alright so i search around at every auto parts store looking for front wheel bearings for my truck 99 250 superduty 4x4. nobody sells bearings alone, only entire hub assembly. finally i find "them" at pep boys. so i take off the left front hub and realize why it was near impossible to find the bearings. anyone who has changed these knows what im talking about, the little "do not disassemble" warning. well i tried because whats the worst that could happen?? i would have to buy new ones anyways.
ended up being the wrong bearings, the bearings in the hub DO NOT come out.
so i buy new hub assemblies and knuckle seal and dust seal.
Im in the military and live in barracks on base, so i did all of the work at my girlfriends appartment "garage", so you can imagine the limit of tools at my disposal (lack of press).
so to get the new knuckle seal in a had a buddy at the ford dealer do the left side (did one side at a time) on the weekend. when i bring him the right side he tells me he cant do it because the press is too short, right axle obviously much longer, and the person with the special tool doesn't work on the weekends and its locked up.
of coarse not many people are open on saturdays, and none on sundays.
my gripe is this, why does ford make a seal that takes a special tool to install? by the way i tried to use a press to install it at our on base shop and messed two of them up.
granted this is the first time i have replaced these and knowing what i know now im sure i could do it in a fraction of the time it took me, just don't understand why they engineer things so difficult i.e. non replaceable bearings, knuckle seal requires special tool to install, etc.
the newer engineering isn't all bad though, don't get me wrong. i like how there is a reuseable tranny pan gasket, which i have changed fluid on twice and no leaks at all, but the way they make some things does not make any sense.
Am i alone here or does anyone else agree???
if i am wrong about anything i said about the front end please let me know.

 

i'll tell you why they make things that require special tools. SO YOU CANT DO IT. THATS WHY. they know that you will have to take it to the stealer and have them do it. its not just ford. its every company that makes almost any product. this way, if you dont like it. well, TOO BAD. sorry.

 

I had the same problem. I made a knuckleseal driver. I went to Home Depot and bought a piece of threaded plumbing pipe large enough to go over the axle shaft. I cut out a piece of flat steel the same circumfrance as the seal welded it together. It worked great. I've heard of people using pvc pipe also. Be careful ,the seals aren't cheap. While your at it check your axle u-joint,and axle seal, ball-joints

 

Check out this thread by Racerguy. How to replace SUPERDUTY Ball-joints

 

I just replace my Driver's front hub due to failed main bearing (95K miles). The tire actually moved in and out closed to 3/8 inch. Needle bearing and brake rotor were fine. Truck is a redneck caddilac. Why it failed , hmm, maybe too many left turns.

But you talk about waste, replacing the whole hub assembly. All that metal, studs and ABS sensor goes into the recycle bin.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ll-joints.html

here is the link. check it out...might have to copy and paste the link.

 

your telling me they aren't cheap! im on my fourth one, got the left side on with one and messed up two going for the left! i finally said &*%$ it, i will wait until the dealer opens tomorrow.

 

oh ya, u-joints and ball joints are good, but i got a new dust seal

 

I have an early 99 350 CC Dsl that needed knuckle seals at just 80k. I got this kit and tool for $230 from:
http://quad4x4.com/Ford%20Front%20Axle%201998-up.htm
Yeah....I spent $80 on an installation tool I hopefully wont use often, but compared to a trip to the dealer.....it's well worth it. BTW.....the install tool worked great. No need for a large press to do either side.
New seals, some new vaccuum hoses to the knuckes and increasing the vaccuum setting on the vaccuum pump and the auto locking hubs work great again!

 

wow, i like that link. good job.

 

I went to the dealer a couple of weeks ago and they installed the knuckle seals for free.
I am going to buy a box of donuts and a case of cold coke for the guys in the shop.

 

whats the other part of the story.. i bet you didn't just drive the truck up there and say "can you install some new seals in my truck?" then they said sure, we will do it for free...lol... especially since its not under warranty.