If you repack the bearings you really dont need to get a new seal, unless the old one is leaking I would reuse it after a little cleaning, the front bearing usually comes out easliy

Once you get the front one out you can put the nut and washer back on and pop the back one out, this saves time and doesnt mess up the seal

 

The method described here works great.

Seals are cheap though..... I replace them as a matter of course.

 

This is exactly what my rotor looks like. Does this mean I can't use normal slip on rotors?

 

Is there anything special I would have to do to change my stock rotors to cross drilled and/or slotted?

 

^ nothing special beyond the cost. just replace them. 2wd rotors come with the center hubs, and probably have new bearing races pressed in. just me, but i'd put in new bearings and seal.

no, you cannot replace your 2wd rotors with 4wd rotors. you wouldn't have any lugs....

 

Do you mean stock rotors come with center hubs? Aftermarket rotors that I have seen for these trucks that are cross drilled and/or slotted look like normal rotors.

 

Define "normal"?

Some trucks have a hub and bearing assembly the the rotor sits on, and is held in place by bolting the wheel on.... Others are basically one piece hub/rotor assembly, that are held in place by the nut that holds the outer wheel bearing in. I don't know what the year breakpoint was.....

 

This is what I was calling "normal". I am such a noob, i know.

 

Guess I am more used to Rear wheel drives. Where the front rotor being held in place by the wheel bearings is 'normal'.

Am I showing my age?

Don't answer that.

 

You could have grown up racing cars.......... Anyway I am organizing my next project on the ram which will be the brakes. I was able to follow the advice given at the top of this thread to change the pads, but I want to change all the break parts as I don't think they have been changed in a while.