Dont forget to grease the front bearings

Subject: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
I recently tried to have my truck aligned at two different tire shops. Nobody would do it. They said that one of front wheel bearings was bad.

These things are expensive! I realized that after owning this truck all these years, I've totally forgotten to get my front bearings packed with grease. It's nobody's fault but mine.

So the moral to the story is, protect your front bearings and your wheel hubs by having them greased every so often. Don't forget it!

Super bee
GenI

6/11/2006
01:10:02

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
hhmm, never even thought about it on mine

1990 sport RC SB, 1995 318drivetrain, 3.92 gears (came with truck) 95 dash/steering wheel, hearthrob exhaust, headers, cutout after y-pipe, necessary electric fan add-a-leafs, 30x9.5 mud tires, cranked T-bars, AR 39 15x8 rims, grill guard, roll bars

spt
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
01:46:45

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
Don't the wheel bearing come as a sealed unit?

TigerDak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
02:03:58

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
Well I have heard conflicting things.

Several places told me that the bearings are sealed inside the wheel hub assembly and you have to replace the whole thing (over $200 each).

But other people told me that you can take out the bearings, have them packed with grease, and reinstalled.

So I really don't know, yet. The truck is going to get worked on next week, so I'll find out then.

Mopar318
GenII

6/11/2006
02:29:40

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
97-96 2WD dakotas have rotor/hub assemblies....These are the only ones that you can take the bearing out and pack them. What year is your truck??

Its whats under the hood that counts........

jpkomm
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
07:02:10

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
I've been wondering about that myself.. 2000 Dak 4wd. Would really suck to have a bearing go out and not a dang thing you could do about it till it happens.

TigerDak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
12:36:08

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
My truck is a 1989 4x4. I might just have the shop put on new wheel hub assemblies regardless if they are bad or not. I work at an auto parts store part time, so I get an employee discount.

But does anyone know if my bearings can be greased?

Grizz
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
13:44:14

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
They are sealed bearings... I've replaced both front and they cost about 189$ at napa its not hard to replace them just costs to much. I don't think you can grease them.

TigerDak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
14:48:21

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
Can you tell me how to replace them?

I know you need to take off the tire and the brake calipers and rotors.

But what's after that? Do I need special tools? Is it hard?

TigerDak
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
15:08:46

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
For those of you who have no idea what we're talking about, this is a front wheel assembly:

The things sticking out on the bottom are your wheel studs where your tire mounts.

Levey
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
15:38:43

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
FYI - Theres an online site that sells OEM quality complete sealed hub bearing units for cheap. I just installed mine, easy, fit good, well made, shipped fast. Made in the USA also! Cost $93.00 while the cheapest elsewhere was about $200+.

www.wheelbearingsinc.com

jpkomm
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
16:22:32

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
Thanks for that link, Levey. Hopefully I can remember that a couple years down the road. Wish it had a bit better than a 1 year warranty, but I assume that is more-or-less standard. Can't argue with the price though, that is for sure.

Obio3
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/11/2006
17:15:20

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
There are guys on here that replaced the bearings only in those assemblies. I have not done this but It is a reasonable assumtion it can be done and as it was explained. seemed like a sensible thing to do , this coming from a life long mechanic shop owner.As I recall they done this 2 differant ways. One was done at home. the other was done at a machine shop.Do a surch. It has been posted several times.

So many problems .... So little time

toolfan
GenIII

6/12/2006
02:53:48

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
i paid $80 a piece through Rockauto.com the one i got was better than the stocker.

i had a wheel bearing go bad and it took the spindle with it. the spindle at the dealer is $1000. so i got one out of a junk yard. i used Car-parts.com to find the spindle and it had to search 80,000,000 things before finding a spindle.

so don't have a wheel bearing go bad!! because i think i got the last used spindle for $100

i know the 97-04 are sealed. mine at 155k look pretty bad.

toolfan
GenIII

6/12/2006
03:07:51

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
for putting on the wheel bearing you will need to

-take the tire off (with the truck on jack stands)
-take the brake caliber off
-take the brake rotor off
-take the spindle nut off, the spindle nut is what holds the wheel bearing on. the socket size is (36mm)
-if your lucky you can just pull the wheel bearing off the spindle, but if your not a hammer does the trick!
-clean the spindle of any dirt and re-grease with a light layer of high pressure grease
-slid the new wheel bearing on
-torque the wheel bearing nut or spindle nut to (185-lbs)

than reinstall the brake rotor ect....

jpkomm
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

6/12/2006
09:55:30

RE: Dont forget to grease the front bearings
IP: Logged

Message:
So you are saying you can knock the sealed bearings out of a wheel hub unit for..say... a 2000 Dakota 4wd? I prefer greasable bearings. Luckily mine are going fine, and I don't anticipate having to replace anything for quite some time.

Luke Rehmann
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE

12/13/2008
18:12:23

P 1

Post a reply to this message:

Username Registration: Optional
All visitors are allowed to post messages

Name:
Email:
	Notify me when I get a reply to my message:Yes No
Icons:
Subject:
Message:

Home | Forums | Members | Pictures | Contact Us

This site is in no way affiliated with Chrysler or any of its subsidiaries.