I bought new rotors/hubs for my 98 2wd.
Do I need to change my front bearings (do I expect to damage them when I put the new rotor/hubs on????

I did not expect to have to buy the whole rotor with the hub and wheel lugs, etc., on it. But they tell me on my 2wd..it's all one part. So, since my bearings are fine,..I'd rather not trash them.

Or does it actually just slide right out without much trouble,? I'm guessing I just take off the caliper and main axle nut and it comes right off??? (Nothing seems to ever "come right off" when it comes to my good luck).

OK,
thank you in advace for your input.

 

Not to worry. They come right off usually.

 

Gee,
Came right out.

The seal, however, is still in the old hub with the inner bearing.

I was told that if I used the spindle nut and washer, it would act as a stop and by pulling off the rotor/hub.,,,it would also remove the seal. That is incorrect,..at least so far. I'm going to try it again in a second,..but I thought I would just find a seal puller in my pile-o-tools (i.e. junk)
. If I can find it. I hope the seal puller method doesn't screw up the seals.

 

OK,
I just had to give it a harder yank...Came right off with a harder yank....actually, I think it took 2 yanks on each side. Back together now and good to go...except I caught that one of my upper ball joints is a little loose...so I get to change that one.

 

I would not re use the old seals. Did you clean and inspect the bearings and then properly repack them?

Rick

 

I reused the old seals.
Semi=properly repacked them (didn't go through the whole solvent business, if that's what you mean).. I'm semi-suprized I've gone 210K without having to change a bearing. I don't know how far they usually go,..but I thought that was quite a ways. Some of my other cars...I think I don't get past 100K without having to deal with a wheel bearing someplace or other.


Anyway, I needed to go somewhere and didn't want to be waiting for solvent to dry out completely. I think they want you to use mineral spirits...which is very slow dry. i prefer MEK,..which would be dry in 5 seconds..but since that is not what they say to use (I think it is legal reasoning...cancer, etc.,)..and they don't say why,...I thought I better do what I could with soft cotton and no solvent.

Time will tell me how big of a boo boo it is.

 

If you used a bearing packing tool and push out all of the old grease you should be alright. The problem is that not cleaning them you can miss bad spots in the bearings. I just did my trailer and the bearings looked fine, washed them and three out of four were bad. Pieces missing from the rollers. China's best.

Rick

 

Please don't tell me that dodge was using chinese bearings in 1998????????????????? PPPPLLLLLLEEEEAAAASSSSSEEEE.
If you tell me that I'll be wishing I would have changed them just because they were out.

 

They were on my trailer, don't worry. They have been in there since I bought it 15 years ago.