Okay~ So as I wait on Santa to deliver my disc brake conversion parts, I guess I need to remove the lug studs to get ready for the new ones that come with the kit. This way I can more easily clean and paint the hubs as well! (It's supposed to be in the mid to upper 60s this weekend in Kansas...) So, I would guess I need to put a nut on the lug and beat it out with a hammer. I guess spraying it/heating it would be needed. What are your ideas for this? Many thanks in advance! (I'm so~SOOO happy to finally be near this point!)
One other thing... (yeah, right!) I know it says replace bearings with roller bearings, but would you all say that is really important, or should the old ball bearings do the trick? Thanks!
My opinion (and experience) only, is that ball bearings worked just fine with my '57 102 GMC. It was important to properly lube and adjust the bearings once a year, about 4000 miles for me. Factory recommended replacement procedure for front wheel lugs is here: http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/gmc/5559mm/5559mm666.html I didn't worry about swaging the new ones into place. The rotor doesn't have a chamfer. It did take a BFH to get the new ones in. Make sure you have something "backing up" the rotor/hub when you bang in each new stud. I found it easiest to use a socket centered on the bolt hole and an assistant to hold the rotor/hub. Correct way to do it would probably be to use a hydraulic press, but I didn't have access to one.
Thanks, Bill. That link is a great one! Looks like I'll need to go buy a couple of drill bits as I wore out my others on drilling out rivits... I was thinking a deep socket would probably be a good idea to help support things around the stud being removed. So with the kit I'm getting, I guess when it's time to repack the bearings you could simply remove the rotor from the original hub and hang it out of the way, giving access to just the hub?
My way. The lug bolts I used had a knurled contacting surface that reached through the hub and almost all the way through the rotor. So once you install the lug bolts you have to beat (or press) them back out, usually *^$%ing up the threads. Plan on leaving the rotor and hub as one piece unless you need to replace one or the other. When I repacked the bearings on mine I: 1. removed tire 2. removed two caliper bolts 3. removed caliper leaving brake hydraulic line attached 4. removed pads from caliper 5. hang caliper (using coat hanger wire, etc.) from handy inner fender panel hole 6. inspect pads for wear and replace if necessary. I only replaced pads twice in 100,000 miles 7. clean and inspect caliper bolts for wear. I replaced one in 100,000 miles 8. remove hub cap 9. remove cotter pin from spindle 10. check spindle nut for looseness. I always start by trying to tighten it with a torque wrench to the factory prescribed 45-60 ft/lbs while counting "flats" rotation on the nut. Then back the nut out 1 flat + enough to get either cotter pin hole to line up. Subtract "1 + enough" from the original number of "flats" while tightening. Don't be surprised if it the answer is 1 or 2. Mine often was, showing a slight bit of wear in the bearings (or maybe stretch in the spindle??) 11. remove spindle nut 12. pull rotor& hub toward you about 1 " 13. curse loudly because greasy washer and maybe outer bearing inner race and ball cage that just fell in the lap of your new pants that SWMBO said to change before starting this job. 14. if they have not yet fallen off, remove washer and outer bearing inner race and ball cage 15. remove hub/rotor assembly 16. remove seal from the back side of the hub (National 6064 @ FLAPS) 17. remove inner bearing inner race and ball cage 18. clean, inspect (and replace if necessary) bearings. 19. repack bearings with modern day wheel bearing grease 20. use a c-clamp to push the caliper piston back into the caliper. This makes getting the caliper and pads back onto the rotor much easier. 21. re-assemble in reverse order the factory prescribed "pre-load" on the bearings instructions start here: http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/gmc/5559mm/5559mm662.html be sure to use caliper grease (one can lasted me 100,000 miles and is still half full) on the back side of the pads and the caliper bolts during re-assembly Once everything is back together get in the truck and slowly press the brake pedal. It will most likely sink to near the floor. This is because of step 20. Release the brake pedal and re-apply (maybe more than once) as you push the caliper piston back to the correct position. This method is much better than finding out you have no brakes as you back into SWMBO's Lexus. Now is a good time to inspect and adjust the rear brakes and check fluid level in the master cylinder. After a tank of gas, it's not a bad idea to jack up the front end and re-check the bearing pre-load. No need to remove the caliper to do this.
I love it, Bill!!! Great read! Step 8 had me a bit cornfused, but I figured out quickly that was the dust cap. (I'm smart like that~) I absolutely love step 13! How true! But seriously, thank you for your time with those instructions. I promise to drink a beer in your honor every time I go through this process on MY truck!
Easy Outer Bearing Removal : Just remove the cotter pin and castle nut then hold one hand with a Hospital clean rag and BANG the top of the tire with your other hand , the bearing and thrust washer will plop into your hand/rag , I still change my trousers first though as SWMBO yells too loud ! .
