93 5.0 XLT 4x4

So I’m in the process of rebuilding the entire front end. Putting in new rotors, seals and wheel bearings. I took out the outer wheel bearing and cleaned it off to inspect for any unusual wear marks because the grease felt a bit gritty. Nothing major at all but you can feel it. I looked that the part number on the bearing and it does not referenced to be a fitment for my truck. The only Ford truck that the part matches to are Rangers. I inspected spindle and inside the hub and everything seems smooth and clean. Thoughts?

 

you have a part # visible on bearing? and if it fits the spindle i could see it being used accidentally based on size but the weight load and wear would likely be a lot for a bearing,, enough to shave off itno the grease maybe

 

If you have gotten this far without any issues, I doubt you have the wrong bearing. How does it compare physically with the other side?

You have to soak the bearings in a solvent to really clean them up with an old brush, not just wiping with a rag.Dried grease and grit can settle in the cage making them feel rough. If the originals are still good after soaking, you are better off the reuse than to replace them with Chinese junk which is about all you can find now. Replace them if they are scored or you can snag you fingernail on defects on the rollers. If you have to replace, go by application, not the part number on the bearing which may be manufacturer specific.

 

So the grease appears to be pretty fresh still. And it was PACKED. Not discounting the fact that whoever installed it didn’t do a good job cleaning prior to greasing. The only marking on the bearing is LM501349. When I searched the part, the first and most common part is the National brand wheel bearing. Deeper research it appears that Spicer also had a wheel bearing that shared the same part number. But the markings on the Spicer had different style lettering.

I also recalled the spindle nuts were very loose when I started removing the hub assembly.

 

perhaps there was a lot of improper side-loading forces? I would say squeeze out old grease, clean out the grease you used to squeeze old out, then inspect like raski said. then if you pass all those tests, check your races for wear. if good yet, grease and install, torque spindle nut, install wheel and check it for wear or play forward back like a ball joint. Im thinking you suffered some bad wearfrom the preload not being there and putting forces on the bearing it wasnt designed for

 

National & Spicer are OEMs for Dana, which is the OEM for the TTB axle (Dana 44IFS) that Ford designed. To read how to dis- & re-assemble it properly, read the captions in this photo album:

(phone app link)


I don't remember the last time I had to replace a wheel bearing on a D44IFS, but I recently replaced some on my D50IFS:

(phone app link)


Timken is another OEM for Ford wheel bearings, and most Timken parts are made in USA.

 

dont squeeze out old or unknown grease. do it right, wash it out in a container with a bit of gasoline. of course a parts washer is ideal but gasoline is very effective. blow it dry when done as long as you dont spin it with air. then start fresh with all new grease or replace.
a bearing cup packer is a smart investment and does an excellent, clean, and fast job at packing new or used bearings. as steve has said, its rare to have a bad bearing...usually they are damaged by improper torque, contamination by dirt or incompatible greases, or being replaced with junk chinese bearings.

 

Deodorized mineral spirits are safer that gas. A plastic storage container is a good makeshift parts washer - whatever size & shape suits the part you're washing. The solvent can be funneled back into the bottle when you're done.

 

good ideas, I dont do bearings often and i KNOW ive done them incorrectly when I did lol. I never put preload on my f150s bearings and i think it shows. nor did i check the races of the old hubs. i was a student and the teacher never showed me that, so i assumed i knewwhat i needed

 

Haven’t gotten around to mess with this yet but will report back. Been super busy and finally got the middle u joint out from the front. Now the challenge will be getting the new u joint back on.

Sorry, my ADHD kicks in pretty bad. I’m sure some of y’all can relate as you take things apart and the ole “well, while I have this out already, let me just replace this as well...” mindset kicks in. 😅

All of these extra projects really stemmed from me just replacing my shocks and springs. Now, I’m rebuilding the whole front end.