tight as well causing the bearing to bear too much pressure. Never seen it happen but sounds possible.

 

Another quick thought, and only if everything else pans out to not be the problem, but does your truck come equipped with ABS? If so, check the sensor on the side causing you problems. Just another thing to check if you do have ABS.

 

Good idea on replacing the flex hose,might not be your problem,but mine was bad and had to replace calipers and pads due to bad hose.
Jim

 

The collapsed brake hose is something I haven't heard of before, interesting. I'll also back off the spindle nut. The manual hub conversion kit said to back off the spindle nut 90 deg after seating the bearing which I did. The truck manual states the nut should be backed off 135-155 deg. Maybe this is the problem. Any other ideas are welcomed. Thanks.

 

yea. The hoses eventually get saturated, and what happens is when you let the pressure off the hose, the inside of it collapses and you cannot force fluid though them anymore.


What you need to do is take out your lockers and inspect the hubs.

if you assembled the lockers incorrectly, or perhaps you decided to pack them with grease or what not, they can hang up and make some horrific noises. If they do what mine did on my f150, you'll be getting a new spindle and all new bearings again.




You can see the damage from it hanging up while going down the road.



now if you packed grease in them, your gonna create a volumetric sorta deal, where the grease will turn the axle and create all sorts of problems.

Your supposed to just spray them down or whatever like that.

 

Thanks for the pics Talyn. I think my brake hoses are OK. I bled the brakes without any problem, so I know fluid was moving through the hoses prior to driving. I didn't pack the lockers with grease but did coat them with oil per the install instructions. This afternoon I'm taking it apart to find out what the deal is.

 

Yea, ATF or some good spray like fluid film.

Just something to lubricate them, dump all the excess out so it doesn't end up in the bearings.

Now, I do my bearings different, but I believe what the concesses is on here is tigten the sucker down and back it off 1/4 turn.

I tighten mine down to help seat the bearing cups, then back it off and tighten it to a feel.

Maybe they back it off a 1/2 turn around here. *shrugs*
to tight will burn em up. there supposed to be a little room in there.

I was doing them wrong for a while, and learned my lesson chipping the race off the spindle.

 

Hey guys I found the problems. First, I apparantly drank too much beer while putting it back together . I installed the rattle clips in back wards and they were rubbing the rotor, which made all kinds of racket. Note to self: limit beer consumption when making repairs. One hour of work later, clips installed correctly, and the truck stops and rolls great!

 

Great. Glad you got it fixed with no damage.
Congrats.

 

and less work!

 

...but the hub still got hot.
How hot was it compared to the otherside?

 

Good point Milker. The heat was coming from the rattle clip rubbing the rotor. After changing them out, there was no longer any excessive heat, smoke, noise, etc. I had automatically assumed I installed the spindle/wheel bearings wrong and chewed up my hub. After noticing the rattle clips were rubbing, I drove the truck for about five miles. Each hub felt the same, i.e., outside hub cool to touch, inside by steering knuckle was warm, like lukewarm water, but not hot. I am assuming this is heat radiating from the rotor/brake pads/hub assembly from normal braking/driving. So far, I've driven sixty miles and everything sounds right, feels right, and is rolling right. Time will tell. Thanks for the pointers.