Bent wheel hub during ball joint removal?

[gearhead22]

Hello all. Last night I replaced all 4 ball joints. Today I decided to replace the pads and rotors since they were getting low. I always spin the rotor once the caliper bracket is installed and when I did I noticed the rotor had a wobble to it. First thought was the rotor wasn’t on the hub all the way or the torx bolt holding the rotor on wasn’t right. I rechecked a dozen times and nope it’s got a wobble to it. Rechecked with the orignal rotor and still a wobble. Checked the other side and also a wobble. My thought is that I bent the wheel hub when I hammed it off last night with the axle. I did hammer on the hub when trying to remove it. The driver side required little force, the passenger much more so I switched to a socket on the 12 point bolt. Does this sound plausible? I don’t believe there should be any sort of wobble… I’m thinking I bent the hub on both sides. Which sucks.

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[WILDHOBO]

Hello all. Last night I replaced all 4 ball joints. Today I decided to replace the pads and rotors since they were getting low. I always spin the rotor once the caliper bracket is installed and when I did I noticed the rotor had a wobble to it. First thought was the rotor wasn’t on the hub all the way or the torx bolt holding the rotor on wasn’t right. I rechecked a dozen times and nope it’s got a wobble to it. Rechecked with the orignal rotor and still a wobble. Checked the other side and also a wobble. My thought is that I bent the wheel hub when I hammed it off last night with the axle. I did hammer on the hub when trying to remove it. The driver side required little force, the passenger much more so I switched to a socket on the 12 point bolt. Does this sound plausible? I don’t believe there should be any sort of wobble… I’m thinking I bent the hub on both sides. Which sucks.

I don’t know how that’s possible unless you were using a sledge hammer. Having replaced my hubs, it’d be a thing to bend one with hand tools. How many miles on the jeep? Is there any way the wobble existed before disassembly?

 

[gearhead22]

I don’t know how that’s possible unless you were using a sledge hammer. Having replaced my hubs, it’d be a thing to bend one with hand tools. How many miles on the jeep? Is there any way the wobble existed before disassembly?

50k. Very possible, I’ve only owned it 1.5 months. I just can’t imagine why it would do that. The brakes and rotors appear original so I don’t see where someone would’ve bent both sides prior

 

[WILDHOBO]

50k. Very possible, I’ve only owned it 1.5 months. I just can’t imagine why it would do that. The brakes and rotors appear original so I don’t see where someone would’ve bent both sides prior

Original rotors could be warped. Did you check for a wobble with the hub (unit bearing) by itself? Also possible you just need new unit bearings. I replaced mine around 73k and they were absolutely shot. I should have done it way sooner.

 

[gearhead22]

Original rotors could be warped. Did you check for a wobble with the hub (unit bearing) by itself? Also possible you just need new unit bearings. I replaced mine around 73k and they were absolutely shot. I should have done it way sooner.

I have new rotors, it wobbles with both orignal and new. The bearings have no noticeable play with the tires installed or anything.

 

[Hootbro]

When I did my axle swap recently, I retained my old wheel front wheel bearing hub by driving out the three fasteners on the inside of the knuckle leaving them thread in about 3-4 turns and just took a brass BFL sledge to the bolt heads pushing the hubs out of the knuckles. I knew if a wacked or used a puller on the spindle bearing side, they would get warped.

Most service instructions on wheel bearing hub removal assume you are replacing them so maintaining them in round is not a priority.

 

[gearhead22]

When I did my axle swap recently, I retained my old wheel front wheel bearing hub by driving out the three fasteners on the inside of the knuckle leaving them thread in about 3-4 turns and just took a brass BFL sledge to the bolt heads pushing the hubs out of the knuckles. I knew if a wacked or used a puller on the spindle bearing side, they would get warped.

Most service instructions on wheel bearing hub removal assume you are replacing them so maintaining them in round is not a priority.

I wouldn’t expect them to warp so easily. I could see the passenger side doing it since I did beat on it decently well. But the drive side required very little force.

 

[Hootbro]

I wouldn’t expect them to warp so easily. I could see the passenger side doing it since I did beat on it decently well. But the drive side required very little force.

I do not know what to tell you then. Only know what I can think of is to bush them from the rear like I described. Even the Tech Authority service instructions a vague and just say remove the three bolts and "slide" the hub and bearing out.

Did you clean up the inner hole on the knuckle and the bearing hub outer surface mating area before installing? Was it tightened down evenly and torqued to spec?

 

[gearhead22]

I do not know what to tell you then. Only know what I can think of is to bush them from the rear like I described. Even the Tech Authority service instructions a vague and just say remove the three bolts and "slide" the hub and bearing out.

Did you clean up the inner hole on the knuckle and the bearing hub outer surface mating area before installing? Was it tightened down evenly and torqued to spec?

Yeah I cleaned the knuckle and hub before reinstall. It slid in a little hard but not terrible. Torqued to 75lb per spec reference.

 

[Hootbro]

Yeah I cleaned the knuckle and hub before reinstall. It slid in a little hard but not terrible. Torqued to 75lb per spec reference.

That leaves them being bent then. Can be debatable it should not have happened but you are there none the less.

I would recommend Timken or SKF when shopping if you do not want deal with OEM MOPAR ones again.

 

[gearhead22]

That leaves them being bent then. Can be debatable it should not have happened but you are there none the less.

I would recommend Timken or SKF when shopping if you do not want deal with OEM MOPAR ones again.

I will probably buy one, swap it and see if it alleviates the issue. Then purchase the other side

 

[WILDHOBO]

When I did my axle swap recently, I retained my old wheel front wheel bearing hub by driving out the three fasteners on the inside of the knuckle leaving them thread in about 3-4 turns and just took a brass BFL sledge to the bolt heads pushing the hubs out of the knuckles. I knew if a wacked or used a puller on the spindle bearing side, they would get warped.

Most service instructions on wheel bearing hub removal assume you are replacing them so maintaining them in round is not a priority.

I’ve had mine out several times, and was always able to get them out with a hand wiggle.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I will probably buy one, swap it and see if it alleviates the issue. Then purchase the other side

At 50k, you might as well just replace them. They don’t cost very much.

 

[Rusty PW]

With the rotors removed. Put a dial indicator on the bearing hub and see how much run out there is. Next is to install the rotors and use at least 3 lug nuts to hold then in place. The put the dial indicator on the rotor hub and see how much run out there is there. Next move the dial indicator to the outer part of the rotor where the pads sits and check the run out there. If you have 0.003 to 0.005 on the bearing hub. You're good there. If you have 0.003 to 0.005 on the rotor hub. You're good there. The rotor should be 0.003 to 0.005. If any are greater, that's your problem.

 

[Lost1wing]

If it was a yard toy I would say," if you beat it crooked, you can beat it straight". I would do what Rusty PW said to do and not what Michael Jackson says to do.

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