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Rear Hub Work Questions

3K views 25 replies 6 participants last post by  TKOPerformance 
#1 ·
The dust plates/guards on my 2007 F250 have rusted down so badly that I need to change them on both the drivers and passenger rear. It was a ***** to get the old rotors off but I finally got them off. I've ordered new rotors and brake pads (they need changing also) and now am trying to figure out what other parts I'll need. My parking brake and hardware/springs appear to be in bad shape so clearly I'll be replacing them. I guess the question I'm asking is what else will I need? Can I reuse all the hub bearings? Do I need to take off the hub seals? If so, I understand that I'll need a replacement/new seal. Also, what kind of grease will I need? Will standard axle grease work? I've seen some posts mentioning gear oil? I apologize for all the questions but I've never spent much time with axles/hubs. I did the front ball joints so I'm comfortable doing it myself, just wanted to ask these questions to make sure.
Thanks in advance.
 
#3 ·
#4 ·
You can reuse all the bearings. You could really just pop the hub off and pop it back on. I would replace the grease seal just to prevent a leak in the future. If you do clean and inspect the bearings you can use gear oil or grease. I've done it both ways and never had an issue. Just get the adjustment right on the bearing preload, which is also pretty easy. Google how to do this and you'll see how easy it is.
 
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#5 ·
Thanks for the replies guys. Can't believe this much crap has to come off to simply replace the dust shield. TKO: When you say "preload", are you talking about the torque specs where they tell you to torque the bearing nut to 60 ft/lbs and then back it off by 5 clicks for a new bearing/7 clicks for a used bearing?
 
#6 ·
Hold on.. Why you boys telling him he can reuse his bearings? Has he posted up pics of inside race? Bottom side of rollers? Are there small circles or do the look more pin like on underside center?


Pull the stuff down, clean hub inside and out, clean bearings, get good quality pics of parts.

Jeez, alternatively find roller bearing failure chart.

'Come on fellas.
 
#7 ·
Regarding the preload, yes.

Regarding the pics, where? If the bearings show wear then absolutely replace them. It sounded like his only concern was the rusted out backing plate, so bad assumption on my part. Bearing wear mostly comes down to use. Mine have always looked fine on inspection, but I don't tow and haul heavy on occasion, but mostly for short distances. If you're constantly loading the truck then at the very least inspect them and if they show wear obviously replace them.
 
#8 ·
Thanks again for the info. Truth is that I am only taking on this job because I saw the dust plate had disintegrated on both rear sides when I went to replace the rotors and brakes. I hadn't noticed any issues/symptoms with respect to the bearings. I have never really put this beast to work like it was meant to. I've only really used it to haul things, not tow heavy things. Also, it's a 2007 with only 100k as it is not my primary vehicle.

I'll take a close look at the bearings but might have to watch a youtube video (or two) for more ideas about what bad bearings will look like. Assume they can be cleaned with brake cleaner and repacked with standard bearing/axle grease.
 
#9 · (Edited)
One more thing, with respect to the picture attached, for the love of God, how do you get the parking brake cable off? I see that OTC makes a tool (6722) to compress the spring but it is expensive and I then, what do you do after the spring is compressed. Do you need to loosen the nut/fastener with the tabs on it (hiding under spring)?

I tried to compress the spring with needle nose vise grips but it is a PITA and not very effective.
 
#10 ·
I don't have that tool. Might make it easier, but you can get by with some vice grips and a screwdriver. Its probably the biggest PITA of the job, but try and be patient and it can be done. Basically you have to compress that spring until you can get the loop on the end of the cable up and off the hook.
 
#11 ·
Thanks TKO. I am definitely not in the mood to spend $80 on a pair of vise grips with an open ended large washer welded to the tips. I have an idea for making a tool cheaply to compress the spring. I'll share if it works.

I am also considering purchasing the OTC hub removal tool. I remember how hard it was to remove my front hubs and figure I can use the tool on almost any hub so I'll probably get my money's worth out of it.

Thanks again for everyone's input. Wish I had one of you guys as my neighbor.

I'm in Northern Virginia and seem to remember you (TKO) are a Delaware guy. I spent lots of time at Bethany/Dewey as a kid. Fun places to be in the summer, tons of smoking hot women :)
 
#14 ·
Tools you make tend to be the best anyway. I just made a slide hammer puller for weld pins for pulling dents. Places wanted over $100 for them. I welded a $11 pair of vice grips to a block that threaded onto the slide hammer I already had. Faster and more efficient than the ones they sell, with at least as good a grip on the pin.

As far as being neighbors, my neighbor's house is on the market. How do you feel about Delaware? :smile2:
 
#15 ·
Love Delaware but wife and kids wouldn't be happy leaving VA ;)

Project complete. Not a ton of fun in such hot weather.

Here is a pic of my "tool" for the parking brake spring. It is a fuel line tool (mic cheaper than OTC tool) and some E Tape to hold the handle together. Then two zip ties through the spring to ensure it held.
 
#17 ·
I live in Newark, which is the home of the U of D. I don't even have to go to the beach to see smoking hot women!

Yeah, the weather has been quite hot this summer. I finally broke down and put AC in my shop. I got two fairly new, properly sized units for free, so it was impossible to pass up. Of course that didn't mean I got to swap the broken leaf springs out of my truck in the shop. Nope, wound up doing that outside. It only took me four shirts and 2-1/2 gallons of water. I think the heat index that day was 106. Ugh, thankfully fall is right around the corner.
 
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#23 ·
I bought a set of Harbor Freight lug torque extensions years ago and use them on everything. Its what wheels shops all use, the set was $55. Here's a link:

10 Piece 1/2 In. Torque Limiting Extension Bar Set

With aluminum wheels and slip on rotors its very easy to warp something if you over tighten them and get pulsation in the brake pedal. On the flip side, if you under tighten them, ever have a wheel pass you on the highway at 70MPH? Yeah, not fun.
 
#20 ·
One possible quick way to make a tool is to use a strap gate hinge forded together with a bolt through the middle to pull it together. Cut whatever notches you need into it, push it into spring and tighten bolt.
 
#21 ·
I actually had considered two metal plates with a hole and a bolt to close up the spring but I couldn't find the proper dimensions for the metal plates. You can actually remove the dust plate with the parking brake still attached to the bracket assembly because there is enough slack on the parking brake line to get the dust plate over the spindle. Then you have more room to work.

Like was suggested, maybe a strap gate hinge would work.
 
#22 ·
I know Ford sells the backing plates all assembled. I rebuilt one of my emergency brakes that was sticking and that was a monumental pain without removing the axle!
 
#24 ·
Thanks for the 411 on the lug torque extensions. Never knew they existed.

Thank God I've never seen one of my wheels go by me on the highway. I did, however, see a guy drive past me doing at least 95 mph driving on one of those small spare tire donuts that they sell with import cars. That is what Darwin was talking about in his "Origin of Species". Some creatures are so dumb they end up causing their own extinction ;)
 
#26 ·
Ironically, I didn't go to the U of D because I grew up in Newark. It was just too close to home, so I went a bit farther away to the cultural mecca that is Allentown, PA. It was hard enough to focus up there. It would have been impossible at the U of D!
 
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