Dust Boot Replacement

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LANCE MILLER
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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by LANCE MILLER » Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:17 am

The lifting ring is supposed to rotate on the hub nut and needs to so you can line up the holes that the brass plug is in with the roll pin that goes through the axle to drive it out. As far as getting the tires off, that can be a challenge at times. I usually use a impact gun and drive a socket on the lug nuts so it is seated real good. If the nuts are spun off, try driving a smaller socket on to it. As far as getting the brass plugs out, you could drill them out. You might have to use a right angle drill if you can not get the tire and rim off of the hub.

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WLEIT
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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by WLEIT » Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:15 am

Got the tires off (with a lot of sweat and swearing), had to drill out one brass plug, found no roll pins and am now in the process of cleaning tons of mud and dirt inside the housings. Thanks CHUCK W. and Lance M.

MsChrissi
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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by MsChrissi » Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:32 am

We know what you mean about getting the wheels off. Bought the largest orange plastic dead blow hammer we could find at HF, put liquid wrench all the way around the wheel/hub (thats where all the friction is apparently) and just kept rotating and beating on the inside of the rim. We're worn out but successful. Took one of the wheels with a flat around to a garden tractor place figuring they would have a tire machine about the right size, they dismounted it for a smile :wink:
In each case it was clear a sixth grade education was not enough for the motor pool people who had previously serviced these hubs. Cotter pins through three of them, mystery metal in the forth, thread galling on all four where someone attempted to use muscle over intelligence :cry:

WLEIT
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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by WLEIT » Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:01 am

Hey Chuck, about the dust boot thing, when you copper coat the shims, do you do both sides? And, is this coating what keeps the oil from leaking around the king pin? I'm finally putting this together today, so.... USMC 324548 should make it's debut in about two weeks.

walt

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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by Chuck W. » Thu Oct 14, 2010 8:03 am

yes, I spray both sides and let them dry. Still get a few drips at the kingpin studs, but it sure seems to slow the leaks down. I don't use silicone gasket maker on the shims because it takes up too much space and screws up the bearing pre-load.

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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by Chuck W. » Thu Oct 14, 2010 8:09 am

Bought the largest orange plastic dead blow hammer we could find at HF, put liquid wrench all the way around the wheel/hub (thats where all the friction is apparently) and just kept rotating and beating on the inside of the rim.
That's what I do.......but I have had rotator cuff surgery on both sholders, probably as a direct result of that big orange hammer! :D

by the way, the wheel rim is suppose to fit tight onto the hub, that's where the load-bearing surface is, not the studs....or so I was told by a mule guru one time.
thread galling on all four where someone attempted to use muscle over intelligence
those little roll pins don't hold up to a three foot cheater pipe very well! Don't force it, just get a bigger hammer!! :?

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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by MsChrissi » Tue Oct 26, 2010 8:40 pm

If we take apart the axle joint, how critical is it that all the bits go back in the same place? So far we've been able to juggle it without it falling apart but I'd like to get it really clean before repacking it with grease. In our case the whole thing including the gears is packed with grease rather than greased and filled with gear oil.
Which brings us to assembling the rest of it. Do we grease the gears? I would expect from the drain pathways etc they are designed to be just oiled then operate the mule frequently enough to circulate the oil up throught the gears and bearings? The idler gear is hollow with a pathway to feed oil from the gear teeth out to the needle bearings.
How is the best way to remove th eneedle bearings?
Thanks for all the help around here!

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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by Chuck W. » Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:23 am

If the balls fall out of the CV joint, I don't think it matters which one goes where, except for the center one with the pin hole in it! As far as grease, I pack the upper and lower king pin bearings just like you would a wheel bearing, I pack the CV joint with a small handfull of grease, just enough to make sure everything is lubed. Everything else just gets a light coat of grease, just to make sure nothing is dry on startup. As long as you don't use too much grease, the oil and grease will mix and form a "pudding" that will keep everything lubricated. The real danger is getting water into the hub, the water will settle to the bottom and float the grease and oil out of the bottom kin pin bearing and it will rust solid.

For the needle bearings in the cover that have the caps behind them, you can just drive them out and reinstall the cap (expansion plug). For the one in the axle housing with the blind hole, you will need a small blind hole bearing puller, like this one from Harbor Freight:
Image

MsChrissi
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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by MsChrissi » Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:31 am

OMG! an opportunity to buy more tools! This is so much better than shoes.
Do you have a HF stock #? I thought we already had one of everything they have.

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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by MsChrissi » Wed Oct 27, 2010 3:39 pm

Picked up suggested HF bearing puller, worked like a charm. Thanks!

WLEIT
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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by WLEIT » Wed Oct 27, 2010 3:47 pm

i just finished one side (passenger) of the front drop axle housing (and am starting the nightmare all over with the drivers side) but..... I put the needle bearings (axle housing with the knockouts) in and screwed both up. So..... I now take it to a automotive machine shop and for $10.00, had the bearings installed. i did the same for the knuckle race gear and seal (again 10 bucks). I put in the blind side successfully using a wood dowel, block and wood hammer. What am i saying? I have eliminated the worry and headaches (and costly mistakes)of installing the bearings by letting a professional do it. When i get the only #!$%? broken screw drilled out in the axle housing, i'm happily taking every shot bearing job (and yes, they will all be replaced, including the CVC joint which fell apart as i pulled it out) to the machine shop and for under 50 bucks get it all taken care of in a hour. Then maybe, this pig will be ready to rock, come Vet's day. Happy Muleing!

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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by MsChrissi » Wed Oct 27, 2010 5:45 pm

Ouch, this needs a proper press not a hammer. Glad you found someone to do the job for a reasonable price.

MsChrissi
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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by MsChrissi » Wed Oct 27, 2010 5:50 pm

I noticed our old axle/hub seals were a different shape than the replacements. The old ones were stepped; on the outside part they came in about 1/8" towards the axle then they bumped out another 1/8". The new ones are just flat across.

WLEIT
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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by WLEIT » Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:11 pm

Oops, I meant: knuckle race bearing. When i put in the blind needle bearing, i didn't pound it in. I gently tapped it in. And using wood is a whole lot stressful than a metal hammer. But... i now have a Tusk bearing puller kit, even though for peace of mind, i'm still letting the machine shop pro's do the work. Good luck with your project. i guess we all have tales to tell.

MsChrissi
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Re: Dust Boot Replacement

Post by MsChrissi » Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:52 am

WLEIT wrote:Oops, I meant: knuckle race bearing. When i put in the blind needle bearing, i didn't pound it in. I gently tapped it in. And using wood is a whole lot stressful than a metal hammer. But... i now have a Tusk bearing puller kit, even though for peace of mind, i'm still letting the machine shop pro's do the work. Good luck with your project. i guess we all have tales to tell.
I noticed the blind needle bearings were in at different depths, I guess I will have to guage this relative to the parts going into them?


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