Is multiple bearing failure due to knuckle damage?

[SHOtimer]

Have I compromised the integrity of my knuckle?

Ok, here is my story. When I first purchased my car I wanted a rotation and alignment. The alignment guy said he couldn't align it because the tie rods were worn and the drivers side wheel bearings was going out. So, I drove it for approx 15k untill I got those things taken care of. My mechanic I had to both wheel bearings, but I didn't know that the hubs should be changed. My mechanic couldn't get my worn bearing out of the knuckle with his press and had to send it to some machine shop to have them press it out...and even they had a hard time. So, approx 1k after that replacement I get a wobble out of my steering...the wheel bearing is shot because the hub didn't get replaced. So, I drove on it like that..(sometimes rather violently shaking) for about 15k untill this week when I redid my entire front end (which included new Timken bearings and hubs). So, I replaced those torqued them to 200lbs, drove it...was silk smooth. Put about 20 miles on it adn retoruqed the axle nuts for peace of mind...they weren't loose. Then the next day put about 100 miles on it..during that 100 miles I started to feel a slight shake...not like a tire out of balance (all the tires got rebalanced when I had the front end apart), but a shimmy like when that wheel bearing was bad..but not nearly as bad as before. So, I retorqued the bold, which wasn't loose to begin with. It seems the more I drive it is is becoming gradually more noticeable. So, my question is did I damaged that knuckle by driving it so much with bad bearings, and is it now destroying my new bearing and hub and I need to replace that knuckle to solve this problem?

Sorry for the long post but I felt the whole backround was needed to evaluate the integrity of the knuckle. Thanx, Doug

 

[Slo-Sho]

Umm...200 ft lbs. is a bit much for the wheel bearing. I suggest you read a shop manual on how to set the bearing pre-load. I wouldn't be surprised if you have to replace them again. The CV bolt isn't what holds the wheel onto the car if that's the reason for tightening that tight.

 

[SHOtimer]

The torque range for the axle nut in the Helms manual is 170-203lbs.

Doug

 

[sdpatt]

After having a dealership installed bearing fail after only 40,000 miles (due to loosened axle nut) and helping with the pressing process on the repair, I believe that many front wheel bearing failures can be attributed to incorrect installation. I would never replace just the bearing, but instead the bearing and the hub as a set. This is not costly since the Timken hub and bearing kit cost only about $65 at AutoZone.

 

[rangerj]

As stated above the 200 ft lbs of torque is within the range recommended by the Ford Factory Service Manual (Helm published).

A common error in installing the hub into the bearing is to press the hub INTO the bearing, as opposed to installing the steering knuckle with the bearing ONTO the hub. Properly supporting the bearing while it is being pressed ONTO the hub prevents the damage to the bearing.

Pressing the hub into the bearing puts all the stress on the center of the bearing and can distort the bearing and/or damage the seal leading to early failure.

SHOTIMER, I do nort know if that is your problem, but if your bearings have failed in such a short time, and you had replaced the hubs with the bearings, start looking for cracks in the steering knuckles. Check carefully in the areas around the bearing. What kind of shape is the rest of your front suspension in? Tie rod ends, inner and outer? Ball joints, lower control arm, and stabilizer bar bushings? Sway bar links and bushings?

Just some thoughts. rangerj

 

[Slo-Sho]

My mistake.

 

[NetNinja]

rangerj

Cold you please give me a visual representation of what you just said?
I lost you on that one

I am about to do the same procedure on my SHO and i don't want to screw it up

 

[delees77]

I just did the 96 brake upgrade on my 91 SHO and had new bearings pressed into the junk yard knuckles. I notice a grinding noise when I turn left and I am wondering if the bearing was installed correctly. Maybe I should have left the old ones in. I am going to drive it a bit to see if I can isolate it but I am afraid it may be an improperly installed bearing.

 

[SHOtimer]

rangerj,
I just replaced my LCA's, and everysingle bushing and endlink in the front end, and the tie rods only have about 10k on them. I am going to have my tires rebalanced and see if that gets rid of this vibration that I am feeling. If that doesn't work I will take that knuckle out and see if it is crack or weakened as you said.

Thanx, Doug

 

[rangerj]

Net Ninja,

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well I don't have a picture so here goes.

Picture if you will the hub standing vertically with the lugs pointing downward. The center is supported so that the lugs do not take the pressure of the press.

Now hold the steering knuckle with the bearing centered on the end of the hub. I use the old bearing, or a large socket, or a piece of wood, to place on the back of the bearing and bring down the ram of the press.

Then press the steering knuckle (with bearing) ONTO the hub. Use the socket, or old bearing, or something, to distribute the pressure over as much of the bearing as is possible. This prevents the center of the bearing from being pushed to the point of distortion by the hub as the knuckle assembly is pressed downward.

When the hub is fully seated your done.

