Racer X said:
All front hubs are the same from 1986 until 1995, as far as I know. The only difference is in the wheel stud length; non SHO is shorter sometimes.
On the disassembly order:
Hub from bearing, then bearing from spindle. It's kinda of impossible to do it backwards.
Good luck with that.
To bad I don't have a digital camera. I have 3 different style front hubs in the basement. Though there are 3 different types, there is really only 1 area of concern. Thats the diameter of the lip the rotor goes over. The same lip the hole in the center of the rim rests on. Early Taurus' had small holes, later, not sure which years, had larger holes. I think the change happened when Ford went to the larger 11" rotors. That lip on the hub grew in size so the old 10" rotors would not fit the new 11" system.
You don't need a press to change front wheel bearings, I have done many with a 1" fine thread rod and various spacers etc.
Getting the old hub out is fun, just cradle the kknuckle assembly in your arm, drop a 3/4" bolt in the back side of the hub, and hit it a few (quite a few) times with the small end of a sizeable ball-pein hammer. When the bolt head goes in too far to hit, flip it over and whack the theaded end. The hub falls out and almost hits your foot in about a minute. Good thing you won't be needing the old bearing, it gets worse!
For removing the bearing itself, drop that 1" rod thru the bearing, apply the reducer you bought at the plumbing section of the local hardware, a couple of big washers, and the nut. What size reducer you say?? The size that has a hole slightly larger than 1" on one end, the other end matches the inner race. ( I have also found that the front crankshaft sleeve from a 429/460 works, but you'll need more washers ) That pushes on the bearing, now you have to come up with something to recieve it on the back side. ATX accessory pulley. The stamped steel kind thats hollow in the back. Take the bearing out of the pulley, you'll find that the pulley lines up nicely with the back of the hub,
IF you grind a strategic notch in it. Lay any 'ol piece of heavy stock across the pulley to spread the load, add washers and the nut, start cranking. The bearing will bottom out in the pulley leaving about 1/4" still in the knuckle. Just hit it a few times, it'll pop right out.
Oh, now you want to put the new bearing in? Kinda demanding aren't 'ya?
This part is cool. Take the bad hub, remove the studs, cut/grind the front lip off so it's flat. ( or pick up a floor ****** at the hardware) That goes against the front/outside of the knuckle. Set the new bearing in place to be pressed in, set the old bearing against it to push it in. Place some heavy stock across the back side of the old bearing so the load is transferred to the outer race, add washers, nuts, and start cranking.
I haven't calculated the clamping force, but 100 lb-ft on a nut on a 1" fine thread rod is more than adequate to press the bearing in and out. When the new bearing bottoms out I whack the outer race of the old "pressing" bearing to get it to seat properly.
Don't forget to remove the snap ring, they are stronger than you think.
Have fun.
Perry
