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Front wheel bearing

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Old Jul 27, 2008 | 11:04 AM
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Joseph H. Smith's Avatar
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From: From Indiana work in Panama
Front wheel bearing

Well my son got home early this morning and told me the front right side had some smoke coming out of it has he stopped at the top of the off ramp about 9 blocks from the house. I just checked it and the front right wheel bearing had dried up and came apart. This is the second one on the right side. The left side is original and has 176,000 miles on it. When I was changing the upper ball joints on both sides about 70,000 miles ago the left hub came apart. I changed the ball joint and cleaned and greased the ***** and seat and put it back together. When I did the right side the hub came out as an assembly so I did not clean and grease it. 10,000 miles later the right side hub failed. I changed it. 50,000 miles later I purposely seperated the hub on the left side by leaving the bolts on the back and pulling it apart. I cleaned and grease it again and put it back together. I did not do it to the right side and low and behold the right side dried and failed. Brake caliper is in good condition and sliding freely on the bolts. Not excessive heat. This time it took out the ABS ring. When I get the new one I am going to have to see if there is a way to get grease into it. If not I will separate it every 50,000 just like the left side.
I am going to check again but as of last year they were still not making the conversion to the cone bearings for front abs. I hope they changed their minds.
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Old Jul 27, 2008 | 11:26 AM
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From: Oak Hills CA- Elizabeth City NC
The conversions are available for abs trucks I have one on my truck. One of the best mods I have done
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Old Jul 27, 2008 | 01:35 PM
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From: From Indiana work in Panama
You have a 2002. I have checked and the ABS supported hub conversions are listed for 2000 and forward. If you have a source please let me know as I need to get this truck back on the road immediately as it is our only source of transportation. I don't want to put the original hub back on but if I can't find a conversion in a couple of days I will have to. Thanks, Joe
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Old Jul 27, 2008 | 06:53 PM
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From: Oak Hills CA- Elizabeth City NC
I didn't even think 98's had abs on the front.
Call dynatrac direct because their website kinda sucks. They carry alot more stuff than their website states.
Their direct #is 1-714-596-4461 they may be able to put a kit together for you or help you out.
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Old Jul 27, 2008 | 08:08 PM
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The 98's had an optional 4 wheel abs with the rwal being standard. I have been calling ems off road about twice a year for awhile now and supposedly it is coming but the reason for not making it was that only about 5 percent of the 98's sold opted for the 4wal thus not making it lucrative enough. I would have bought it years ago had they made it. I will call dynatrac in the morning. Thanks for your help. Joe
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Old Jul 27, 2008 | 10:58 PM
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From: Oak Hills CA- Elizabeth City NC
Worst case scenario you could get some junkyard knuckles for a 00 up d60 and change the knuckles overthen run a newer kit. just an idea.
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Old Jul 28, 2008 | 07:36 AM
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Someone on this site posted instructions on how to grease the wheel bearings w/a grease gun. He had to drill a hole and put in zerks to get it to work. I wish I could give you more infomation but it been awhail. Try a Search maybe you will find it.
Floyd
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Old Jul 28, 2008 | 08:27 AM
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Just go to NAPA and buy another hub assembly and put it on and get to rollin. I have ahd to do it several times thru the years.
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Old Jul 28, 2008 | 12:03 PM
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From: Oak Harbor, WA
Originally Posted by VWPAT
Just go to NAPA and buy another hub assembly and put it on and get to rollin. I have ahd to do it several times thru the years.
I found that Autozone had the exact same Timken bearing (lifetime warranty) as Napa, for like $80 less.
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Old Jul 28, 2008 | 04:04 PM
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From: From Indiana work in Panama
I called dynatrac and they said that if they could do it they would but that there is a clearance problem. EMS told me that they would have an answer by the end of August as they have been studying it. I thought I saw a post on here about the OO knuckles working on the 98. I am going to have to look at it. I also read the post on the zerk. Would make it alot easier then separating the hub every 50,000 miles although its not the hardest job on this truck to do.
I guess what I am going to do is put another wheel hub on and fix it to lube for now and then do the mod with ems if they come out with it later. If not I will research also the 00 knuckles and see if there is any problem with the abs matchup. If not I will do the hub conversions/knuckles/steering gear box/dss/and 3rd generation track bar all at the same time.
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Old Jul 28, 2008 | 04:23 PM
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Ed ke6bnl's Avatar
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If someone finds the article on lube fitting please post I had it at one time but lost it. Ed.



Originally Posted by Joseph H. Smith
I called dynatrac and they said that if they could do it they would but that there is a clearance problem. EMS told me that they would have an answer by the end of August as they have been studying it. I thought I saw a post on here about the OO knuckles working on the 98. I am going to have to look at it. I also read the post on the zerk. Would make it alot easier then separating the hub every 50,000 miles although its not the hardest job on this truck to do.
I guess what I am going to do is put another wheel hub on and fix it to lube for now and then do the mod with ems if they come out with it later. If not I will research also the 00 knuckles and see if there is any problem with the abs matchup. If not I will do the hub conversions/knuckles/steering gear box/dss/and 3rd generation track bar all at the same time.
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Old Jul 28, 2008 | 04:46 PM
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From: From Indiana work in Panama
I just got off the phone with Napa and also checked out autozones site and I found that neither of them have lifetime warranties. They are both 1 year. The Napa runs $410.00 but comes with 8 new studs. I had to call napa as their web page did not list the warranty. The autozone hub is $319.00 but does not come with the new studs. $81.00 is pretty spendy for 8 studs. They are both Timken. Autopartswarehouse had the same Timken hub for $243.00 and a one year warranty. Joe
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Old Jul 28, 2008 | 07:18 PM
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Dude, your name is not Joseph H. Smith. But if it is, I'll drink to that....
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Old Jul 28, 2008 | 09:34 PM
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From: From Indiana work in Panama
First drink is on me. I have never me a police office that did not ask me to get out of my car when I told him my name. My dad was not very artistic with the names of the boys in my family (Tom, John, Bill and Joe).
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Old Jul 29, 2008 | 06:59 AM
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Crap, I completely missed that you had 4WAL. That'll drive the price up. I guess it was the non sensor ones that have the lifetime warranty. Either that, or I was mistaken.
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