So I just finished doing my front brakes on my 99.  Everyone says how hard they are to get off, glad my truck came from California, they just fell off.  Getting them back on was a chore though, no one ever says how hard they are to reinstall.  It took me an hour to take both sides apart and about three hours to put everything back together.  Although some of that time was cleaning up the dirty parts.  One thing I did find interesting was that my bearings did not have ABS sensors on them, I thought that they would?  Not complaining, just was surprised not to see them on my truck.

I have seen them with and without. Dont know the reasoning

When I ordered my '99;  yes I ordered it,  I specified "rear anti-lock" brakes only.  There you have it!!

When I changed my rotors out I drilled and tapped my hubs for grease fittings. I pumped about 20 to 25 shots of grease into each hub while spinning them, and it actually quieted them up drastically. After 12 plus years I suspect they were pretty well dried up.

When I changed my rotors out I drilled and tapped my hubs for grease fittings. I pumped about 20 to 25 shots of grease into each hub while spinning them, and it actually quieted them up drastically.

Did you take pics of them and what type of grease did you use?

When I changed my rotors out I drilled and tapped my hubs for grease fittings. I pumped about 20 to 25 shots of grease into each hub while spinning them, and it actually quieted them up drastically. After 12 plus years I suspect they were pretty well dried up.

Interesting concept. Any chance of discussing tapping hubs for grease?

I did take pictures but they were on my phone that ended up in lake Erie on a walleye fishing excursion over the summer. I drilled a small pilot hole straight down through the center of of the flanged part of the hub (the part that bolts to the spindle). You will know when you're through because there is a gap between the body of the hub and the bearing. Just go slow and keep cleaning the shavings out. I started out drilling with a drill press but when I got close I clamped the hub in a vice and finished drilling upside down to keep any shavings out. Then I used the appropriate bit for the tap and only drilled half way down. I didn't want to risk getting any shavings into the bearings and the pilot hole is enough to allow the grease in. Once the hole was tapped I used a pencil magnet and a shop vac to make sure the hole was good and clean. If you have slip on rotors you can put a 90* grease fitting on and point it towards the rotor and reinstall everything and you're done. I have pressed on rotors so there are two options. Either drill a hole through the spindle large enough to get a grease gun through from the inside next to the universal. Or you will have to remove the assembly and grease the hub and then reassemble. A little work but this is probably something that only needs greased every couple of years unless you put a ton of miles on your vehicle every year. In my case they lasted 12+ years although it was probably a little too long because I could hear a difference in spinning the hub before and after. Now the reason I did this to begin with is because when I had to change my rotors out the hubs were frozen so badly in the spindle that I actually seperated the hubs pulling them out. So I had the chance to see the inside of them so I could see where a good place to drill would be. Everyone I talked to said my hubs were trashed since I pulled them apart, I figured I didn't have much to lose so I decided to press them back together. I cleaned them up and used a 25 ton press to put them back together and then drilled and tapped and greased them. 2 Years and 30+ thousand miles later and they seem to be holding up well. I even shoot them with an infrared temp gun every now and then on long trips (I check my trailer hub bearings this way) and they run nice and cool.

Interesting concept. Any chance of discussing tapping hubs for grease?

 

 

Not hubs guys, unit-bearings. 

Edited December 26, 201311 yr by dorkweed

I watched a youtube video on the same deal with pulling the unit bearing apart.  They just packed the bearing with grease and put them back together.  It is a good idea to put a grease fitting in the unit bearing.  My bearing still seem good, the spun easily and quietly, this would be a good thing to look into.  If I do it I will have to take some pictures, other might want to do this also.

Not hubs guys, unit-bearings.

My FSM and my Chilton both refers to them as hub bearing assemblies. Or hubs for short. LOL

I had mine replaced a year ago. Would be nice to have them service-able. My mechanic replaced the whole hubs with Timken hubs. He claims that anything with bearings should be American made or factory. China has not a good track record with bearing life. Is it a big job to do this mod?

The biggest part is removing them. Once theyre out of the truck you might have an hour into drilling and tapping, and that is taking your time to make sure no shavings get in. If yours are new I wouldn't be too concerned for at least a few years unless you have them apart for something.

I'm kind of a visual guy. Would need more to go on myself before tackling this project. Is there any way to grease the bearing by hand when the hubs are off the vehicle?

Edited February 10, 201411 yr by joecool911

Not without seperating them, which is not recomended.

$6-700 for new "unit bearings' for both sides.

 

$1500-1800 for one of the "free-spin" hub kits for both sides.  You can pull these apart and "repack" them like other bearings…………..aka 2wd trucks.