Loose Front End?
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Joined: May 2012
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From: New Milford, CT
Loose Front End?
1997 Ford F250 7.3. TTB-50 Front end.
Truck ate the front tires.
Jacked up the front end to get the tires off the ground and shook the tires at 12 & 6 and 3 & 9 and there was a bunch of noticeable play in both directions.
What's the most likely culprit?
- Wheel bearing?
- U- Joints?
- Ball Joints?
Ball joints were done about 2 years ago (put maybe 15-20,000 miles on the truck.)
U-Joint were done about 6 months ago.
Anything else i'd take is from the factory or from the previous owner.
Found a tapered roller bearing on Advance autos website. That seems to be the only "wheel bearing" i can find for this truck. Is that the only one in there? Any special tools needed to change it?
Truck ate the front tires.
Jacked up the front end to get the tires off the ground and shook the tires at 12 & 6 and 3 & 9 and there was a bunch of noticeable play in both directions.
What's the most likely culprit?
- Wheel bearing?
- U- Joints?
- Ball Joints?
Ball joints were done about 2 years ago (put maybe 15-20,000 miles on the truck.)
U-Joint were done about 6 months ago.
Anything else i'd take is from the factory or from the previous owner.
Found a tapered roller bearing on Advance autos website. That seems to be the only "wheel bearing" i can find for this truck. Is that the only one in there? Any special tools needed to change it?
Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 542
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From: New Milford, CT
I'll go take a look at the TREs and see if i can see any play in them.
lost
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Worland, WY
Usually not that quick, but I have seen it happen. Depends on what brand they were and if they were greased regularly. If there is lots of play, you should be able to see the ball joints move when someone wiggles the wheel/tire.
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Joined: May 2012
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From: New Milford, CT
3 & 9 is defiantly worse than 12 & 6.
I'm not exactly sure how, but with the tire like 1/2" off the ground (passenger tire) and the driver tire still on the ground shaking the tire at 3 & 9 is shaking the driver tire. I didn't think a bad TRE could cause this to happen.
I can't see any play in the ball joints or TREs. It's like the wheel is just shaking on the hub. (Like a loose/not tight enough bearing.) Is that even possible or am i rationalizing things here?
Here's a video.
I'm not exactly sure how, but with the tire like 1/2" off the ground (passenger tire) and the driver tire still on the ground shaking the tire at 3 & 9 is shaking the driver tire. I didn't think a bad TRE could cause this to happen.
I can't see any play in the ball joints or TREs. It's like the wheel is just shaking on the hub. (Like a loose/not tight enough bearing.) Is that even possible or am i rationalizing things here?
Here's a video.
lost
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Worland, WY
The video helps a lot, thanks. It doesn't look like ball joints from the video. The wheel is moving separate from the brake shield. I'm sure you have checked lug nut torque already?
That is really loose. Are both side like that? If lug nut torque is good, I would check the spindle nut behind the hub, it might be loose. The cotter key might be gone or broke and fell out.
With it that loose I would think you would hear noises in the front end while driving.
That is really loose. Are both side like that? If lug nut torque is good, I would check the spindle nut behind the hub, it might be loose. The cotter key might be gone or broke and fell out.
With it that loose I would think you would hear noises in the front end while driving.
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Joined: May 2012
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From: New Milford, CT
Welcome. Happy to hear i'm not crazy. Haha.
Lugs are tight. I was looking at it like why is it like this tire is just loose and not tight on the hub? Other side is totally tight. No play at all, tire is fine.
I just removed the three torx bolts that hold the locking hub thing on (don't know the technical names for any of this. Sorry. Haha)
I used two flat head screwdrivers to remove the snap ring then i pulled that piece out.
What "cotter key" are you talking about?
I then used a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to loosen the spindle nut (not sure again on terms) and needless to say it wasn't even hard to remove. After that came out, i removed another spacer, then another one of those nuts. Neither of which were tight.
I then pulled out the tapered bearing. Going to buy a new bearing now, and the special tool to tighten those spindle nuts.
Do you know the actual torque spec on them so i can torque them correctly? (Or does this have one of those weird dial gauge torque specs where i tighten the nut, then spin the wheel until it has a certain resistance to it?
Thanks again dude!
Lugs are tight. I was looking at it like why is it like this tire is just loose and not tight on the hub? Other side is totally tight. No play at all, tire is fine.
I just removed the three torx bolts that hold the locking hub thing on (don't know the technical names for any of this. Sorry. Haha)
I used two flat head screwdrivers to remove the snap ring then i pulled that piece out.
What "cotter key" are you talking about?
I then used a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to loosen the spindle nut (not sure again on terms) and needless to say it wasn't even hard to remove. After that came out, i removed another spacer, then another one of those nuts. Neither of which were tight.
I then pulled out the tapered bearing. Going to buy a new bearing now, and the special tool to tighten those spindle nuts.
Do you know the actual torque spec on them so i can torque them correctly? (Or does this have one of those weird dial gauge torque specs where i tighten the nut, then spin the wheel until it has a certain resistance to it?
Thanks again dude!
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lost
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 290
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From: Worland, WY
Cool, looks like you found the problem. Sorry I meant cotter pin. Is there a hole in the spindle where the nuts go? I can't remember now lol.
On the torque specs, the inner nut tq is 50 ft lbs then back it off a 1/4 turn. Then put the lockwasher so the key is positioned in the slot, tighten inner lock nut so the pin is aligned to the nearest hole.
Outer nut torque is 160-204 ft lbs.
On the torque specs, the inner nut tq is 50 ft lbs then back it off a 1/4 turn. Then put the lockwasher so the key is positioned in the slot, tighten inner lock nut so the pin is aligned to the nearest hole.
Outer nut torque is 160-204 ft lbs.
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Joined: May 2012
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From: New Milford, CT
Alright got the bearing packed with grease and installed.
Put the inner nut back on. Torqued to 50 ft/ibs, then backed off 1/4 turn. (Felt loose, but if that's the torque spec i'm not going to change it.)
Got the lockwasher positioned so that the key is in the slot. I do not know what you mean by "tighten inner lock nut so the pin is aligned to the nearest hole." Could you please elaborate a little bit on that?
Does 180 ft/ibs sound good for the outer nut?
(That slot is at like 11 o'clock.)
Put the inner nut back on. Torqued to 50 ft/ibs, then backed off 1/4 turn. (Felt loose, but if that's the torque spec i'm not going to change it.)
Got the lockwasher positioned so that the key is in the slot. I do not know what you mean by "tighten inner lock nut so the pin is aligned to the nearest hole." Could you please elaborate a little bit on that?
Does 180 ft/ibs sound good for the outer nut?
(That slot is at like 11 o'clock.)
lost
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Worland, WY
The inner nut needs to have the little pin facing out. Then the washer goes in. The pin on the inner nut needs to align with one of the small holes in the washer. So you would tighten the the inner nut to align it instead of loosening it. It may already be aligned and you didn't notice. But def make sure the pin on the inner nut is facing out. I attached a pic of the nuts and the washer. See the pin the on the nut on the right? I would stay at the higher end of the specs on the outer nut, maybe 200 ft lbs. Don't want that thing loosening up on you again!
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