Screw it- I’m back to re-replacing every darn part in the front brake system starting with the hub/rotors with bearings and races. If that doesn’t work it’s calipers and disc pads next and finally the soft brake lines. Screw the money- I can’t ride cash anywhere and too old to start on a new (used) van.

I don’t know what I’m doing but am considering having the new rotors turned down to make them thinner before installation. Because at the end of all re-replacements I’m looking for an exorcist. If that doesn’t work I’m still left with one hell of a roomy coffin.

 

Just use a c-clamp of some sort to make sure the calipers are fully compressed, so they will fit on easy. NO need to turn the rotors......

 

And no need for me to keep "grasping at straws".

For many years I've been lucky that with the help from this site my issues were always found quickly. I read other stories, "horror" stories, where things were not so simple but the problems were tracked down in the end. It's just "my turn" now.

 

I'll ask because I can't seem to find it anywhere in this thread. Have you had the front end aligned yet? If the front end is out of spec by too much, the tires aren't running true to each other, and this can stress the wheel bearings, resulting in them running hot. Also, you mentioned wanting to use high speed grease on the bearings. That is not the correct grease to use. You'll want to use grease that is labeled, "high temperature wheel bearing grease."

 

Thanks alloro,

About 6 months ago I made the decision to repair my aging van instead of looking for another. I started with most of the front suspension and steering linkage being replaced followed by new tires and wheel alignment. One part replaced was the upper control arms. The ride was smooth so the brakes were next.

Most of this recent brake work was done to eliminate an intermittent overheating front wheel problem I had about once every 2 months. The wheels would overheat to an extreme extent and the brakes would drag so hard that I’d have to pull off the road immediately for things to cool down. Then I could drive again for a couple months without overheating or drag.

With that fixed I was concerned about what the overheating may have done to the bearings which for all I know were original since buying the van at 70K miles and now at 107K. There wasn’t a speck of grease under the dust caps either.

As far as I’d gone I figured I’d finish it out all the way- new hub/rotor assemblies with new bearings and races. When the mechanic was installing these parts he noticed something wrong with the new upper control arms- they had 3600lb ball joints floating around where the larger 4000lb ball joints were supposed to be. The correct ball joints fit the control arms perfectly and were swapped in. I asked if the alignment should still be OK and he said “probably”.

Looking at your comment, alloro, in hindsight “probably” sort of implies “but maybe not”. I’m getting the wheels re-aligned this weekend and hope to come back with the “cool” news of no overheating. If that’s the case I’ll have new bearings and races installed because I heard some scary noises up there once or twice.

For the grease type also Thank You. I know it took you time to look through my post as it did the other life savers on this forum. I believe most of you folks worked on these vans a lot “back in the day” and are a storehouse of experience most present day mechanics don’t have. I’ve noticed fewer and fewer posts here over the years and will do my best to be “the last van standing”

EDIT- I just read in a couple places that beside the ball joint change, a new alignment is advised after a wheel bearing change unless the bearings were part of a hub assembly. My bearings are not part of the hub/rotor assemblies so I’ll get my new bearings first and then the new alignment. I guess

 

The only time I worry about an alignment after doing bearings, is if the front was REALLY sloppy to begin with.... Otherwise, just doing bearings is going to be such a minor change, that I doubt the alignment rack would even be able to notice a difference.

 

I was hoping to hear that very thing because to do bearings then alignment and find I still had something else to fix could end up leading to another alignment after that.

Thanks

 

I took my van for a scheduled appointment at Pep Boys today for an alignment prior to installing new front wheel bearings scheduled for tomorrow. Hard to believe after 2 hours I was told they couldn't do the alignment because “your van’s so old you need to come back Tues. when the guy who knows how to align your van is on duty”.

Anyway, I was told “everything’s in the green except your camber’s out -2.7”.
My question is would anyone know if that -2.7 should be close enough that I can safely get my new hub/rotors and bearings in on schedule tomorrow and take the 40mph 8 mile drive to get my alignment the next day with no possibility of damage because of the -2.7 to the new bearings?

Thanks

 

Should be just fine. Camber is the wheel's tilt, so, it'll wear a bit more on one side...... but, not anything you will notice for a couple years.

 

Well, I’m “fairly certain” the problem has been fixed. I say this because the whirring sound is gone and the front wheel overheating I experienced is not near as hot. I had the front hub/rotor and bearings re-replaced yesterday and after a 55 mph ride with plenty of breaking I could touch the hub with my finger for about 3 good seconds before the heat became unbearable to the point I had to pull my finger off. Before you couldn’t touch the hub without instantly having to pull your finger off which finger would blister afterwards. I’m aware things may “cool down” a bit a bit further as my disc pads (replaced 4 months ago) match up with the brand new rotors.

I think I know what the problem was but not with strong enough evidence to accuse my mechanic of swapping my old original bearings for what was supposed to be a new set of bearings 4 months ago. I'm in S. FL where these kinds of things do happen.



Anyway, thank you all. I do hope my "finger test" can hold longer than 3 seconds in the future and bought an oven thermometer to try measure the temps I'm getting now.

With my van squared away I'm ready for the apocalypse now. In my crazy mind!