Hello,

My truck needs new wheel bearings and new rotors, so i decided to tackle the project today. This truck has been fighting me! Its a 1985 Ford F350 6.9L Diesel 4x4 with manual locking hubs. I pulled the hub cap off, and the caliper... the pictures below are as far as I got. It APPEARS as though the ring pictured below needs to be UNSCREWED off with a special tool, but I honestly am not sure. What do I need to do next and how far do I still have to go? Looking to replace ALL the wheel bearings and the rotors.

Thanks,

Dan

 

You need a special tool to remove the nut, IIRC there is another one just like it behind that one with a locking washer between them. There's a small pin in the inner nut that engages the locking washer and the outer one is just a jam nut. Once you get the rotor off you have to remove the wheel studs (drive out w/ a hammer) then separate the rotor from the hub (same hammer technique) put the new rotor on the hub and install your old wheel studs from the rear with hammer/punch, extension or whatever. The studs may not seat perfectly, but when the jobs all done and you tighten down the lug nuts it will pull it all together (make sure you get them tightened down good, maybe even retourque them after a short drive) If your wheel bgs arent bad you can clean/repack them, outherwise you have to drive the old races out of your hub and get the new ones in undamaged (more special tools reccomended)

 

As stated above, you need a special socket to remove the nut. You can probably rent it at a local parts place. As for installing the new races, I take the old ones, grind off a little material around the circumference, and use them (with a drift and piece of metal spanning across the old race) and use that to drive in the new races.

 

You really should buy a repair manual. It will pay for itself the first time you use it.

When you buy the spindle nut socket make sure you get the right one. Tell them you have a Dana 50 or Dana 60, don't buy the four-pronged one for the smaller Dana 44.

 

Guys,

Thanks for the tips,

What exactly is this tool called and where can I get it? My local autozone doesn't know the difference between a socket and a wrench.

I bought "everything" required to do the right side... all the races and all the bearings, inner and outer. I've never done this job before on a truck and it seems a little more critical. It was 10X easier on my 71 Chevelle. I can't honestly remember how I put the races in on the Chevelle but I am pretty sure I did not take the rotors anywhere to have them pressed in. Shouldn't I be able to use a copper punch to drive them in?

Dan

 

If anybody has any pictures from there job.... feel free to post!

P.S. the bearings are totally shot and their was very little grease in the locking hub.

DG

 

copper or brass punch can work, or like stated before, use your old race, but you dont have to grind down the OD, just make sure you place it on top of the new race with the cone shape in the same direction, if you put it in backwards there's no place to drive the old race out if it gets stuck

 

BTW, if you clean the old race off and it looks good (no pitting or anything) there's really no reason to replace them. Is this just a maintenence thing you're doing or do you have a noise? If just maint I'd just repack the old ones

 

There is a noise.... its unbearable. When I got the caliper off today, I spun the rotor on the hub, and the "grinding" is loud just spinning it by hand. At 50MPH the truck bobs around and the noise is so loud you hear it over the engine. That's why I am expecting the worst and hoping for the best.

Thanks for the tips so far... keep'um comin!!!!!!

Dan

 

That spindle nut tool, I've referred to it as a Spanner tool:


The one on the right is for the front hubs; the one on the left is merely a large socket
(around 2.5") for the rear axle.

Here's another variant of the one you need:


Try NAPA.

 

Thank you...

Napa is close by

DG

 

Here's another questions I just thought of (sorry for all the stupid questions... need to get a manual ASAP)... What's the torque spec for putting that spindle nut back on, and does it need to be preloaded?

Dan

 

Those are the 4 prong ones, it looks like he needs the 6 prong one. I walked out to my toolbox to look at mine. Its a Snap On "S 6109A" I hardly ever used it, most are the 4 prong ones...maybe it was only for a year or 2

 

I'm sure otc makes one cheaper, I'd see if autozone has a loaner

 

I know the one in the second pic isn't correct for this application, it's just one I could find a
clear picture of on the 'net and add into my posting to help explain. This is why I referred to it
as a variant of the one he needs.

You'll also need to dig out a ring that kinda looks like a piston ring, it's on the outer inside
edge of the casting (looks like you may jave already removed it, though, as I don't see it
there.

I second the recommendation to get a book, the installation sequence is fairly precise and,
IIRC, preloading is part of it. Autozone.com might have some helpful online documentation,
too.