EZ Lube / bearing repack corundum

[TedS]

Does the shop doing the repack not have timken bearings as well as seals?

[Yoda]

Does the shop doing the repack not have timken bearings as well as seals?

They have OEM Dexter seals - will get bearings if needed, but I am ordering a set anyway to have for my Alaska trip. Summit Racing has them in stock and can get here before the service. I just need to verify with them before ordering. They have the Timken seal too.

Keith

[Retgw2]

One question - for ordering the bearings (to have on hand just in case) do I trust Amazon or go with a place like motionindustries.com and pay more? I want to make sure I get Timken. Opinion? Retgw2 Motion industry's verified all the part numbers from Dexter too. Yours are correct.

I purchased mine off of Amazon as they were original Timken bearings. I didn't take the time to shop around for just one of each for backup parts at the time

[Yoda]

I purchased mine off of Amazon as they were original Timken bearings. I didn't take the time to shop around for just one of each for backup parts at the time

Thanks Brian - I just got them ordered from Summit Racing (so folks know) and verified made in USA and genuine Timken. Sales consultant was very helpful. He called the warehouse and had them pull one. Price beat Amazon and he gave me a free shipping code - cant beat that. Got 4 complete sets and an extra seal for just over $100. Got the extra seal just in case I do it next time or if I need to pull a hub for some reason like brakes..

Happy Friday everyone
Keith

Edit
Just got notification from Summit that everything has shipped an will be here Wednesday - just in time for the guy Thursday. They packaged and actually shipped an order placed in the afternoon - amazing these days.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

When you watch the job being done...you will realize this is well within your abilities.

[Yoda]

When you watch the job being done...you will realize this is well within your abilities.

Scott Thanks
Many years ago I repacked my own bearings/ hubs and I wont say the outcome.....well not good. Was on a 72 or was is a 76 Ford F250 high boy front hubs. Ford made a 1/2 year change that year and lowered them. I could not get the hubs to engage and had to pull them apart and re do them in the middle of a deep mud bog. Luckily the tire do not have to come off, but I did need to jack it up to take the pressure off. I used too much grease preventing the engagement. Both outer bearings failed a week later in town - what a racket - not a cheep fix. So I learned my lesson - stay away from mechanical things.

There is a story behind my avatar too. I had a 95 F250 7.3 diesel and decided to do the dual exhaust and enhanced down pipe. Instructions said to cut the old down pipe free. I used a saw-zall to cut it off and in the process punched a hole the Y pipe located above and cut a harness. Harness was an easy fix as I was able to unplug both ends and butt splice back together - Y pipe not so easy. Luckily a neighbor braised it for me. Still a huge pain to fix.

So other than greasing I leave the big stuff to the the folks that know more than me. Speaking of greasing that remind me to do the wet bolts before the trip

Keith

[ThePowells]

Keith, I'm with everyone else believing this is well within your abilities, and just thought that it was another reason for your not wanting to do it. Growing up in a Ford dealership had me doing wheel bearings and seals before puberty. Mine will get done between next weekend out and our October excursion.

[Yoda]

Keith, I'm with everyone else believing this is well within your abilities, and just thought that it was another reason for your not wanting to do it. Growing up in a Ford dealership had me doing wheel bearings and seals before puberty. Mine will get done between next weekend out and our October excursion.

Thanks Jerry
On thing has been puzzling over the dozens and dozens of videos I have watched. Some say to preload the castle nut to 50 f/lbs after the repack and other don't mention it, just say tighten. For the preload you crank it tight than back off to fingertip tight. Even the Lippert and Dexter videos are not the same. Do you only preload to 50 ft/lbs if you change out the race too? I do have the torque wrench
Thanks Keith

[Cate&Rob]

Yoda
Hi Keith,

Tightening to 50 lb-ft after reassembly is an important part of the process. I rotate the hub a small amount as I do this and expect that it will still be smooth but almost impossible to turn as I get to 50 lb-ft. The reason for this is to make sure that the races in the hub are seated and that all excess grease is squeezed out from between the bearings. The nut is then relaxed until it is loose (without moving the hub) and retightened to finger tight. Then back the nut off slightly until the cotter pin or nut retainer line up. There should be an almost imperceptible amount of play in the hub (but it should be there) when you are finished.

Rob

[ThePowells]

Yoda The only time I have ever used a torque wrench on a spindle nut was on speedway race cars, but then that was an entirely different convoluted process taking about 45 minutes for each wheel. The one thing that I do carry over is that if I have replaced bearings and races, I will put the hub and bearing on the spindle dry / no seal and then cinch it down and rotate the hub. If the race isn't completely seated in the hub, then it very likely isn't straight and the hub will bind when spinning. The reason I do it dry is simply not having to deal with the mess if in the unlikely event that the race isn't seated and I pull it back off. Once the bearings are packed and seal installed I do overtighten it a little, then back the nut off and then finger tighten it. Just for a reference, the spindle nut on a speedway car torques to 11 inch lbs dry.

[familytruckster4]

Page 56 under "bearing adjustment. I have always used the 12" slip joint pliers (or Channelocks if you prefer) as outlined in the instructions. https://www.dexteraxle.com/user_area...ice_manual.pdf

[Jlawles2]

Yoda Keith, You can watch all the videos out there and you will find different methods and skipped steps in all of them.

This is pretty much the way I do it and have done it for over 30 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnH-h3W9XvI

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Yoda

If I'm ever in your area, I'm willing to spend an afternoon with you doing the bearings....At the moment they won't let me into your country though.

[Yoda]

Yoda

If I'm ever in your area, I'm willing to spend an afternoon with you doing the bearings....At the moment they won't let me into your country though.

Thanks Scott
We will be glad to put you up and show you the best part of Colorado.

Cold that be a good thing that they wont let you in? Just kidding. Its a mess right now from what I have been told. I heard its tough even getting essential supplies through.

Not sure where your at in the beautiful "North Country" but I am headed that way next year. Retracing a trip Dad took us on in the late 60's to Alaska - do you think they will let me in - being green and all ?

[Lonestar]

Yoda
Hi Keith,

Tightening to 50 lb-ft after reassembly is an important part of the process. I rotate the hub a small amount as I do this and expect that it will still be smooth but almost impossible to turn as I get to 50 lb-ft. The reason for this is to make sure that the races in the hub are seated and that all excess grease is squeezed out from between the bearings. The nut is then relaxed until it is loose (without moving the hub) and retightened to finger tight. Then back the nut off slightly until the cotter pin or nut retainer line up. There should be an almost imperceptible amount of play in the hub (but it should be there) when you are finished.

Rob

I do it the same way as you Rob. After 50 ft lbs pre-load, I back off the castle nut and re-tighten to the point I get just a hint of play in the wheel. I know lots of folks like to feel absolutely no play, and I'm sure that's great as well.

For Timken bearings I have found that ordering the "sets" from Amazon is considerably less than ordering the individual bearings and races.

It is so important to develop a skill of wheel maintenance. Anything can happen on the road and it's nice to know you have a few spare parts and the ability to address the issue.