wow, ok gruesome i got to say your over thinking this. doing rotors isn't that hard of a job. i know looking at some pics in a book or online it's a bunch of little pieces but once you get it open and start doing the job its not that bad just take your time and take pics of how its coming apart just in case you get confused. now thats said are you sure the rotors even need changing? have you measured them? i'm not sure on the tolerances on the rotor(parts store should be able to tell you) but the pics i saw they didn't really look bad so i would check before you spend an extra $60 you aint got to. also be careful knocking the seal out, if you can keep from hitting on the bearing you will most likley salvage the inner bearing and save more $$$. now get your chilton book, go buy your parts, and fix that truck!

Remember man has been fixing his own truck for thousands of years!!!

 

Haha that's right! At least I have. My Bronco and me have been around for quite a while (I may seem like I'm 23, but I've been around for a few thousand years)

I understand your fear though Gruesome, I was thinking about taking my hubs and rotors off because there is a "dust seal' or some stupid rubber thing right behind the rotors that fills with.. well dust. Its kinda old and I think somewhat hardened so every few months it starts to squeal REALLY loud unless I take my tires off and clean it up really good with brake cleaner, then put some grease on it.... It's a huge pain...... But I'm a little too scared to take my hubs and rotors off...

I've heard it isn't really all too bad though. Since it's my daily driver though.. I don't want to mess up! Oh well. I've started to be able to just spray some white lithum grease back there and it shuts that sound up for about a month. I've had it looked at several times so I know nothing is wrong (seals and bearings have been replaced too). I don't really want to spend tons of time to replace a piece of rubber that apparently doesn't do anything but make loud noises.

 

Bubba, check the link in my signature, that job isn't a big deal.

 

That seal shouldn't be making any noises, might be a good idea to check the bearings. If that seal has rotted out then dirt/gunk/grime/rocks/***** will get in your hub and cause major damage, especially on a lifted truck with bigger tires.

 

I tend to over think a lot of stuff All in a days work though. Pretty much the plan now is to start taking it apart and go from there, that seems to be what i have done with everything and it has worked out. It just seems really difficult when i think about it in my head.

Anyways for a small update, i bought a majority of the parts. I use "Majority" loosely though, i bought all 4 of the bearings, a tub of generic bearing grease (yeah not lithium, but it was 3.99 for this little tub), then i got 3 out of the 10 studs i need due to them not having the 5 they told m they had. All i need left are 7 more studs, 10 lug nuts (mine are pretty beat), and the 2 seals, and the rotors. I plan to get all but the 2 seals today when my mom gets back home with out van, For the seals i am going to wait till i get my old ones out then take them up there and make sure they match. The guy at AZ said my vin number wasn't matching with any seals they had and if i brought them in it would make things a lot easier. This way i know for sure i will have the right ones.



I know working on your own vehicle is mostly a must, but sometimes you let the shops with all them fancy tool take over. Especially when your workplace is a slanted gravel driveway. I will work on it this time and probably next time.

As for udsuth78's question, i fell it would be safer to replace them, even if it cost $60 more, mine are worn and i can feel the start of some grooving on one. I didn't really get a good picture of the fin side of the rotor to show the thickness but it is fairly thin, if i remember to do so when i get the old ones off i can set them side by side. Even if these old ones aren't due for replacement, i will know i put new stuff on there and that they will wear at the rate their supposed to.

For the reasoning on why most of the big parts aren't with me, they are at another AZ store that i have to drive to. I am pretty sure they won't have all the studs or lugnuts i need there but if not i can have them shipped over to that store.

 

Nice, timkin bearings, those are top notch.

 

X 2 on the Timken's. The seal will have a number on it. Be sure to tighten the bearing right. I run the nut down good and snug than back it off just a hair. The wheel should roll free with no play what ever. You can get by with having them a little loose but they won't last long if they are to tight. I also use my hands to pack the Brg. Forcing the grease into the bearing with grease in the back part of the palm of yer hand. I do this till grease comes out the other side. That prolly don't make sense until ya try it than you will see. Wish I could make a video like you do Bud.

