Front wheel bearings

[Douglas]

I've got an alignment issue every time I go wheeling (toe). Hit something hard and at the end of the day my wheels are pointing weird directions. I think that it is my wheel bearings. Any way I am putting in a lockrite in the front and if the bearings look bad I want to replace them. Can you do this without a press for getting the races in and out (yes I read the service manual)? Also what's the next best bearing to OEM? I usually go to NAPA. BTW the last time a repacked the front I was a newbie and didn't torque the front bearings for preload (2 years ago).

86 stock engine and axles with 31's and lock rite in back;4.16 tcase; spidertrax drag and tie rods.

[rollerskate]

Most mechanics do use a hammer and punch to install bearing
races and it seems to work OK for them.If you use this
technique I'd suggest using a large diameter piece of soft metal
(aluminum or brass) for your punch.Try to tap the race in as
evenly as possible without allowing it to cock in the bore and
get it seated solidly against the shoulder.
Napa bearings should be fine as long as they're lubed and
adjusted properly.Check your king pin bearings also,they can
cause steering problems too.

[Rockrat]

Napa bearings are most likely timken or Moug both good bearings no you dont need a press for the bearings. and I doubt you toe prob is bearing related, look at your tie rod and make sure it is straight chances during your wheeling trip your tweaking it so it pulss the wheels in

[SilverZuk]

You would know if it's a bearing.
Can't hold it in one lane, steering slop etc.

Jack up a wheel and shake it.
You should be able to tell what's moving.

I'm suspecting king pins.

[Rockrat]

I think your king pins would be more camber then toe

[Douglas]

Nothing is bent up front (drag or tie) but I haven't jacked up the front end to do the check with tire slop in a while (a couple of months).

[Orionn]

Not to insult you, but are you confusing Camber and Toe-in?

I would say its the King pin bearings as well, and bad tierod ends.

the only way to tell, jack it up, check everthing for looseness. If its the wheel bearings, you should be able to inspect them, regrease them and tighten them down properly. unless there is scoring or burning, they are most likely still good.

[whats his name]

Sorry to jump in here , but I've read the FSM and I don't understand the procedure for King Pin Bearing replacement. Can I just plunk new ones in, re-use the old shims, torque it down, and call it done? or do I got to do the fishscale drag test? You can tell the old ones are bad if they are heat scored?

[rollerskate]

Originally posted by whats his name
Sorry to jump in here , but I've read the FSM and I don't understand the procedure for King Pin Bearing replacement. Can I just plunk new ones in, re-use the old shims, torque it down, and call it done? or do I got to do the fishscale drag test? You can tell the old ones are bad if they are heat scored?

If you're going to replace the king pin bearings you should set
the preload with the shims or else risk screwing up the new
bearings.Replacing them is a little more involved than just
"plunking' them in since the outer race is pressed into the
knuckle.I haven't done any yet myself but will probably be doing
some this weekend.It looks like a pair of sockets and some
threaded rod could be used to press them in and out.
Visual inspection should tell you wether or not the bearing are
bad.Or a notchy feeling when the knuckle is turned by hand is
a sign of wear.

[Douglas]

Loose wheel bearing nuts on both sides (my newbie bearing pack wasn't torqued right - but now I have the 2 inch socket and torque wrench). All fixed up. When I take apart the front end to put in the locker I'll check the kingpins but I need my daily driver/offroader for another week and a half (I'm a teacher). There was some brown scoring but no black or blue. My drag link and tie rod are aurora ends from spidertrax and are only a couple of years old. When you say scoring or pitting what does that look like?

Thanks

[MuddMachine]

Originally posted by rollerskate


Replacing them is a little more involved than just
"plunking' them in since the outer race is pressed into the
knuckle.

Not that big of a deal, biggest pain in the ass is takin off seal and felts from the knuckle. And all the cleaning.

