How To: Replace Front Wheel Bearing 98-00 ranger

Hello guys and gals, today we will be replacing a front wheel bearing/hub on a 1999 4x4 Ranger (no 4wd ABS). This write up will work for a 98-00 4x4 Ranger WITHOUT 4wd ABS.

Disclaimer - Rangerforum.net nor I will take ANY responsibility for damage or injury caused by or due to this "How To". If you hurt yourself or break your truck thats YOUR FAULT!

Tools Required
Rachet
8mm socket
13mm socket
15mm socket
Hog-ring pliers
Set of picks or 2 long skinny allens
Flat screw driver
Hammer
Piece of wood

First off, remove your wheel

Remove your brake caliper by the two bolts behind it (13mm)

Next comes the caliper bracket. Two bolts behind the bracket will remove this piece. (15mm)

After you remove the caliper bracket, look behind the rotor, around the half shaft is a thin metal collar with two small bolts holding it in place. The two bolts need to be removed, but the collar will stay. (8mm)

Remove your 4x4 hub. It will pop off with a screw driver.

When the hub is removed you can slide your rotor off. It may take a little muscle to get off.

Now comes the hardest part. There are two rings that hold the bearing in place. The first is a metal spring-like ring that locks on top of another plastic ring. This is where the pick set comes in handy.


The next ring is plastic. Try not to brake it, it will cost like $12 at the dealer. It is not a "closed ring". You will need the hog-ring pliers for this step.


On the back side of the bearing are three bolts holding the bearing to the axle. They need to be taken out (15mm). When they are taken out, the bearing will be free to be removed.

Be sure to wipe out the insied where you removed the rings. I wiped it out with a shop rag, then with steel wool followed by another wipe with a rag.


Now to put the new hub on and put it back together. First, put your new hub on using the three bolts you removed from the back of the hub. (15mm)

Now put the two rings back in. The orange pastic ring goes first. Again this is the part where it is nice to have a pick set but you can get away with using a few long skinny allen wrenches. Be sure to push this ring as far back as possible, it should snap in place.

Next comes the metal spring-like ring. It is best to try to coil it over the other ring. This ring must go around the lip of the pastic ring.

Once you have that ring secured around the plastic one, you can put the two bolts back into the metal collar behind the bearing. (8mm)
Now you can begin to put the brakes back on starting with siding the rotor on.

Next comes the caliper mounting bracket. (Two 15mm bolts)

Caliper. (Two 13mm bolts)

After the brakes are back together, put the 4x4 hub on. I wiped out most of the grease inside the hub and put fresh in. Also re-grease the inside where the rings go. When putting the hub on, it should just pop on but to be sure put a board on the face of the hub and tap it with a hammer to make sure its on all the way.

Finished product

This took me about an hour and a half from start to finish. Good luck.