 

Thanks guys, I got Timkins cause i like the name honestly haha, i don't know the quality of them. And yes Arctic, i can sort of envision what you mean. At first i was thinking you ment while the bearings were on the truck, i was wondering how that is possible with just your hand but i get it. So i got just about all my parts now. I still have 5 lugnuts to go plus exchanging one that seems to be too small, and i have 4 more studs that need to be transferred to the store. Then lastly will be the seals which i am in no hurry to get, but holy crap! I never want to buy brake parts again... It was well over $150 total so far... Anywho here are more pics



The smaller one is the one i need to return, it was in the exact same packaging as the other 4 but for some reason it is a smaller thread. All the labels and stuff are the same too.


I am glad i still have some brake cleaner in my garage, the AZ guy made sure i had some to clean the oil off the new rotors.


So by the evening tomorrow i should have everything i need to get this done, honestly i am not in a real big hurry to do this though, i want to take it slow and hopefully not have my step dad bugging me the whole time

It will be an interesting ride and hopefully i can get a lot of pictures. It gets hard to hold my phone to take the picture when my hands are greasy or dirty.. But i have gloves somewhere.

 

After pounding the studs in as far as ya can then use the old nuts to pull them in to there seat (with washers under them). I use a half inch impact wrench. But even with a 4 way lug wrench it will damage the nut.

 

Yeah I was kinda worried about that too.... However, I had a shop that I go to whenever I can't do something myself (pretty trustworthy in my opinion) replace all my seals and bearings on both sides late last year. I'm pretty sure its not really a seal, but more of a rubber boot type thing. I suppose it does kinda seal dust and stuff out, but it's a stationary rubber boot that sits up against the backside of the rotor. Despite it not being too tough of a job, I still am a little scared to take everything apart myself just because if I do mess up, I can cause lots of damage compared to messing up with wiring or interior stuff, it's not that big of a deal. I've read over Encho's thread and it's super informative, but I'm still a little nervous. I'll wait to do anything until I won't need to drive my truck as much.

Anyways, good luck Gruesome with the task! I'm looking forward to the pictures.

 

I don't have impact tools... Though tomorrow i can see how much a good lug wrench will cost me. After thinking about it, if i can find a way to secure the rotor down, i can slide a pipe on whatever lug wrench or wrench i use and do it that way. Since i am getting new nuts () i am not worried about breaking any old ones.

I think the dust boot you mean would look like the dust boot for a rack & pinion steering system, kind of a scrunchie looking thing? Do you have Auto hubs? If so i can't give advice.. Then again i can't give advice for manual hubs either .

As an update, i picked up my other parts, i get to make 1 more trip up there to get 1 more lugnut though.. I took the one that had a smaller thread size back and they said they would change it out for another but they had to have it brought in... Kinda sucks but oh well.

 

Alrighty i got me some walmart specials here, i spent $99 and got myself a 4 way 20" lug wrench just in case i come across a 35 inch spare and happen to blow a tire too, and i got a 450 ft. lb. torque impact wrench. It is made by campbell hausfeld and even though it was on the cheaper side i think it will do me good. It will definitely make the job a little easier.


I didn't get a pic of the lug wrench cause it wasn't that important Anyways, i checked out some videos of people pulling apart the manual hubs on the D-44 axle and it seems like getting it apart won't be terribly difficult. I am feeling better about this project.

 

The hubs are really easy. Its jsut a big mental hurdle you have to jump.

Nice impact, its always fun to get new tools!

 

You may be able to twist off the studs with the impact if ya got 120psi or more air. I can with mine but it's and Ingersall Rand.

 

Yeah the mental hurdle is pretty difficult, but you just gotta jump head first and roll with it.

As for the studs.. I don't have to beat them out, i have to seat them. I could see the impact coming in handy there. Couple good sized washers and an old lug nut and it should be a piece of cake.