HF wheel bearing kit questions

[rufushusky]

Hi all. Dumb harbor freight wheel bearing press question for everyone...

So based on the 10 million write ups floating around the internet I feel pretty comfortable with getting the hub and bearing out of the knuckle and getting the bearing back in. My question is when pressing in the hub do I use the same press plate I used to install the bearing as the back press plate? So when I am pressing the hub in, I am using the outer race of the bearing and not the back of knuckle as the back plate?

TIA!

 

[rufushusky]

I am a moron! There is no way I can use the same size press plate for pressing in the bearing and pressing in the hub. The plate I need to use to press in the bearing is approximately the same size as the bearing and there is a lip on the back of the bore in the knuckle that keeps me from pressing the bearing right out the back of the knuckle (in my 2008 Mercury POS... ugh I mean Mariner) so therefore if I use the same plate on the back of the bearing when pressing in the hub the plate will sit on the lip on the back of the knuckle... not the race of the bearing and the hub won't be pressed in far enough.

Sorry, sometimes it take a bit for light to dawn on Marblehead over here....

 

[SwampSurvivor]

This is on the 2002 F350 4x4 right? It should be a unit bearing ... not pressed in. You may have to work at it to get the unit bearing out, but once it's out, clean up the mating surface in both the knuckle and unit bearing, apply some anti seize and insert it by hand.

 

[rufushusky]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
This is on the 2002 F350 4x4 right? It should be a unit bearing ... not pressed in. You may have to work at it to get the unit bearing out, but once it's out, clean up the mating surface in both the knuckle and unit bearing, apply some anti seize and insert it by hand.


Oh, no sorry this is for the pressed in bearings on my 2008 Mercury Mariner. I wish it was as easy as the bearings on the F350.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Gotcha! I have similar in my small fleet as well. The Cherokee has unit bearings. I can change them out in 30 minutes. The Focus I have to pop the knuckle off the strut and ball joint (LCA) and then press in/out the wheel bearing.

When it comes time for wheel bearing replacement on the Focus, I am probably going to buy the big shop press from Harbor Freight and set it up or just bring the knuckles to a shop and have the bearings pressed in.

 

[NHGUY]

Mariner=Escape= Mazda 6= typical Japanese/import style pressed in bearing,no "hub assembly" as in X car/J car..etc

 

[Kawiguy454]

This may not apply in your case but I remember my dad putting bearings in the freezer and the parts in the oven. once each was cold or hot he would pull the bearing and drop it in with a few taps to seat. Ya gotta be quick tho...

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
This may not apply in your case but I remember my dad putting bearings in the freezer and the parts in the oven. once each was cold or hot he would pull the bearing and drop it in with a few taps to seat. Ya gotta be quick tho...


I do that with saturn bearings before pressing them in the hub, makes it easier. In the deep freezer over night.

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
This may not apply in your case but I remember my dad putting bearings in the freezer and the parts in the oven. once each was cold or hot he would pull the bearing and drop it in with a few taps to seat. Ya gotta be quick tho...


That really works?

 

[punisher]

Originally Posted By: Leo99


That really works?

You would be surprised. I used the freezer "trick" on leaf spring bushings, and most importantly, cylinder sleeves on our tractor.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
This may not apply in your case but I remember my dad putting bearings in the freezer and the parts in the oven. once each was cold or hot he would pull the bearing and drop it in with a few taps to seat. Ya gotta be quick tho...


That really works?


I did this as well when I installed the bearing on My Toyota Sienna. I'm not sure if it made a difference but it did work.

I used a 12 ton shop press and used the old race to press the bearing in. I used Tranny fluid as a lube.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: rufushusky
Hi all. Dumb harbor freight wheel bearing press question for everyone...

So based on the 10 million write ups floating around the internet I feel pretty comfortable with getting the hub and bearing out of the knuckle and getting the bearing back in. My question is when pressing in the hub do I use the same press plate I used to install the bearing as the back press plate? So when I am pressing the hub in, I am using the outer race of the bearing and not the back of knuckle as the back plate?

TIA!


Did you check Youtube to see if there are any videos for your particular model of Vehicle? I watched about 10 different videos to get different tips.

I used part of the HF bearing kit to remove the old bearing. I found that using a sledge hammer to remove the old bearing was easier than that tool and an impact gun.

To reinstall the bearing I used a 12 ton press to get the new bearing back in. As mentioned put the bearing in the freezer overnight before installing. You might have to use the old bearing race to get it back in since it will be the same size as the new one. Just remove all the bearings on the old race and clean it up.

Use tranny fluid or motor oil to lube the race before pressing it back in. The most important thing is to make sure the bearing is being pressed in level as you get it started.

When I was reinstalling the new bearing, I actually practised by pressing the old race back in first before I pressed in the bearing to make sure I could get the bearing in smoothly.

 

[rufushusky]

Thanks for all the replies, I ended up having to remove the knuckle all together to get the bearing out cause it wasn't budging no matter what I did. For $50 the shop pressed out what was left of the old bearing, pressed in the new bearing and hub and cleaned all the bores on the knuckle. Well worth it.