After the steering knuckle is reattached, and the axel is torqued, it should pull the hub into a fully seated position. If by chance it is not fully seated from the press, it is a good idea to check the torque after a few days for the same reason.

Let me know if this clears things up for you.

Think about it. You press the steering knuckle assembly(bearing and knuckle) ONTO the hub. You do NOT press the hub INTO the bearing. rangerj

 

[Xs SHO 1]

RangerJ,

assuming the spindle is removed from the car, when u removed the hub from the bearing, did u hear a loud pop when the hub came off the bearing? same noise when u installed the hub back into the new bearing?

 

[Axianator]

As pictures go, maybe this will help with rangerj's description:

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/0c/10/b7/0900823d800c10b7.jsp

 

[rangerj]

Xs sho1,

The only pop I have heard was usually something "giving" in the bearing when the hub shaft was being pressed out.

If the bearing is properly installed ONTO the hub, I have never heard any "poping" sound.

The Auto Zone description of the bearing and hub replacement is excellent. Note the use of special tools to properly support, and or apply pressure evenly, to either the hub or the bearing. This prevents damage to the bearing and/or hub. rangerj

 

[twr]

Here's what happened to me that caused me to go through 3 bearings. The first bearing failed do to a loose axle nut. I attribute that to whoever replaced the bearing before I got the car, as the axle nut was cross threaded.

I took the assembly apart and had Napa replace the bearing and hub. I repaired the axle. Not more that 200 miles later the same thing happened. I took it back to Napa, they replace the hub and bearing again. This time I observed them install it, which they did it right.

So, now I'm one a 535 mile trip to Albuquerque to visit my dad. Guess what, 50 miles outside of Albuquerque, I get that familar grinding noise again.

Luckily I anticipated that this might happen and had the correct tools with me. I purchased a new bearing and hub. But I could find any one that could do the work on a Saturday down there.

Since my dad's shop had a press, I decided to do it myself. That's when I found the problem. The retain clip (big C-clip) was not seated fully, although it appeared that way at Napa the week before. This allowed the bearing to move backward in the knuckle and ruined the bearing. The replacement bearings appeared to be slightly wider then the OEM bearing. I had to plane the C-clip down ever so slightly to get it to seat properly.

40k miles later, no trouble from that bearing.

Just something else to look at...

 

[nc89sho]

got a part # on that set from autozone??

 

[rangerj]

TWR,

The problem of the "snap-ring", that comes with replacement bearings, not fitting properly has been brought up before. SDPatt ran into this also. You are dead right. If the snap-ring (C-clip as you call it), is not seated in the grove the bearing will be allowed to move and the preload on the bearing will not be maintained. The bearing will self destruct in a short tome as you have experienced. Good catch on this one TWR. rangerj

Anyone changing front bearings check to make sure that the snap-ring is fully seated in the groove. Unless the old snap ring is to badly corroded I would insist that whoever does the press work reuse the old snap-ring. That one you know fits!

 

[delees77]

I don't want to steal the thread but what is the best way to check the bearing on the car? I notice the noise on a sharp left turn coming from the left side. I changed the half shafts, struts and the bearings on the brake upgrade. I am under the impression a half shaft CV failure would be a clicking noise. If it is not that, it has to be the bearing.

I was thinking about jacking the car and turning the steering wheel left, checking for any play, then rotating it and listening.

 

[Welcome_to_Ford_Country]

I bought my car in March. I knew that shortly before then it had been in a semi-severe wreck due to a sleepy driver. The whole front end was basically replaced. It seemed to be in fairly good condition at the time of purchase but I was aware that there may be problems. A few short weeks after buying it the driver's side bearing went. It was driven 200 miles after it had 'gone', creating a 4 inch diameter hole where the once was a 1 inch. The bearings and the hub were gone. The part of the hub that held homed the studs fell off in pieces as I took the wheel off. The axle was just continuely carving out the knuckle. Thank God for parts cars. I pulled the whole strut and knuckle off another car and threw it on. The bearing was fine and the parts car felt great as we illegaly drove it around the northeast. Torqued it down, double checked, and made sure the rest of the front end was all right. Great for a week. Then it begins again. This time I let it go to the point that floppy rotor wore through the iron of the knuckle above the brakes. Agian I was lucky enough to quickly find a whole new assembly and throw it on. Again great. Then last week it started again. When I went to get new tires on the car the mechanic called everyone on the property to come see the "worst bearing he has ever seen". This time it was the passenger side!. Well since I have gotten a half dozen tickets for not having an inspection sticker, and NY is having a traffic crack-down, I figured I would just wing it and hope the guys at another shop would feel lazy and just slap a sticker on my cream puff. No such luck. When he lifted it, I realized that the driver's side was just as bad. He told me to get my baby the h out of his shop. So what do I do? I take off to Canada for a few days. Just got back and am sure that I am going to need new knuckles and all. The ball-joints, tie-rods and control arms seem fine. I have checked and double checked torque on lugs and axle nuts. Any ideas?