A friend has a 99' 4.0V6 4x4 explorer.

He was experiencing a noise, took it to a shop, said wheel bearing going bad.

To help with cost, is this something a shadetree guy can do?

I have limited bearing work, on my 79 F150, and a Festiva. Is it a major job, what to expect, anything out of the ordinary?

Its a front bearing if it matters.

Thanks for any info.
Blair

 

I cant help you on how to fix it or anything, but my front right wheel bearing WAS gone by the time I took it to a shop. I didn thave much choice, but the guy charged me $530 for parts and labor and my brother who is a mechanic as well as people on another forum i belong too all told me i got ripped off. Sorry thats all I can help you with.

 

The parts are expensive because it's a complete bearing and hub assembly. It is an easy DIY job if you have the right size socket to take off the big nut in the center of the hub.

You just jack it up, take the wheel off, then the brake caliper, the caliper mounting bracket, the big nut in the center, and finally 3 bolts that hold on the hub/bearing assembly. Then give her a wiggle and maybe a smack and it should come right out. No races to drive in, no bearings to pack and no bearings to set up.

 

Thanks,

I had offered to help, I'm pretty mechanically inclined, but he has said his CEL and ABL are on, he'd like ot have those looked at also. It's his money, but I think we could have saved him a little $$$$ by doing the bearings ourselves.

Thanks for the info guys,

Blair