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Follow up -
Finally had some time last Saturday to change bearings, races, rotors & pads.
Really appreciate the guidance I got here.
Very smooth quiet ride now. Feels effortless too.
The drivers knuckle / spindle metal looks to have been tempered / discolored by the bad bearing.
Discolored bands on knuckle feel perfectly smooth to finger touch but I don’t know if this now creates some metallurgical issue and it’s only a matter of time before new bearing(s) wear prematurely ?
https://imgur.com/a/OAlgg2m
I went to remove the drivers side bearing nut with a pick (rather optimistic of me), like I saw in the
movies videos, and ended up needing a breaker bar and hub socket to loosen. I estimate it took about 40 ft. lbs. to break free. About the same for passenger side. (Was told previous owner always took vehicle to local Firestone for brakes … and my neighbor had the audacity to ask why I was doing the work myself).
Improvised with some plastic & aluminum pipe for some tasks, but glad I bought a bearing grease packer (speedy when you have limited time), hub socket, torque wrenches, brushless impact gun, caliper spreader. I did bleed all the brakes the day before just to prep.
Unlike videos I saw: I first separated the hub from old rotor. Brushed metal, then reassembled the old rotor back again to the hub (3 snugged bolts) so I could beat on the assembly to punch/seat parts. Only after large bearing, races & grease seal were fitted did I install new rotor(s). (copper anti-seize applied - but in my climate I don't need it). Reluctor wheels were caked in crud making me think metallic items could embed and fool abs sensor so I cleaned them up a bit for my own peace of mind whether it actually was necessary at all.
https://imgur.com/a/YfR9kVG
Gloves on for the first side, bare hands and 4 times as fast for the passenger side.
Basic daily driver parts. Bedded pads… never heard of bedding pads before and have n-e-v-e-r seen any brake shop I've visited do this (especially not 30 reps). But I did it ‘by the book’, occasionally using hand brake to full stop if I needed to. Brakes feel good, work well.
Acquiring torque wrenches taught me that I’ve been over tightening everything all my life.
All in all a huge weight off my shoulders. Tools, knowledge and experience gained for other repairs.
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