I Posted this over in the ball joint replacement thread, but thought I'd try giving it's own thread. See sig below for discription of truck. The lower ball joint on the drivers side of my truck has gone bad, very bad. I've been gathering all the parts I need for replacement. I'm stuck with just the large knuckle seal #F81Z3254CB to find. Due to a long standing disagreement with the local Ford dealer I refuse to go there. Napa has a seal that they call a pinon seal part #18701 and Rock Auto has one #710493. Are these the same thing as the Ford part?

Also I noticed that the hub assembly has some play and the shaft moves in and out of it quit a bit. Does this mean that the hub is bad or just related to the ball joint going bad?

I've now gotten the whole thing taken apart. The hub assembly still has play even off the truck it's just not as pronounced without a huge tire attached to it. When spun it also seems to have a spot that it drags.
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on the seal i would go to another ford dealer to get it,and the hub sounds like it is going south i would replace it while it was apart.

 

I figured as much, but was trying to deny it. Started looking through all the hub assembles. Is the National #515057 a good replacement hub?

 

I hear you on the dealer stuff. I have a dealer 1 mile away and I keep it that way for parts. Have you tried Parts Guy Ed? Or Tousley Ford parts? That's the only two I've used for OEM. Guzzle has a pretty good write up on the hubs with part numbers.

 

Most auto parts places have the seal now..I'll look for the number..

SPI-50491
skf 28600

Maybe these will help.

 

I believe Timken has the seal 710494 that will work.

Edit: Here is a link on Amazon for SKF 28600 that should be the same as the Timken.