Truck: 92 F-150 4x4 Dana 44 with 5 bolt auto hubs
All, my truck was exhibiting a lot of back and forth steering wheel play and vibration. So, I jacked the front up and found that the driver's wheel had a lot of back and forth play (typical bad wheel bearing). So I took the locking hub out and started disassembling so I could replace the bearings.
First thing, the inner spindle nut seemed incredibly loose. Wasn't tight at all, actually. Just took it off by hand.
Second, my bearings appear to be in pretty good shape. The inner bearing and race should be replaced and aren't amazing, but don't seem to have failed in a way that would cause the wheel to have play in it. Is there something else that could be wrong? Passenger side wheel has 0 play.
Third, I noticed that the axle shaft inside the spindle can pull outward and push in a bit. Is this typical for the locking hubs? When I pull it out it sounds like nothing is turning in the front diff, and when I push it in I can hear gears meshing. I assume that's normal.
Lastly, I can't seem to get the races out of the hubs, no matter how hard I beat on them. Is there some magic with how that's done? I'm trying to hit them towards the inside from the outside.

Any help or clarification on any of the points would be helpful.

 

What do you mean by the back and forth play? Side to side or top to bottom? If side to side it may be your tie rod end, but seeing how you said your inner spindle nut was really loose, that could also be where your play was, as that’s what holds the hub on. As for your races, you drive them out from the inside. Inner race comes out the back of the hub, outer race comes out the front - same as the bearings.

 

At low speeds the steering wheel and chassis would rock back and forth. With the truck in the air, the whole drivers wheel could go in and out with all the lugs tight, as well as rock top to bottom. I thought the loose nut was suspect, but I know from watching various things that the inner nut is generally pretty loose so I wasn't sure what it should feel like.

 

I’m betting the spindle nut was the problem. True, it shouldn’t be too tight, but the hub shouldn’t have ANY wobble with the spindle nut on. I’m sure there’s a torque spec for it but I don’t know what it is.

 

I'm going to clean and repack the outer and replace the inner, then I'll make sure I get the proper torque for that inner nut. Outer bearing is perfect and smooth. Inner bearing is a bit chunky and definitely has more wear.

 

Your going the wrong way. The outer race comes out where the 4x4 hub would be, and the inner one comes out the end with the seal.

If they went in towards the center as you tightened the spindle nut, you would start to pull the races out of the pockets.

 

1) The inner nut isn’t very tight. Something like 20 lb-ft. The outer nut is what gods it all in place. That is torqued to 100+ lb-ft.

2) The bearings are in pretty good shape but the inner should be replaced? Is there pitting on the rollers or is something else wrong? Otherwise I would clean and grease them. Don’t forget to clean and grease the spindle bearing while you have it apart.

3) Normal.

Lastly) As previously mentioned you remove the race out from the inside to the outside.

 

I've been focused on that inner race, which was being hit in the correct direction. Just can't seem to get it out.

 

Outer bearing is going to be cleaned and regreased. Inner bearing is pitted on the rollers and race. Sounds like there's some dirt inside when you turn it.

 

I’m a little confused what that means.

You have the drift/punch inside the hub and are driving the outer race toward where the grease seal was?



or you are going the other way toward the locking hub?




It only takes a few times for them to pop out.

 

I know the hub retaining nut design was changed at some point but shouldn't there be a retaining ring and maybe a second locking nut on this truck.

 

If there was only one nut and it was not a hi-shear then yes but there was mention of an “inner spindle nut.”

 

I finally got the inner race out. I just wasn't hitting it hard enough with a hard hammer (Used a rubber mallet). I finally just decided to attack it, and it popped out pretty easily. Now I just have to get the brake caliper back on, and I have no clue how that inner brake pad stays in place while you slide everything back together.

 

You put the pad in place on the knuckle. The spring clip will hold it in place.

 

Yeah just trying to remember where it sits on the knuckle. For some reason mine doesn't look right, though it functioned and sat there fine when I disassembled