Ford Wheel Bearings

[chasineyes]

Wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks for changing the rear wheel bearings/assembly on a Expedition 2004. Sounds like mine are going bad (136,000 miles). I HOPE they are and it's NOT coming from the transmission. It looks like a fairly common job, I've done them in my accords and these just look a little bigger. Would you guys also reccommend channging the rotor and pads since I will have them off as well?

THanks for the advice!

[jmd1]

do a quick search on google, there are a ton of how to's on there. There is an actual kit from ford as this is a common issue. There is a tsb for it also with the kit info.

[Jeremy airjer W]

"Bearings" ?

It is not common for more than one to be bad or making noise. Although I have replaced all four on one vehicle on the same day one time it is usually one bearing that is making noise.

Otherwise remove the caliper, remove the rotor (it is likely rusted in place), remove the axle nut (make sure this gets re torqued to the proper spec when put back on), remove the four bolts holding the hub & bearing to the knuckle, and finally remove the hub and bearing (likely rusted in place as well).

Sometimes the ale nuts sieze in the hub. An air hammer is the preferred tool for removing. A large hammer and a pluck of wood should work.

[FF_205]

I think the TSB that jmd1 is talking about is for a noise in the rear end and that kit is for a ring and pinion that has "bit me in the ...." before, otherwise you just have to remove a lot of rusted in bolts and nuts but there is 4 bolts that hold it into the housing and it should come out, find that one that is making noise tho, most likely its not both of them, as far as the brakes and rotors, if they need them, would be a good time to replace them

[chasineyes]

Quote:

Otherwise remove the caliper, remove the rotor (it is likely rusted in place), remove the axle nut (make sure this gets re torqued to the proper spec when put back on), remove the four bolts holding the hub & bearing to the knuckle, and finally remove the hub and bearing (likely rusted in place as well).

So I finally took on this task and got to the last part and that thing will NOT budge. I had a puller that captured the lugs and a center "bolt" that drove on the axle shaft. Is there any damage of pushing too hard on the axle? Kinda po'd since it only took about 20 minutes to get to this point!!!

[Jeremy airjer W]

An air hammer on the flange that the hub bolts thread into will twist the hub either clockwise or counter clockwise and break it free from the hub. There have been several times that we have had to use a 16# sledge on that flange to get it to break free. Welcome to Minnesota auto repair!

[chasineyes]

Jeremy thanks for the help. Tonight I tackled it again this time with a air hammer. After 20 minutes of beating and pulling I finally got the rotor off, the parking brake pads were tight on the rotor (probably accounting for my gas milage issue). Suffice to say those were shot as well so I will be replacing them as well. I had a puller on the bearing assembly and then I used the Hammer and NOTHING! Then I broke out the landscape hammer and beat the carp out of that assembly and NOTHING! Got frustrated so I called it a night. I'm almost thinking to take the whole spindle assembly off and take it to work and press the darn thing out, otherwise I have no idea how to get it without beating and beating on it. Is it ok to press on the axle/use that for your puller on the bearing assembly? I don't want to end up wrecking that as well...