twkundrat

I've had repeated wheel bearing problems with my '07 2wd F150 for a while, and I'm at a loss of what to do to fix it.

Several months ago I started to hear some bearing growl from the front passenger side. Typical bearing noise that gets louder when turning left. No big deal, I bought a new rotor/hub assembly (and $12 spindle nut) and replaced it. I didn't have a 300 ft/lb torque wrench, so I torqued it to 200 and guesstimated the rest. The next morning when I left for work, right away when I got up to speed the bearing got noisy and by the time I got to work it was blazing hot a smoking a little.

I ordered a new Timken bearing and bought a 300 ft/lb torque wrench. I replaced the bearing in the hub/rotor, making sure it was extremely clean and only pressing on the outer race in the hydraulic press. I put everything back together and had the exact same problem. Right when I get up around 35 mph the bearing starts making noise.

I looked at my truck and can't see any other problems. Ball joints seem fine, brakes aren't hanging up, spindle looks fine.

Back to the auto parts store. I exchanged the last rotor/hub assembly I had bought thinking maybe the first one I bought was junk and perhaps I did something to damage the bearings that I replaced (even though I know I didn't, I'm a machinist and do this kind of crap every day). After replacing the rotor, the same exact problem.

This time I ended up backing off the torque on the spindle nut to maybe 100 ft/lbs or less, and the noise got a little more quiet. I drove it like this for a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, I was asking all of my mechanic friends for advise and no one had a solution. After a couple of weeks the bearing started to get pretty noisy again.

Being frustrated and not knowing what else to do, I ordered another bearing (I don't remember what brand, but one of the better names). Again I replaced the bearing in the hub/rotor, and again I had the same results. Bearing noise right away after getting up to speed. I think I've heard it said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.

This one has really got me stumped. I guess I'll be looking for a new spindle at the junk yards, even though I see nothing wrong with mine.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Tim

jkenprice1

Where did you come up with the 300 lb torque for the wheel bearings? Usually you just want to take the play out.

weadjust

2WD front spindle nut spec is 295 ft.lbs. of torque. I replaced the original hub/rotor around 100,000 on my 06 2WD with the Centric 2 piece hub & rotor conversion kit. Have about 60,000 miles on the Centric hub with no problems so far.

https://www.amazon.com/Centric-Parts...tric+120.65128

casey.mikl

Sorry to thread jack... is that listing for both sides? Or do you need to buy 2? I need to replace mine and wanna go this route.

nrivera04

The bearing is a sealed roller style, not the tapered cone style as you think. Ford's spec is 295 ft lbs but I've done several at 250 (highest my t wrench goes) with no problems down the road.

OP aside from maybe getting a bearing from Ford? Idk what to say here... I've done a few 2WDs and I've never had an issue or one come back. There was an issue with inferior bearings, but it seems you've already thought of that. Perhaps it might just be time for a spindle. Good luck.

weadjust

That's for one. You need two if doing both sides. I went with Amazon due to free shipping. They're heavy boxes. I swapped them out myself but had the tire shop do the final torque on the spindle nut. My torque wrench only goes to a 100 ft.lbs. Was prepared to pay but the guy said no charge.

redfishtd

You could have fried eggs on my front rims . I tried non dust making pads and re-lubed pads etc . In the end it was sticking calipers , seems the composite pistons pickup moisture as they extend and swell . Once you do a brake job they stick as they come out , they don't back off .
I fought this over months, the answer was rebuilt calipers and has been 120k and no further problems . Both fronts did this over six months time .
I realty don't think you are getting bad bearings .

redfishtd

05 lariat supercrew . And I went to centric hubs .

twkundrat

Thanks for the replies.

Redfishtd, I'll definitely plan to install new pistons and seals for my calipers. The reason I didn't think it was a brake issue was because the noise would start within seconds of driving. It seems like it would take some time with the brakes dragging to get the bearings hot enough to have problems. The noise itself sounds more like bearings than just brakes dragging (especially because the noise is louder when turning left).

redfishtd

But they would get so hot the grease would come out of the bearing . I learned to put my hand near the rim not on it as it would burn me bad .
It was the smell that alerted me like a trash fire with plastic in it ,usually when I got out of the truck I noticed it . My wife had the same smell in her car and thought it was a trash fire by the time she pulled her cressida over it went up in flames totally . It was her ac fan motor that started it .
I never have replaced pistons in calipers , I need my truck everyday so the rebuilt fit the bill as they were only 39 bucks each .
I did search for a possible metal piston kit with no luck .
At one point I did receive a bad rotor from quest and the bearing went bad but they made it good and I ate the labor . It would make a grinding noise in a turn .
After that I also went with the centrics hub kit to make future brake jobs easier . And It got the bearing off the rotor .
Good luck with your fix .