wiggle in front axle??

[yzfracer]

so i was changing the rotors up front and noticed there was some play in the hub assy (driver side) and thought ok maybe bearings are shot and pulled all the apart and it seems fine but the axle has alot of play in it...normal?? and this is an 03 7.3 4x4 f250

[NoRalPh]

It's shocking - isn't it? To see that stub axle wiggle up and down in there....

And on the back side, at the U-Joint, to see how much that moves!

But, yea, it's for the most part supposed to have some play because there's no bearing at the end of the axle tube to support things so, once the hub is no longer holding that end up, it does wiggle

There isn't however supposed to be any play in the wheel bearing itself. With the pads pushed back off the rotor and the wheel & tire on, you shouldn't feel play there.

[yzfracer]

ok awesome thank you! im just gonna put a new seal on the back there and get it back together, just worried me with the passenger side not having anywhere near the play the driver side did

[NoRalPh]

Well, actually, that doesn't sound good

I've always found that the drivers side, because the axle is So Much shorter than the passengers side, has less play in it. The longer the "unsupported" axle was, the more it moved....

You have both hubs out, and the U-joint & Stub Axle have more movement on the drivers side? Might need more looking into.

[kelti819]

i noticed that as well when i put my new hubs on this weekend, the drivers side the hub went right on. the passanger side we had to play with a little to get it to line up. kinda concerned me too, had a friend there that works on these things and he said the dust seal is the only support on the outer end.

[NoRalPh]

I don't think of the dust seal as "supporting" the axle at all really,,, it doesn't have any strength.

[kelti819]

you are correct but it does stop the shaft from beating on the tube to a certain extent when hitting a bump

[BryanH]

So what became of this? I have the exact issue and no idea. Play on driver none of passanger

[BryanH]

I have the exact problem plus a constant squeak as the wheel turns and a shake when I slow. Already replaced disc/brakes because they were warped. I thought that was the shake but it is still there. Does anyone know what is going on.

Thanks. I am at 272K