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Front Wheel Bearing - DIY Job?


Van G

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Need to replace the front right wheel bearing on '10 Edge LTD AWD.

 

If I decide to tackle this myself, any suggestions on the following:

- should I use OEM or after market bearing?

- how do I press the new bearing in?

 

Have done some searches on youtube but most are replacing the whole housing for various Ford models, not just the bearing.

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If you have good mechanical skills, yes, you can do it yourself. You can probably loan the tools from an auto parts store, don't know how it works up in Canada.

 

Bearings & hubs are available integrated these days, no need to press in/out. OEM is fine, Timken is usually a good aftermarket alternative. Cost is not that much more for the integrated part over just the bearing.

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I don't know if the SKF "kit" is pre-assembled, but if so, then yes. You can get the Ford parts from LevittownFordSuperCenter here. Ask Benny/PM him at Levittown if you have any questions.

 

The special tools needed, according to the service manual, are these a front hub remover, and a tie-rod remover while removing the knuckle. While removing the hub, you need Pinion Bearing Cone Remover, Wheel Hub Bearing Cup Installer & Remover, and Stop Plate

 

For full instructions, see the free Chilton's manual, available here. Click on the infotrac URL near the bottom, then click on PROCEED. Pick your vehicle, then Repair, Suspension, Front Suspension. You will see the info you need for the entire process. First the Wheel Knuckle section, then the Wheel Hubs & Bearings section.

Edited by WWWPerfA_ZN0W
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  • 10 months later...

Actually it's much easier than that. Take off the tire, brakes, abs sensor, tie rod nut, then smack the SIDE of where the tie rod attaches to with a hammer until it pops loose. Take off the axle nut, slide out the axle and tie it up to keep it from sliding out. Pop out the race out of the spindle with a bearing press and a hammer, make a cut in the other half of the bearing that's pressed on. In other words there's 2 races, smack one out with a bearing press, cut the other one with an angle grinder and hit the cut with a chisel and hammer til it cracks and it'll slide off. Smack the new one in with a bearing press and hammer, the reassemble in reverse order. I did both my front ones in 1 hour.

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I have not changed a wheel bearing on the Edge, but I have changed the front wheel bearings on a 2006 Nissan Murano AWD and an Infiniti FX45.

 

Nissan/Infiniti bearing go out pretty quick.

 

The Ford Edge seems to have wheel-bearing hub assemblies from what I can tell.

 

If so, then they are easily replaceable as a DIY.

 

I would just make sure you have a can of PB buster, a 20in or longer breaker bar, six point sockets(reduce the chance of rounding-off rusted bolts), and a hub puller with 5lb slide hammer.

 

Trust me those are the most needed tools to remove rusted bolts and to pull the wheel bearing assembly from the steering knuckle.

 

Here some pics of my how-to on removing the wheel-bearing hub assembly from my old 2004 FX45 from a while back.

 

IMG_20131026_175101_114_zps8a2ae8bb.jpgIMG_20131027_075423_717_zpsc69eb741.jpg

IMG_20131027_075449_669_zps2222c43e.jpgIMG_20131027_082736_505_zpsfca44cf0.jpg

IMG_20131025_185400_163_zps10b0a1c8.jpg

01131515191_zpsebabbb77.jpg

I used a hammer to knock off my old hub on the FX45, but used a 5lb slide-hammer when I removed my 2006 Murano wheel bearing hub assembly/cv axle, much easier with the 5lb slide hammer.

 

I also recommend changing both sides at the same time.

 

I also recommend using Timken wheel bearings.

Edited by carguy75
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The edge rear bearings are that way. The front are slightly different. A bearing press is a tool that you hit with a hammer and u can rent from o'reilly or AutoZone and when u return it you get all your money back. The hammer was my most used tool, and I did both of mine.

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The edge rear bearings are that way. The front are slightly different. A bearing press is a tool that you hit with a hammer and u can rent from o'reilly or AutoZone and when u return it you get all your money back. The hammer was my most used tool, and I did both of mine.

Interesting.

 

The Nissan/Infiniti AWD cars are the opposite because the rear axle have the separate press-in bearing type assembly whereas the Ford has them in the front axle.

 

The Nissan/Infiniti cars I owned(both used the same front axle wheel bearing part) had weaker front wheel-bearing hub assemblies that failed before 100k miles(the rear axle press-in type bearings lasted longer, so I never had to change the rear bearings on either car).

 

Is it the same for the Ford Edge wheel bearing assemblies?

 

Or is the front axle press-in bearings the most common to fail in the Edge?

Edited by carguy75
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That's exactly right. The rear bearings on the Edge are notorious for failing. There are several threads on here about failed rear bearings.

 

Thanks for the heads up and information.

 

I left Nissan/Infiniti thinking that they were nice cars(Wife loved the Murano for practicality and I the FX45 for speed ) but they had too many weak factory parts that needed servicing(cv axles,wheel bearings,bad seat motors,etc.) and oil burning engines.

 

The FX45 had a oil burning V8 and the Murano a oil burning V6.

 

Well it looks like I will have the same issues with the Edge it seems(except the oil burning I hope).

 

The good news is that I have experience from changing two sets of wheel bearing assemblies and still got the right tools so I am ready.

Edited by carguy75
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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Seems I have to do both the front wheel bearings and both drive axles as the tone ring came off and you cannot buy just the tone ring.

 

Couple things, where did everyone purchase the 41mm or 1 5/8 1/2 drive socket, having a hell of a time finding a 6 point one.

And also I tried to use the link above for the service manual with no luck, the link is not working anymore. If someone can share

a link for the service manual that will be great. looking for all the torque specs.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Steve

Edited by Shanker
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