I'm anticipating having to change my front hub assembly on my 1996 AWD Explorer. Are there special tools that would make the job easier? Any tricks that come in handy? Thanks, George

 

What are you replacing them with? Stock hubs or are you converting to Warn manual locking hubs?

Matt

 

I'm getting new stock hubs, the kind used on Automatic AWD.
George

 

You're talking about the ones that have the sealed bearing and splined center that fit into the steering knuckle...the newer style, not the flange hubs.

For one, an impact gun is handy....or else you are going to have a tough time with most of the job. lots of PB Blaster for the bolts that hold the hub in, and if you get the Ford Hub, they come with new hub bolts and caliper bracket bolts. A 1-3/16 impact socket or it's metric equivalent...is needed for the axle shaft nut, (get a new one don't reuse the old one) then you can pull the caliper bracket and the brake rotor. You'll have to remove the steering knuckle from the upper ball joint, just hit the steering knuckle until it drops down from the ball joint, the tie rod end also has to be detached from the steering knuckle. Keep in mind that you have to do all this just to get the axle shaft to pop out of the bearing. DO NOT I repeat DO NOT go after the hub retaining bolts from an angle especially with an impact gun. An impact swivel and an air angle die grinder with a roloc cookie to clean out the hub area on the steering knuckle will make it a bit easier. It took me about 1-1/2 to 2 hours after I got the parts in to do it. It wasn't hard assuming you have air power and an impact gun.

I just did one at work yesterday. Not exactly the funnest thing ever, but I've had worse.

 

Thanks for your comments. The car is in Mexico and I'm in Alaska, and the parts are on the way. I'm taking the parts back with me to do the job. I'm buying after market hubs, but I'll go to a Ford dealer and pick up a new axle shaft nut. BTW, what's a roloc cookie? George

 

sorry my bad...a roloc cookie is a little disc that screws onto the end of one of them there air die grinders...it's a grinding disc with scotch brite on it.

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/3m7480.html

 

ohhhh, that might come in handy. Thanks for your reply. George