Replacing the front wheel bearing hub assembly on your Ford Windstar is not an easy repair do perform at home in the comfort of your driveway. However, it can be done with the right tools and some experience in automotive repairs. Considering the price of the bearing assembly and what the local repair stations charge for labor, think of the money you could save by taking on the project yourself.
Instructions
1. Park the Windstar on a level, paved surface. Apply the parking brake. Leave the ignition key on to the first click position to allow the steering wheel to move freely and unlocked without any of the other power options to engage. This will allow free movement of the front end when the vehicle is elevated.
2. Loosen the lug nuts only on the front wheel you're replacing the wheel bearing on with the breaking bar and a socket.
3. Place a wheel chock behind one of the rear wheels and lift the front of the Windstar with the floor jack.
4. Place a jack stand under the front frame rail and repeat the procedure for the other side in order to elevate the front end.
5. Remove the lug nuts and the wheel.
6. Insert the large screwdriver into the front porthole of the caliper. Compress the piston of the caliper by prying between the outboard brake pad and the rotor until the caliper moves freely on the slides.
7. Locate the two caliper anchor bolts on the back of the knuckle and remove them with the ratchet and a socket. You can remove the caliper, pads and the caliper anchor as an assembled unit to save time and effort by compressing the piston of the caliper slightly and removing the caliper anchor bolts. Support the assembly to the coil spring with bungee cord and do not allow it to dangle by the brake hose.
8. Remove the rotor. If it is stuck stubbornly to the hub, strike it with the rubber mallet to shock it free. Spraying some lubricant on the center hub connection of the rotor to the hub will help. Be persistent and do not give up.
9. Remove the spindle nut from the drive shaft in the center of the hub using the spindle nut socket and the breaking bar. Tap on the spindle of the drive shaft with a hammer until it moves in and out freely from the hub bearing. Be careful with this step to not damage the spindle of the drive shaft.
10. Manipulate the knuckle in any direction to apply the breaking bar and a socket onto the 3-wheel bearing assembly bolts located on the back of the knuckle. These are going to be very tight and hard to remove. Start them with the breaking bar and switch to the socket when they start to move easily.
11. Apply the slide hammer onto the wheel bearing lug studs and tighten three lug nuts to secure the slide hammer to the bearing. Slide hammer the bearing off. Again this will take time and energy. Spray lubricant into the seam of the bearing as it starts to separate from the knuckle. Pay attention to the position of the backing plate and how it's installed between the knuckle and the bearing as it will break free from the knuckle once the bearing comes out.
12. Clean the inside circumference of knuckle that the bearing seats into with emery cloth. Take your time and be thorough. You can move the spindle of the drive shaft around a little to get to the top and bottom if you have to.
13. Line up the backing plate and new hub bearing assembly properly. Make sure to line the splines of the drive shaft spindle properly into the center of the hub bearing assembly.
14. Tap on the bearing with the rubber mallet until you can hand thread the three hub bearing bolts in through the back of the knuckle. Tighten these nuts alternately and switch between them every four to five times to draw the new bearing in evenly. Refer the the owner's manual for the correct torque specifications on the wheel bearing bolts and tighten with the torque wrench and a socket.
15. Replace and tighten the spindle nut on the drive shaft and use the torque wrench and socket to tighten to the recommended torque specified in the owner's manual.
16. Replace the rotor and caliper assembly and tighten the caliper anchor bolts with the torque wrench and socket according the recommendations of the owner's manual.
17.Tighten the lug nuts snugly by hand.
18. Lower the Windstar and torque the lug nuts to recommended torque specifications suggested in the owner's manual. Don't forget to remove the wheel chock.
19. Pump the foot brake pedal a couple times to restore pressure back the caliper piston you pushed in slightly with the screwdriver.
Tags: drive shaft, bearing assembly, caliper anchor, owner manual, spindle drive, spindle drive shaft, wheel bearing
