Hello again,

Thanks for all of the "Excellent Information" provided! For a non-mechanic like me, This site is GREAT!! I used to give all my money away. Thanks to you all, I am able to keep some (I actually mean that there is more for my wife and kids to have) by "doing-it-myself". Having said that, please help me to understand the characteristics of a bad wheel bearing on a 2wd F150. My right side appears to be "leaking". By that I mean, there is grease on the hub portion. On the other side, it is dry. I have also developed a shimmy/vibration that I just cannot find. I have replaced tie rod ends, u joints, tires, high speed balance on the truck, etc, but not this. I just noticed yesterday and was speaking to a mechanic friend who states that the bearings might have "flat spots". Help me out.

Thanks
ubaney

 

If the seal is leaking grease you should at least repack the bearings and replace the grease seals. That's assuming you have a truck with servicable bearings. I think some of the new trucks you need a whole new hub. A good tech can locate the problem but that probably involves paying a dealership to do it. Do you have a dial indcator handy? You can use that to check bearing end play, radial and lateral hub runout, etc. Although i've never personally seen bearings with flat spots the indicator would possibly show that also.

-Jon

 

Might possibly be bad bearings. When mine went bad it was a vibrating/clicking/shimmy feeling. It would get faster the faster I would go. If you jack the truck up and take off the wheel try spinning the hub and see if you can hear some sort of clicking sound. A section of hose might work too (like a piece of garden hose). Just use it like a doctors stethascope (sp). Another test is to jack up the truck and with the tire still on try wiggling the tire and see how much play you have in it. I would also try this with the wheel off just incase the tire was loose on the hub. On a 2wd I would think that it would be a servicable bearing. I know on 97 4x4 like mine I know that the bearings are not serviceable. You have to buy a whole new hub assembly (for $200!!!!!).