Squeak after replacing wheel bearings
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Squeak after replacing wheel bearings
I just finished replacing the front wheel bearings on a 1996 F150 4WD. Bearings were seated using 50 lbs/ft then the adjusting nuts were backed off and retightened to about 30 lbs/ft as indicated in my Haynes manual. There is still a squeak coming from the right side, but only after having driven at least 10 miles. I checked for play between the wheel hub and axle with the brakes off the rotor, and there is none. But if you grab the end of the entire assembly and pull up and down, there is play all the way back past the dust shield. There is no similar play on the left. Any ideas where the play is coming from and could this cause my squeak? Thanks a bunch in advance!
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Bonita Springs FL
The play sounds like it's coming from the ball joints, either upper, lower or both. I've never heard of that causing a squeak, but you never know.
I'd recommend taking the bearings into a shop and having grease pressed into them. They can do a much better job that you can at home. Also, don't overgrease the hub. That can cause a squeak noise as well. You only need enough grease inside to lube the bearings.
I'd recommend taking the bearings into a shop and having grease pressed into them. They can do a much better job that you can at home. Also, don't overgrease the hub. That can cause a squeak noise as well. You only need enough grease inside to lube the bearings.
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I've never seen anywhere that said not to put too much grease in, but it makes some sense. I did use more on the right than on the left, so that may be it. I tried to find a bearing packing tool but my auto store had sold their last one and I wanted to get the job done. Maybe I should clean the whole thing up again and re-pack with less grease.
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From: va beach VA
did you replace the inner and outer seals as well? if your getting a low speed squeal, say less that 10mph its probably the wheel seal. it sounds more like dragging, but only at a very slow speed.
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I replaced inner and outer bearings as well as the inner grease seal. There was not an outer seal listed on the parts diagram and I did not see one during disassembly. The squeal seems to come and go depending on whether I'm turning left, right, or going straight, and braking/not braking makes no difference. I only hear it below 20 MPH, but it could be that road noise prevents the sound from coming through at higher speeds. It is more pronounced when I have driven on the freeway and get off. When I replaced the bearings, the old outer bearing had a wear line on the rollers that was visible by wiping off the old grease, so I wonder if they play behind the dust shield could be causing the squealing.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: In my House
Ya know, I have a 96F150, and the SAME thing happened to me, only after about 1000 miles of driving afterward...I found my noise to be coming from the grease seal on the drivers side. It had a lotof brake dust on it, so I just cleaned the mating surfaces real good and no problems since.
Rich
Rich
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From: va beach VA
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I'll give that a try. The grease seal is buried behind the rotor, but I can probably get a spray tube in there. I don't specifically recall greasing the outer part of the grease seal as I did on the left, so I could have left out that step.
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From: Michigan
I haven't taken apart to many F150, 4x4. On the F250 you have the inner dust seal on the inside of the spindle, you then have the grease seal on the rotor hub, then the inner bearing.
I would not spray wd40 between the rotor and the dust shield (getting it on the back side of the rotor.I think ssn randy means to spray some on the inside of the spindle hub between the u-joint and the spindle.
Also when packing bearings a good job can be done by placing grease in the palm of your hand and wiping the bearing threw it, forcing grease into the space between the roller housings. I have packed bearings this way for the last thirty years and have never had a problem
Have you checked the u-joints on the frontend and also the needle roller bearings on the inside of the spindle.
I would not spray wd40 between the rotor and the dust shield (getting it on the back side of the rotor.I think ssn randy means to spray some on the inside of the spindle hub between the u-joint and the spindle.
Also when packing bearings a good job can be done by placing grease in the palm of your hand and wiping the bearing threw it, forcing grease into the space between the roller housings. I have packed bearings this way for the last thirty years and have never had a problem
Have you checked the u-joints on the frontend and also the needle roller bearings on the inside of the spindle.
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I disassembled the hub again yesterday and greased the metal ring on the grease seal. There is only one inner seal on my truck. Greasing around this took the squeak down to barely audible and only at very low speeds (5 mph). I checked the ball joints and found about 1/8" of play in the lower one, so I guess I'll need to replace those some time. I did not feel like taking apart the spindle to check the needle bearings, but I may get around to that when it gets warmer again. I live in SC and its hard to work outside on metal parts when it's 40. Thanks for the help and ideas!
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