front rotor removal-2wd

[p7387]

doing this in conjunction with front caliper/hose replacement (posted separately)
rotors look fine but one of the dust shields is rotten, it would be nice to replace this and clean up and paint some of the exposed metal parts. is rotor removal a difficult issue, or are there any special tools required? also what type of grease is best to use in the hub?

thanks

[Lt.Del]

on a two wheel drive it is a piece of cake.  No special tools
Remove dust cap with hammer and screwdriver tapping around it and twisting screwdriver at the lip of the cover.  It will pop off.
Needle nose pliers remove cotter key
Remove retaining thing keeping the nut in place. Or it may be a big washer with a slot---been a while since i did it and may be mixing it up w/ my old mustangs. 
Take channel locks and remove big nut.
Outer wheel bearings should come out with a little motion on the rotor.  Inner bearing usually stay in the center of the rotor (may be pressed in--i forget).  Take a rag and wipe the spindle.
Any good quality wheel bearing grease will work fine when putting things back.

[p7387]

the bearing thing makes me nervous, is this going to involve a bearing repack of some sort? i just don't want to get into any trouble with bearings falling out or wrong replacement. the only kind of rotors i have experience with are the kind that come off when the caliper is removed.

thanks

[muddpuppy01]

yes it would be highly suggested to repack your bearings

when putting it all back together you need to make you preload the bearing properly, when you are tightening the castle nut " the big nut " turn the rotor. Tighten till the pliers will not move freely as in the weight of your arm going down on the end of the pliers with no additional strength input.

[snibook7537]

Just buy a bearing packer, the one my step dads got works wonders.  I don't know where he got it from but I would imagine most auto parts stores have them.

[Lt.Del]

i've always just rolled the bearings in the palm of my hand to put grease in the bearings---packed the grease in great, never any problems.  Then put extra grease b/w inner and outer bearings on the spindle. 


You'll never learn 'bout your truck if you never work on it yourself.  Dive in to it!

[thirsty]

i've always just rolled the bearings in the palm of my hand to put grease in the bearings---packed the grease in great, never any problems.  Then put extra grease b/w inner and outer bearings on the spindle. 

X2

[bigchevyc30]

umm idk if it will be the same as my truck but i just did the front rotor on my truck going to be doing the other side soon. the rear bearing is held in with the seal and when i did the replacement i just got new bearing since i dont know how to tell if they are good or not and it was 10 bucks for the pair anyways. u can use a screw driver to get the castle nut off or you can get the socket mine said it was for new chevys and fords 4x4's yet it worked for my 2wd dually hope this helps

[Lt.Del]

new bearings still need to be grease packed.

[bigchevyc30]

yeah i know that but i just got new bearings due to i didnt know how to tell if they were good or not i just wanted to know they were good so i got knew ones

[Lt.Del]

it's pretty easy to tell bearings are bad. When the wheel is still on, but jacked up, grab the wheel at the 3:00 and 9:00 position and try to move it in and out, and put hands on 12:00 and 6:00 position and try to move wheel up and down.  You can tell if there is play in the bearings. Would also tell if suspension components are going bad too. 

[p7387]

everything looks ok-
i need to remove the rotor just to replace the dust cover. being that i have never done this i can't get a feel for how tight the nut should upon re assembly?