Ford Repair: Front Wheel Bearings, replacing wheel bearings, front wheel bearings

Question
Hi Jeff,

I've replaced front wheel bearings on two wheel drive vehicles a bunch of times. Well I just bought a nice little 1994 Explorer XLT. When I took it on the test drive, I heard the wheel bearing noise, but the price was low enough that replacing wheel bearings didn't dissuade me from buying it. Well now comes the crux of my question. Since I'm not that experienced with 4WD systems, are there any things I should be aware of when replacing these wheel bearings? Is it pretty much the same as with 2WD front wheels, or are there gotchas that are going to sneak out and bite me? What is the general procedure for replacing these? How do I know that they need to be replaced? I mean there is a good amount of play in the wheels. Can I get away with simply adjusting them? If so, what's the procedure there?


Answer
Hi Glenn,
You need special socket to remove the hub nut. There is a small key at the top that must be removed first.. It would be best if you could get a picture out of a Chiltons manual so you can see all the parts that are involved and the order they go back in. I would pull them apart and clean them real good and look for pits in the bearings and races. If you see any or loose metal, replace all bearings and races. If they are OK, just repack them with grease and reinstall.

Jeff
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