Auto Parts: barren replaceing, front wheel bearings, windstar van


Question
how to replace front wheel barrens on a windstar van

Answer
    I am going to assume you are referring to the front wheel bearings of a Ford Windstar.  Here's how you go about it:  Remove the wheel.  Remove the brake caliper, but don't disconnect the hose.  Hang the caliper from the chassis with a piece of wire in a fashion that doesn't place stress on the hose.  Unbolt the caliper bracket from the hub carrier and remove.  Pull the rotor off of the hub.  Remove the large nut that secures the axle to the hub.  It's a good idea to buy a new nut to use when putting the whole thing back together.  Jack the hub carrier up a little so that there is no stress on it from the spring.  Working through the hole in the hub, remove the bolts that hold the bearing assembly in place.  Using a wooden or hard plastic hammer, tap the bearing assembly and the end of the axle stub as you try to pull the bearing free.  You need to force the axle back every time that you move the hub outward, so that you don't place any strain on the axle assembly.  Once the bearing assembly has been removed, slide the new one into place with a little moly grease on the splines, and refasten everything in the reverse order.  Don't over tighten the wheel nuts.