[joedirt]

ok..a freind pointed out to me that my drivers front tire is angled in at the top...he just replaced what he called a unit bearing behing the hub on his truck...cost for the part was over $400....we jacked up my front tire and it wigled back and forth...prolly 3/4 of an inch...am i screwed?...how far can i drive like this...the passenger side is fine.....

oh yea...its a 99.5 f250 powerstroke supercab....

 

[alalor1]

It is probably a bad hub, it is a common problem on Fords and GMs.
There's very little you can do about it except change it. Some electric coops just have a hub replacement as scheduled maintenance every 100,000 miles. You can normally buy a new hub for less than $300, you don't need too my tools to do it. And if it is not 4wd, you don't even have to mess with the driveshafts.
Some bolts get caught really good though, so a good impact wrench makes it easier and faster.

 

[joedirt]

just a hub?...my hub looks fine...of course i havent torn it apart yet...but my friend just had to replace a bearing...he used his old hub...also,..i plan on a 8 hour round trip road trip this weekend..is this an emergancy to get fixed or will it be fine untill i get back?...i wont be pulling anything or using 4wd...

 

[klhansen]

Not just a hub, by which I take you meant the locking hub.

The wheel bearings are a combined hub/bearing assembly that bolts to the knuckle. The wheel bearings can't be serviced, but the whole unit must be replaced.

The locking hub is separate from the hub/bearing assembly. You can reuse it.

You may or may not make it on your round trip. With that much play in the wheel I'd guess you need to fix it before you go. It could be ball joints, but that much play would probably mean they are ready to fall off, too.