sharper410

My truck is a 99 F150 with 2 wheel drive. In the spring of 2010 I had to put new rotors on the front of my truck so I went ahead and put new bearings in at the same time. Since then I've had to change the passenger side twice and the drivers side once again already. In each case the bearings are getting severely pitted and chewed up. Now one of the races that is pressed in the hub is pitted and I can't get it out. I've cleaned the hubs out and am careful that no dirt is getting into the bearings while putting them on so I just can't figure out why this keeps happening. My only thoughts are that maybe the bearing isn't matching outer race as they came pressed into the hub when new or maybe I'm over torquing them? Any suggestions on this one?

skizriz

Are you replacing the race along with the bearing?
It is very easy to over torque bearings. On my trailer I just tighten them enough to "set" them in place, then back it off some. It's not much more than hand tight, just enough so you can't grab the wheel and have any in and out movement.

pissedoff92

yea make sure your preloading the bearings right, and make sure your packing them properly too.

Kattumaram

I've set up more than a few front spindles in the various Fords I've owned over the years and here's the scheme I use:
(Procure matched sets of rollers and races and make sure the sets are not made in China.)
Press in new outer races into the rotor/spindle.
Install a new seal.
Coat the races with a generous amount of NLG1 moly-lithium grease.
Load the inboard roller/race/cage set with NLG1 moly-lithium grease, coat the seal and spindle seal surface with a little grease and slide the roller/race/cage onto the spindle.
Install the rotor/spindle.
Load the outboard roller/race/cage with grease and slide it into place.
Install the washer and nut.
Torque the nut to about 15lb/ft of torque while spinning the rotor to set the bearings.
Hold the rotor in place, but don't let it move, back off the nut until loose then retighten finger-tight....give it all you have using fingers only.
Install cotter pin and drive dust cap in place.

sharper410

Guess I'll try replacing the races with the ones that come with the bearings and see what happens. I've torqued them to 17 ft-lbs but it sounds like that is even too much.

Kattumaram

Don't leave that amount of torque on the spindle nut....run up to that torque, spin the rotor, then back off 'til the nut is loose and retighten finger-tight.

TomR

That is probably what the problem is.

skizriz

And always replace the bearing AND the race as a set.

paker

17 ft-lb is the initial torque. Then back off and finger tight.

Did you by any chance forget to install bearing seal? You said pitted and rusted. I don't see how overtightening (17 ft-lb) can cause rusting.

4x4AgGuy

Actually it can...when you overtighten it causes the seal not to seat properly thats whay torque specs are soooo important I live by my spec sheets lol