Front hub assembly

[Karls03]

November 2012: When I jacked my truck to investigate a gouge in the backside of the rotor, the tire flopped when it went up. Having just done ball joints, it was the bearing. This was the ONLY indication that the bearing was shot. No pulling to the left, no pulsations from the axle, no funky tire wear. So, with a quick trip to Circle K auto parts, $200 later, I have a Precision wheel hub assembly installed. YAYYYY!!!!

At 45 - 55 mph, there was a pulsation, and it got worse.....BOOOO!!!

Jan 2013: Removed "new" bearing and it was pushing grease out around 180* of the backside. Exchange it at Circle K auto parts and the new one pulsates in the same mph range. GRRRRR

Before I go back there and have a Donald Duck fit, what are OTHER items that could cause this? Like I said, the bad OEM bearing didn't pulsate. The axle seal was good, I installed the flat grey "washer" smooth side to the seal and I ensured the snap ring seated. This ISN'T rocket science, there has to be a simple reason for this.

Or do I just need to get my money back and buy one from Tousley Ford?

[pjsf250]

maybe the other side is bad as well ??

[Karls03]

I believe the right side is good for the following:
* You can feel that the pulsation is coming from the left (I'm OCD when it comes to my vehicles).
* It didn't pulsate before installing those bearings.
* The right tire wheel didn't flop like the left did when I jacked the front end up.

[Lilfarmrboy]

Karl I am having the same issues as you are my friend. My left rotor bearing went out with no warning or symptoms. I was going down the road and heard metal falling out and bouncing off of the pavement (It was a back road and I was going slow with the windows down.) Got her home and jacked her up to hear metal grinding coming from the left front. Bought a new front wheel assembly from the local Autozone (this was on a Sunday and I needed it fixed that day) and now my truck still has issues with the left front. I get funny little squeals or if I back up with the wheel turned all the way to the right I sometimes feel a lugging coming from the left front. I have crawled under this truck checking and pulling and pushing with a prybar to no avail to make sure its not a universal or something else. Everything looks good. Check the ball joints with a prybar and the tire 1 inch off of the ground and everything is tight, same goes for trying to shake the tire with my hands everything is tight. I have just about giving up trying to find out what the problem is.

[Karls03]

While I won't know until Saturday if it is the cause, I did find out that my keen senses of observation failed me and I put that grey spacer in backwards. Apparently the grooves go to the inside for vacuum hubs. I'll get back with y'all Saturday with the results.

[Karls03]

Well! No sh!t! The inside diameter of the bearing was too big! As I was reassembling the hub today, I noticed up and down play in the axle shaft with the hub out. Sure enough, the other side was tight.

I'm taking it back to O'Reilly's tomorrow and ordering one from Tousley Ford Monday.

[freecanadian]

Hi Karl, any news on this?

[Karls03]

I ended up getting one from the local NAPA with fine threads for just over $200. I really didn't want to wait on the shipping from Tousley. Everything seems to be as it should now.