F350 DRW Brakes and rotors... should I replace bearings while I am at it?

[Stimw]

You are there, remove them, inspect them (there are no secrets good VS bad bearings/races), replace the seals!
Also Change the rear axle oil, then top off.
You don't need to "repack" them because they weren't packed. A light coat of grease will hold until the oil circulates.
Short cuts will come back to bite you!

 

[nickmags]

As has been mentioned, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" Inspect, sure.

 

[3930dave]

One more tip for that rear axle OP, as I don't think it's been mentioned....

Make sure to check that the axle vent line is clear. Sometimes people (even shops) change the seals to cure a leak, only to have it come back. Often the real problem in those cases is that the vent line is blocked. It doesn't take much dirt to block that small vent fitting hole, which can pressurize the diff once it heats up.

Rgds, D.

 

[Dadnatron]

I appreciate your thoughts.

I will check everything while I'm working on the brakes, but as has been often stated, I'll leave things alone until they are broke or bad, if they aren't showing issues.

BTW... I was talking about both front and back.

After checking on the hub assembly costs, I will just wait until/if they go bad. For Rears... I'll pull and check them out.

Thanks for the help, knowledge, and opinions.

 

[QRTRHRS]

At only 150k, unless this truck shows signs of abuse or leaking seals, I would not be pulling axles. If you do though, like mentioned, change the lube and use a synthetic. Make sure you raise and lower each side to drain the axle tubes. Is there a rear axle drain plug? Likely not so you will want to have a tube of silicon on hand to seal the cover.

 

[Copperhead]

Not sure why anyone would mess with their axle bearings. I typically haven't even checked or changed out drive axle bearings on my commercial trucks well over 1 million miles. Have never had to do bearings in a 3/4 ton in my lifetime, and I owned my first pickup in 1970. Seals a few times, yeah. Bearings, never. In almost 5 million miles of commercial driving, not one axle bearing replaced and two of my commercial trucks racked up over 1 million miles and I currently have 622,000 miles on my present one. Front axle hubs and bearings from time to time on some others, of course. Unlike Tim Allen's method which is..."if it aint broke, you can probably still fix it"... I prefer to actually not mess with something like bearings until it needs it. Axle gear lubes we have today are light years ahead of what was available decades ago.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Not sure why anyone would mess with their axle bearings. I typically haven't even checked or changed out drive axle bearings on my commercial trucks well over 1 million miles. Have never had to do bearings in a 3/4 ton in my lifetime, and I owned my first pickup in 1970. Seals a few times, yeah. Bearings, never. In almost 5 million miles of commercial driving, not one axle bearing replaced and two of my commercial trucks racked up over 1 million miles and I currently have 622,000 miles on my present one. Front axle hubs and bearings from time to time on some others, of course. Unlike Tim Allen's method which is..."if it aint broke, you can probably still fix it"... I prefer to actually not mess with something like bearings until it needs it. Axle gear lubes we have today are light years ahead of what was available decades ago.

Once upon a time I saw bearings like in the photo posted by dieselcrawer on a Mack Cruisliner with 200k on it. Hard to blame the 300 Mack with a five speed for too much grunt. Perhaps it was coming out of Canada with a load of white cedar after the sap came up.... But then 85-90k gross combinations will do that on trucks of that vintage.

 

[confused8122]

At only 150k, unless this truck shows signs of abuse or leaking seals, I would not be pulling axles. If you do though, like mentioned, change the lube and use a synthetic. Make sure you raise and lower each side to drain the axle tubes. Is there a rear axle drain plug? Likely not so you will want to have a tube of silicon on hand to seal the cover.

Some years of the fords, rear rotors are captive. You have to pull the axle and hub to change the rotor.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Some years of the fords, rear rotors are captive. You have to pull the axle and hub to change the rotor.

Which should be the case in this instance.