[whats his name]

I've done the felts and seals already.(didn't have money at the time to even bother looking at Kings) What I'm getting at is, can I just simply take off the four bolts that hold the KINGS onto the knuckle and re-use the old shims if there's any. Then put the new KINGS back in with old shims and torque 'em to specs or is this too cheesy? Trying to reduce some slight speed wobbble and these bearings seem like the last culprit. If someone could lay out this procedure for me that'd be great . I'm just trying to maintain these axles as cheaply-safely as possible until I swap in yota shat. Thanks

[rollerskate]

Originally posted by whats his name
I've done the felts and seals already.(didn't have money at the time to even bother looking at Kings) What I'm getting at is, can I just simply take off the four bolts that hold the KINGS onto the knuckle and re-use the old shims if there's any. Then put the new KINGS back in with old shims and torque 'em to specs or is this too cheesy? Trying to reduce some slight speed wobbble and these bearings seem like the last culprit. If someone could lay out this procedure for me that'd be great . I'm just trying to maintain these axles as cheaply-safely as possible until I swap in yota shat. Thanks

Yes you can use the old shims and if you're lucky the preload
on the bearings will be correct.I assume you understand that
the thickness of the shims controls the preload.Less shim
thickness = more preload and vise-a-versa.So there's a chance
you might have to buy a few more shims to get everything
perfect,they come in .004" and .020" thickness.If you want to
eliminate the king pin bearings as a possible source of a speed
wobble than you should try to set them up to specs.
In your previous post you said you read the FSM but didn't
understand it.If you go back through it carefully the process is
explained.Pages 17-22 & 17-23 in my 1986-1987 edition.
Good luck!

[whats his name]

Ok thank you. I try to maintain my rig as best as money permits, with safety in mind because it is street driven. Sometimes I think the slight speed wobble I get is just the result of a really light vehicle, shaped like a barn, up on 33's being blown around on the highway. Any thoughts on this? It isn't all the time and only happens above 50 MPH. I've done the jack up the front and feel for play in the wheels and it seemed solid plus the tie rod- drag link feel tight, and the tires are balanced properly(don't see any missing weights). So I'm thinking Most Zuk guys experience this at some point and its just the nature of a lightweight -jacked up vehicle. Oh and i am runing a dropped drag link(pro-made) not crossover or hi-steer.

[terrymac]

Originally posted by whats his name
Oh and i am runing a dropped drag link(pro-made) not crossover or hi-steer.

That is your problem right there. Put on hi-steer and a panhard bar and it'll be fine.

[Tintop]

yea panhard makes a huge difference

[SilverZuk]

I ran stock springs, shackles and steering SPOA for two years.
It drove fine (for a samurai).

If you have to make constant corrections to hold it in the road something is loose.

Long shackles and worn bushings are a likely cause.
Loose wheel bearings, steering box, steering linkage, and king pins are other probably causes.

I had the adjustment screw on top of the steering box back out last year. It was almost uncontrollable.

I tightened it back (snug with normal screwdriver) and help it in place while I tightened the nut that keeps it from backing out.
It was fine afterwards. Don't tighten it too tight or you will damage your steering box.

Usually when mine gets loose it's the wheel bearings.

[whats his name]

yes my spring bushings are worn. So i'll try that. I don't have to make constant corrections to keep it on the road but I get that occasional slight wobble at speed, like she's gonna go hairy on ya. No point getting hi-steer or crossover until I upgrade to yota.. Also i'll repack the wheel bearings again and check the steering box, that can't hurt. I don't have long shackles but do have a shackle reversal. Is a panhard really necessary or will converting to hi-steer or crossover stabalize things better? Anyways, thanks fellas

[whats his name]

Gotcha......could someone answer my last question ?????????

[Douglas]

I'm not sure any of those things will stabilize the front end when driving. They make it easier to turn and get rid of bump steer. It sounds like balance or alignment or loose steering/suspension components. I would check the ubolts and tie/drag ends.