Front Wheel Bearings

[RDHamill]

I have modifed my 2nd gen hubs with a grease fitting. With 325,000 miles on it, one is still original, the other has 250,000 miles and has not failed since it has been greasable.

good luck

 

[cyborg]

I have modifed my 2nd gen hubs with a grease fitting. With 325,000 miles on it, one is still original, the other has 250,000 miles and has not failed since it has been greasable.
good luck

please tell more!!!

 

[rbattelle]

It is possible to grease the 3rd gen hubs through the ABS sensor hole. Best to use a grease needle.

But I would caution against trying to fill the entire bearing with grease. Better to just squirt a little in there. Too much grease may overheat and break down.

Ryan

 

[RDHamill]

here's what I did:



Greaseable Front Hubs

2001 Dodge Ram 4x4 2500



Remove wheel, brake caliper, and brake rotor.

Remove ABS Brake sensor retaining bolt (don’t attempt to twist or remove ABS sensor unless it’s being replaced, it could easily break…trust me, I know)



The threaded portion of the hub that this bolt just came out of is shallow, with a small ( smaller than the thread size so we don’t damage the threads ( I used 1/8”) drill bit, covered in grease ( to capture the shavings) I drill down this hole until just breaking threw to the cavity between the inner and outer bearing. Do not put much pressure on the drill so when it breaks threw it won’t go deep into the cavity and carry filings with it. Also, note that the tone wheel for the ABS is also in this cavity, we don’t want to damage it.



Replace the ABS sensor retaining bolt with the new bolt modified as follows:



Using a new bolt the same thread but about ½" longer than the factory bolt (about 1 ¼” long, you can trim it when you install it if need be), drill a very small hole directly thru the bolt from the head down. I used a drill press and center punch for this as it is more accurate.

With the bolt drilled, I Mig welded ( could be brazed or wire feed as well) a nut on the head of the bolt, into the nut I screwed a grease fitting, then I put the bolt back into the hub and with the use of a nut ( as a jam nut) I tighten the ABS sensor in place. Now you have a way to grease the bearings.



I have been greasing the bearings about once a year now for about 5 years; both are fine, the truck has 525,000kms on it (325,000 miles).



I have done this same thing to 2 other trucks, both have high mileage; neither has ever had a front bearing replaced.





Good luck

 

[MickeyMiller]

RDHamill,



I hate smart people! Your greasable hub solution is simple and elegant. I've gone to the Dynatrac hubs and like them, but I have to disassemble to service instead of just hitting with a grease gun... may have to do a similar mod for my hubs.



Thank you,

Mickey

 

[BILLUA]

RDHamill,



I hate smart people! Your greasable hub solution is simple and elegant. I've gone to the Dynatrac hubs and like them, but I have to disassemble to service instead of just hitting with a grease gun... may have to do a similar mod for my hubs.



Thank you,

Mickey

Hey Mickey, I have a 98 Buell S3 T and will never sell it!! :-laf





Cheers, Bill

 

[rbattelle]

(don’t attempt to twist or remove ABS sensor unless it’s being replaced, it could easily break…trust me, I know)

Maybe they're different on the 2nd gens, but the '03-up ABS sensors seem pretty robust to me. I've removed and installed a few times without damage.



Sounds like a great solution, RDHamill. What happens to the old grease that's in the bearing? Does it leak out?



I've been wondering if it might be possible to put a small amount of oil in the bearings instead of grease. But I figure it would probably just leak right out.



Ryan

 

[jimnance]

I have the bearing numbers at home, but there again, it is sorta useless if you cannot replace the bearing race. We had the same idea, but you would need to remachine the race, and THEN you would need to have the entire piece heat treated... not many shops have that ability (to do it right).



steved

Couldn't a machine shop turn the area and open it up to received a conventional front bearing? In the long run it would seem to be a better option than to continue to replace the entire hub assembly.

 

[Cattletrkr]

That grease mod sounds good and all, but it also sounds like a lot of work. Yes a fair amount of $$ savings, but no time savings. I think I'll just blow mine out every 180K and call it good.

Maybe on a new truck on which nothing is completely rusted in place it wouldn't be too bad. The rotors are a major PITA to remove once they're rusted in place.

