can i replace front bearings without hub 97 chevy c1500?

[bode winham]

That's a 4wd or fwd style hub

okay thank you that makes sense

 

[bode winham]

I work in a machine shop ( as a welder) and we press bearings all of the time. The owner of our shop ( it's a mom and pop place, only 12 employees) said one day, that, 90 percent of the bearings that front end mechanics say are bad, are not bad at all. If the bearings are loose, then the nut that holds them, is most likely loose just a little. Should you pull them and check, yes. There are a bunch of videos on wheel bearings on YouTube. Just type in c1500 wheel bearings. 2 WD front disc brake wheel bearing replacement is almost all the same. Doesn't matter what year.

thank you for your response. are you talking about the 36 mm rotor nut?

 

[bode winham]

A front wheel bearing and race & seal kit will include everything you need to do both rotors, except for the keyed washers & spindle nuts.
Some kits are for both wheels. Some are for just one. Make sure the parts kid gets it right.
Under $40.00(?) for a both wheel kit.
+ two 1/8" cotter pins, at least 1.5" long.

I'll bet that the passenger side is more worn/loose than the other.

okay that’s great thanks for the info

 

[Hipster]

You'll be dealing with an integral hub/ rotor like this. I would check what you have and clean, repack, and set preload if they check out

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[bode winham]

You'll be dealing with an integral hub/ rotor like this

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ah that is immensely helpful thank you

 

[kennythewelder]

thank you for your response. are you talking about the 36 mm rotor nut?

Yes, the castle nut. Pull the dust cover, pull the cotter pin out of the castle nut, and tighten it up against the small wheel bearing. 2 alignments ago, the tech told me that my wheel bearings were loose. I said check everything on the front end, and give me a list, I will do my own work and bring it back once I'm done. My wheel bearings were just changed, so I knew there were good. All I did was tighten the castle nut. Once you pull the bearings, you need to clean them, and look for ware. If there is any, then replace them. Also always change the bearings and race, at the same time. They are a matched set.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

If the bearings are loose, then the nut that holds them, is most likely loose just a little. Should you pull them and check, yes.

Yes, it may be that they need just a little preload adjustment... but the emphasis is on "little". If there's much play (lack of preload) now, the races may have worn oddly and, if you "snug up the nut" to take out the preload, the bearings may bear poorly on the races.

This is harder to explain than it is to visualize.

I guess I would say:

- If you demonstrate to yourself that there's play, and
- You find the preload is lacking, then
- You can turn the nut to take out the play and set the preload, but
- If it takes more than (IMHO) 1/6-of-a-turn (60 degrees of rotation) of the nut to do so, then "that's too much"... just toss the parts and replace with new.

Somebody else weigh-in here...

 

[kennythewelder]

Yes, it may be that they need just a little preload adjustment... but the emphasis is on "little". If there's much play (lack of preload) now, the races may have worn oddly and, if you "snug up the nut" to take out the preload, the bearings may bear poorly on the races.

This is harder to explain than it is to visualize.

I guess I would say:

- If you demonstrate to yourself that there's play, and
- You find the preload is lacking, then
- You can turn the nut to take out the play and set the preload, but
- If it takes more than (IMHO) 1/6-of-a-turn (60 degrees of rotation) of the nut to do so, then "that's too much"... just toss the parts and replace with new.

Somebody else weigh-in here...

Agreed. You don't want to just dog down the castle nut. It is all about preload.

 

[Hipster]

I would snug them up and spin them. If they feel smooth tear down for a closer inspection of the races and repack.

Re-packing/inspecting the bearings used to be part of maintenance schedules. Often overlooked.

 

[kennythewelder]

Spend some time watching some videos on YouTube. Watch several. I can't explain it as good as a video does.