Removing front brake hub/rotor on 2wd
12-18-2010, 11:00 PM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Several days ago, after replacing rotors, I stated I would experiment on the hubs by removing the bearings to see what would be involved in replacing just the bearings. Well, I'm reporting what I found.
The bearings (2 in each hub) are held in place with a large, very strong snap ring that sits in a groove on the inside of the hub. I had to purchase a larger and stronger pair of snap ring pliers just to remove the snap ring. Boy, is it strong!
I closely examined the inside of the hub looking for the two recessed areas that expose the top of the pressed in race. There are no access pockets in this hub to drive the races out. So, I was unable to get the old races out of the hub. In all my years, I have never seen hubs without these recessed areas. I do not know if a machine shop can get the races out, but without the access slots, how could they? Drill access holes?
Nevertheless, I was able to drive out the inside part of the inner bearing (I did not have to use care to avoid damaging anything in this instance, so I banged away). I learned enough to realize these bearings are just like any other wheel bearing consisting of tapered roller bearings and the contraption holding the bearings together as a set. Obviously, they can be repacked with grease just like any conventional wheel bearing. That’s when I realized the bearings are not “sealed” but are what I call “shielded” bearings. The shield keeps out dirt and debris but does not act as a seal.
On all other hub assemblies I have seen in the past, one bearing sits all the way at the back of the spindle and the other sits out by the spindle threads. This design puts the bearings about 4 – 5 inches apart and requires very little tightening of the spindle nut itself. But on this hub (Bosch), the two bearings sit side by side, flush up against each other and down near the middle of the hub. Very different from what I am accustomed to seeing. I find the design strange, but since I am no engineer, who am I to question the design? But now, I understand why the hubs require 296 ft. pounds of torque to install them onto the spindle. With this design, the bearings have much less lateral pressure on them than older style wheel bearings. I suppose this leads engineers believe the bearings will last longer, but I do not know if my supposition is correct. It is my suspicion that this design is inferior to the old style. Why did Ford screw around with a design that had such a good track record?
In the final analysis new bearings can indeed be installed in the hubs if you can find a way to remove the old races. I could not. But, if you can, sizeable savings are possible by replacing the bearings only.
If anyone knows how to remove these races, please advise. For future reference, I’d like to know.
The bearings (2 in each hub) are held in place with a large, very strong snap ring that sits in a groove on the inside of the hub. I had to purchase a larger and stronger pair of snap ring pliers just to remove the snap ring. Boy, is it strong!
I closely examined the inside of the hub looking for the two recessed areas that expose the top of the pressed in race. There are no access pockets in this hub to drive the races out. So, I was unable to get the old races out of the hub. In all my years, I have never seen hubs without these recessed areas. I do not know if a machine shop can get the races out, but without the access slots, how could they? Drill access holes?
Nevertheless, I was able to drive out the inside part of the inner bearing (I did not have to use care to avoid damaging anything in this instance, so I banged away). I learned enough to realize these bearings are just like any other wheel bearing consisting of tapered roller bearings and the contraption holding the bearings together as a set. Obviously, they can be repacked with grease just like any conventional wheel bearing. That’s when I realized the bearings are not “sealed” but are what I call “shielded” bearings. The shield keeps out dirt and debris but does not act as a seal.
On all other hub assemblies I have seen in the past, one bearing sits all the way at the back of the spindle and the other sits out by the spindle threads. This design puts the bearings about 4 – 5 inches apart and requires very little tightening of the spindle nut itself. But on this hub (Bosch), the two bearings sit side by side, flush up against each other and down near the middle of the hub. Very different from what I am accustomed to seeing. I find the design strange, but since I am no engineer, who am I to question the design? But now, I understand why the hubs require 296 ft. pounds of torque to install them onto the spindle. With this design, the bearings have much less lateral pressure on them than older style wheel bearings. I suppose this leads engineers believe the bearings will last longer, but I do not know if my supposition is correct. It is my suspicion that this design is inferior to the old style. Why did Ford screw around with a design that had such a good track record?
In the final analysis new bearings can indeed be installed in the hubs if you can find a way to remove the old races. I could not. But, if you can, sizeable savings are possible by replacing the bearings only.
If anyone knows how to remove these races, please advise. For future reference, I’d like to know.
03-23-2012, 07:55 PM
#15
03-25-2012, 10:15 PM
#17
Senior Member
I just did the centric hub and rotor 2 piece kit! Hubs were 85$ a piece from rock auto! And any 4 wheel drive rotor will fit! Couldn't see paying all that money every time for the one piece kit! Did the swap in the garage in bout 2 hours!
03-26-2012, 04:07 AM
#18
Red Monster - on other forums, people kept recommending Centric and not one of them said anything about EBC. How do you like centric over OEM's? Would you recommend it? And lastly, how easy was the install?
03-26-2012, 06:02 AM
#19
Senior Member
It was simple remove hub (which took a while to beat the hell out) put the centric hub in. Torque to 295ft/lb. put rotor on then caliber. Was pretty easy and didn't take long. And now cause there separate I can just buy rotors when there warped or bad. And not fork out for hub and rotor combo. Have had any problems yet. O and the bearings are already in the centric hub when I got em and were pregreased
