Today was a long day. It started picking up where I left off yesterday doing the brakes at all four corners. Moving to the front, I decided it was a good time to renew the bearings which were rumbling noticeably.
First task was loosening the tie-rod joint and lower hub pivot joint. These came loose using the 2-hammer method and some 4 pound hammers (really small sledge hammers).
I used my Makita 14v impact driver to remove the axle nut. I have a 12-ton Harbor Freight press and used it to press off the axle from the hub bearing. Then the fun started. I resorted to heating up the hub to help loosen the bearing retainer, which I have the correct tool for. The bearing pressed out using a 30mm socket and the press. Fortunately the bearing stayed together. I washed everything in my 20 gallon parts washer that uses paint thinner.
After that it was simply a matter of pressing things together using the old bearings as tools with the press. Finally the passenger side front is ready to reinstall. The brake on that corner also has a new rotor, pads and hose. Tomorrow, or perhaps next weekend, will see the other side done and then it will be time for the fun; a test drive.
In this pic you can see how the inner race of the bearing is pitted:
In this pic you can just barely see a little overall roughness of the outer race. The balls are also barely discolored.
First task was loosening the tie-rod joint and lower hub pivot joint. These came loose using the 2-hammer method and some 4 pound hammers (really small sledge hammers).
I used my Makita 14v impact driver to remove the axle nut. I have a 12-ton Harbor Freight press and used it to press off the axle from the hub bearing. Then the fun started. I resorted to heating up the hub to help loosen the bearing retainer, which I have the correct tool for. The bearing pressed out using a 30mm socket and the press. Fortunately the bearing stayed together. I washed everything in my 20 gallon parts washer that uses paint thinner.
After that it was simply a matter of pressing things together using the old bearings as tools with the press. Finally the passenger side front is ready to reinstall. The brake on that corner also has a new rotor, pads and hose. Tomorrow, or perhaps next weekend, will see the other side done and then it will be time for the fun; a test drive.
In this pic you can see how the inner race of the bearing is pitted:
In this pic you can just barely see a little overall roughness of the outer race. The balls are also barely discolored.