hub bearings, rotors??

[DWGSD1978]

ok guys I need some help before I tear this front end apart

my truck is a 99 with a 11/98 production date

I got so far

hub bearings part number 515020
(i thought I read somewhere that I can take the abs sensors out and put a zerk so that they are greaseable, true??)
hub seal tool
greaseable ball joints
inner needle bearings, in case I need them


do I need to purchase the later model rotors now??? or will my early 99 rotors work????

I dont mind spending the money on them if I have to, but I sure would like to keep the money in my pocket if they are able to work


thanks in advance

 

[Tail_Gunner]

The date when brakes and sway bars were changed is sometime in March 99. The 12th of March IIRC. The pre 3/99 bearing hubs and rotors have to go together. The post 3/99 bearing hubs and rotors have to go together.

There is a difference in height of the two bearings. The front rotors are likewise different in offset to ensure rotor is aligned with the center of the caliper. The difference is something about 1/8". That difference likely has something to do with the addition of ABS stuff to the front hubs in 3/99.

You should be able to put post 3/99 front bearing hubs on your early 99 if you use post 3/99 rotors too. You'll just have to figure out what you want to do with the ABS sensor, leave it, or pull it and plug the hole with something.

 

[DWGSD1978]

seems like your the only one that responds to my post!!!

anyways, so what about the bearing itself, since it has the abs sensor in it, can I actually put a zerk in it and make the bearing now serviceable??? does this make any sense at all?

 

[Tail_Gunner]

seems like your the only one that responds to my post!!!

Since we're dealing with a 10 year old truck, it probably takes an ol phart like me to come up with an answer.

anyways, so what about the bearing itself, since it has the abs sensor in it, can I actually put a zerk in it and make the bearing now serviceable??? does this make any sense at all?

That I can't answer.

I have heard that folks have removed the ABS sensor as a way to get some grease into the bearing. But they typically reinstall the ABS sensor afterwards.

If you could find out what the thread size is on the ABS sensor, it should be easy to find a zerk, a pipe thread plug, or a brass plug or something that will do the trick.

 

[JLDickmon]

seems like your the only one that responds to my post!!!

anyways, so what about the bearing itself, since it has the abs sensor in it, can I actually put a zerk in it and make the bearing now serviceable??? does this make any sense at all?

I would have, I swearz..
but I didn't get home from work untill 10:00pm last night.. (3hrs free OT because I'm salaried)..

I never thought about putting a zerk in the ABS hole (ab's hole? ) but I'm not sure it would put grease in the actual bearing proper... I'd have to get the cutaway from the Timken rep before I give you a definitive "yeah, that'll work"

OR..
you could do what Tailgunner did and convert the front end back to double taper bearings with a DynaTrac or similar kit.. then you can grease the snot outta them to your heart's content...

 

[Frankenstien]

If you have the Cash in Hand Dyna Trac is the Way to go. I have in the Past greased my front unit bearings... a PIA but doable. I would use a Turkey injection syringe, and Mobile one synthetic grease. The needle to the injector would "just" barely fit between the tone ring in the ABS hole. you could fill the bearing slow but sure. once I had gotten to the point of no more grease I would fill the syringe with 140 W gear oil, and continue the fill, I did this to force out as much air as possible. (as the air would expand it would push the oil out) but leave the grease. I replaced my first unit bearing at around 180,000 miles with a Lifetime one from Schucks... did the other a few months later... now every 2 years I just change em.

 

[drmjf]

If you have the Cash in Hand Dyna Trac is the Way to go. I have in the Past greased my front unit bearings... a PIA but doable. I would use a Turkey injection syringe, and Mobile one synthetic grease. The needle to the injector would "just" barely fit between the tone ring in the ABS hole. you could fill the bearing slow but sure. once I had gotten to the point of no more grease I would fill the syringe with 140 W gear oil, and continue the fill, I did this to force out as much air as possible. (as the air would expand it would push the oil out) but leave the grease. I replaced my first unit bearing at around 180,000 miles with a Lifetime one from Schucks... did the other a few months later... now every 2 years I just change em.

I would agree with Frankenstien, Dyna Trac is the way to go. I put them on mine a year ago, because I plan to keep it forever.