Hello. I'm brand new here...please help! I just bought a 02 mountaineer, v6, awd and driving up from OK to CO, it developed a rear noise sort of a whiring or whine. I think it is a wheel bearing. I have looked and it looks like the bearing is replaced as a hub assembly...right? I've worked on cars for years as a shade tree mech, but as I get older, I like to know the difficulty of the task before starting. I see that the rear hubs are pretty expensive and labor is probably about 200.00 per side. The question is, in your opinion, how hard is it to replace them? Any special tools needed? If I do it, do I need to buy any new nuts for anything? Thanks, John PS: My last repair job was to a Windstar heater actuator door and Arrowstar front axles. I have no manuals.

 

the hubs and bearings come as a unit on the front and rear of the new 4 x 4. The bearings are sealed and do not come apart or cannot be greased. The fronts are preassembled, you just slide on the axle and tighten the big nut and the 3 bolts to hld the hub to the frame.--- the rears are a little worse. you have to remove the upright assembly, take it to the hydraulic press and push the hub-bearingn apart. the new bearing and hub comes as a two piece unit and needs to be pressed back together. if you have a press it can be done, if you dont, you need to get assistance at that point or have a shop do the whole job. takes a few bearing press plates and spacers to do the job. pressing it together in the right order keeps you from damaging the bearing during reassembly. putting the unit on the truck or removing the unit is not too bad a job, but not for a beginner.

 

Thanks, Steve, for the quick reply. I'm not a beginner, but not expert either. I have a 12 ton press...probably not big enough? I'm still thinking about it.

 

i did it with a 12 ton press. probably takes a 20. had to give it quite a bit of encouragement with a 5 pound hammer after the pump stalled out. trying to get the frame level on the press is a big problem. need a few shims and press plates. if you are familiar with fancy press work, its not too bad. watch what your pressing on when you go back together, dont load the bearing rollers aginst the race. the bearing is actually two tapered bearing back to back.