How much grease to you put in there and how often? I don't imagine a greaseless bearing would like too much grease.

 

[rbattelle]

How much grease to you put in there and how often? I don't imagine a greaseless bearing would like too much grease.

That's what made me consider adding oil rather than grease. I don't need any more of the binder, but it would be nice to replenish the oil.



The problem would be choosing the right grade oil.



Ryan

 

[steved]

Couldn't a machine shop turn the area and open it up to received a conventional front bearing? In the long run it would seem to be a better option than to continue to replace the entire hub assembly.

There would be a point at which the distance between the bearings would become so small that you would not have enough thread on the stub shaft to take up the slack... you would have no way to apply preload to the bearings.



Not to mention the entire heat treating process would probably cost more than a new assembly...



steved

 

[steved]

It is possible to grease the 3rd gen hubs through the ABS sensor hole. Best to use a grease needle.



But I would caution against trying to fill the entire bearing with grease. Better to just squirt a little in there. Too much grease may overheat and break down.



Ryan

My dad's are almost completely filled... never get that warm. Until he retired, he drove 150 miles per day to work... and as already noted, he's had them filled since around 90k... at 270k, they still work fine.



The large seal that is used on these bearings would not like an oil... unlike most seals, these "leak" grease because they are not very robust... anything like oil would simply work itself out...



Of the unit bearings I have split, I have never seen more than a teaspoon of grease in the bearings... most of it gets worked out past the seal. And the seal is an issue BOTH ways... it allows things to work out, and it allows things to work in... so you are double whammied... not only do you lose grease, but you can gain grit.



I did notice that the Napa unit I bought for my 99 was filled with grease when new... its still sitting on the shelf at home. The rollower bearings are fairly small (when comparing to the older style D60 wheel bearings)... they are also housed in a plastic cage.



IMO, it is the lack of grease that causes these bearings to fail prematurely... short running an offset wheel.



steved

 

[cyborg]

I know mine is a 2G, but this just came up.
I'm on the road, Reno towing to Detroit, and I'm hearing a squeek at very low speed (1-5 mph). Dread the right wheel bearing is rearing it's ugly head. :{ Thinking of stopping in to Kragen, buying a grease needle, and squirting some in that ABS hole to nurse it back. I hate doing this krapp on the road.
Sorry for the hijack.

 

[rbattelle]

Dread the right wheel bearing is rearing it's ugly head. :{ Thinking of stopping in to Kragen, buying a grease needle, and squirting some in that ABS hole to nurse it back.

I think that's a good idea. Although I'm not sure I'd expect the wheel bearing to make a squeek at low speeds - I expect more of a groaning at higher speeds.



But a bit of grease might get you back home to do a more thorough job.



Best of luck...



Ryan

 

[steved]

I think that's a good idea. Although I'm not sure I'd expect the wheel bearing to make a squeek at low speeds - I expect more of a groaning at higher speeds.



But a bit of grease might get you back home to do a more thorough job.



Best of luck...



Ryan

I'm going to throw some things out here...



First, adding grease to a failing bearing can actually accelerate the destruction... turns the particles into a grinding compound so-to-speak. I have seen this many times... usually left alone, a failing bearing will last longer than one that had grease added in hopes to protect it through its death throws.



Second, the squeak most likely isn't the bearing, but the brakes. I've had a couple bearings "fail" and that causes the rotor to "lean" into brakes (which results in a squeak)...



Lastly, these unit bearings can fail TWO ways... both result in excessive play. The first is obvious, either the bearing or race fails; causing a roughness which is typically how they fail. The second is less obvious... the INNER race of the bearing wears through the spindle, resulting in a lot of play, but the bearings and races are still smooth (this failure can be mistaken for bad balljoints).



steved

 

[DBohl]

the squeak could also be coming from your axle u joint

 

[steved]

the squeak could also be coming from your axle u joint

Very true, I was assuming he had already diagnosed a bad bearing...



steved

 

[cyborg]

Thanks for the thoughts.
I have a 02 with the live axle (no disco), the drive shaft is still out of it from R&Ring the CV.

Maybe the tongue weight lightening the load on the front is causing the problem to be vocal?