Blown front rotor

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Doc Pepper
Posts: 625
Joined: July 21, 2006, 1:26 pm
Location: AZ

Blown front rotor

Post by Doc Pepper »

For a few years now I have had spongy brakes. No fluid loss. Multiple bleeds. They were just spongy. Three days ago, I heard a horrendous screeching coming from the front end. When I tested the front passenger wheel, I discovered that the outer wheel bearing was shot. It took me over an hour (with the Flu) to get that stupid rotor off. As usual, I had a spare outer wheel bearing (the inner was still quite good), so I attempted to replace the bearing. Another hour of trying to get that outer race out of the rotor. When I installed the new race, I found that it was loose in the rotor. The rotor was destroyed. Fortunately, I had 2 old rotors that I had purchased from BillW years ago, still with the bearings inside them. Of course, they had no studs. When I attempted to reuse the studs from the old rotor, they were loose. I tried to build up the surface of the studs with a bit of weld, but I ended up spot welding the studs to the rotor. Bottom line, four hours later, I had a working truck again.
Ironically, the brakes are no longer spongy.
slick4x4
Posts: 5721
Joined: April 19, 2008, 10:01 pm
Location: kipp kansas
United States of America

Re: Blown front rotor

Post by slick4x4 »

Kinda off the subject of your post some....
Talking about wheel bearings ...
As a farmer who uses older equipment
I replace wheel bearings on equipment often
Sometimes the hub & spindle get damaged because
It doesn't get found until I turn around and see a
Tire laying in the field :oops:
Spindle chewed up & hub "wallered " out....
But I clean everything up & put it back together
As good as possible ...
but a steering spindle has too be perfect as far as I'm concerned :shock:
Which brings me to this question
Why are the bearings we buy (even the high dollar ones)
Seem like they are never as good as what the factory installed ?
I've never gotten the life from a replacement
(Even using premium grease & bearings , races , seals )
On a perfect spindle and hub.....

Than the original hardware provided
.
.
.
[b]'' I think what scares me the most about you guys is that I understand you '' ..... KID
'' lookin good, a little paint adds at least 100hp!'' ....... COOTER
'' well an old guy can dream cant he? ''............ICEMAN
''I would donate organs before selling my slick''........ HOOFBEAT RACER
64 f100
Posts: 2754
Joined: July 18, 2006, 7:23 am
Location: Carmi, Illinois, 62821

Re: Blown front rotor

Post by 64 f100 »

I think most of our parts are coming from overseas. I've bought new parts such as u-joints that when checked the caps were loose on the joint, before I installed the u-joint ( took it back, and checked several more that were also defective ). Machine quality can be very poor and since it's coming to the United States who gives a big whatever. Other problems arise from trying to compete with the cheap parts coming out of Asia, machines that need replacing or major repairs don't get repaired and tolerances become sub-par. Sometimes, even buying what is considered top of the line, you don't get what you expect or should receive. I had another experience I had not expected recently when trying to buy some 1 thousandths oversized bearings. First they list these as undersize and not oversize although the crank is the undersize part, and second the bearings are being dropped from the parts listings or factory order only. These are the bearings for 1969 to 1977(?) 351w. There was a change in the bearings for the later 351w's, but I was informed it was the groove in the bearing that was modified from being a groove all the way around the bearing halves to only part way around. If I had to guess, I would say the smaller groove would help to force oil out of the groove area on to the load bearing area for better oiling on the shaft. Just guess of course have no proof of my guess work. Many of you will most likely never build your own engines, and that is OK, but for us that do our own work, it becomes more of a problem everyday keeping up with the changes in our country and parts supply. If connected to a machine shop in some way it makes things easier, but for us in the know, machines shops are drying up and getting harder to find. When you do find a good one, getting your parts in and out of the shop can also be a problem. Those folks stay busy, and earn their money. As to brake rotors, I find it pretty cheap to buy a new one of the Ford ones, anyway that are in the 70's trucks. Again foreign made but seemed to work fine, for 35$ each, but if your spindles are damaged, then I suggest replacing those and going used as being cheaper. This can be a problem also as our government has seen fit to penalize those of us that try and conserve by way of saving these old vehicles for parts. Conservation used to be a way of life in this country, now laws are set in place to force you to get rid of your old cars and trucks, and to even stop you from dismantling some on your own property. These laws should be fought before being enacted. Most of us don't have any knowledge of these bills until it is to late.
Doc Pepper
Posts: 625
Joined: July 21, 2006, 1:26 pm
Location: AZ

Re: Blown front rotor

Post by Doc Pepper »

I decided to take the coyote to Mount Lemmon. A 100 mile round trip. About 8 miles from the house, I discovered a horrendous screeching, mixed with howls and knocks, coming from what seemed like my front end.
Since I recently worked on the right front wheel, I decided to check there first.
I discovered that three of the five wheel stud nuts were loose. The only two that were tight were next to each other. When I tried to tighten them, I noticed that the studs were turning with the nuts. Apparently, my welding of the studs to the hub failed.
I limped the truck (very slowly) the eight miles back to the house, trying every mile or so to retighten the nuts, to no avail.
At the house, I had to grind off all five nuts which resulted in the destruction of the wheel. Had I not had the Flu, I might have been able to think of a better plan for removal of the nuts, but ... .
Two hours later, I had a separated hub. I picked up ten new studs from the parts store on the way home, but I discovered that they too were too loose for the hub.
With an irregular heartbeat, restricted breathing, and chronic dizziness, I decided to place the studs in a vise and weld four beds on each one right where the knurling was. I then (with a very large hammer) pounded them into the hub. I placed the spare wheel on the hub and tightened the nuts.
The following morning, I went to the wrecking yard and picked up a replacement wheel. I then took the wheel to a tire shop and had them relocate the tire onto the replacement wheel.
It has been 2 days so far, and everything is nice and tight. I probable should have done this the first time, but ...
When I inspected the hub and studs (what was left of them), I noticed that the locations of my original welds were carved away. It means that my welding was initially effective, but that there was a problem between the welds, the hub and the studs.
Hopefully, this new idea of enlarging the studs where they go into the hub, and then forcing them into the hub will work.
It's ironic that the original studs are actually pressed into the brake drums, but new studs do not have that capability. They expect to be pressed into the hub which is designed to allow them to sit free.
Hopefully this will work.
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