A bit of a scuffing noise in the front end. Not sure if its a break shoe or a bearing but figured 47 years old, might as well as open up the front spindles and inspect and repack the bearings. Here's the right front, left front is coming after the paint dries. Bearings and races are fine, shoes are great, just a bit of tip contact between the shoe and drum, no worries and its high time to replace that old greese in the bearings anyway.
Jack it up, pull the wheel, drum and bearings. Make sure you use two points of contact for support with the wheels chocked, break on and in gear, ignition keys secured. 4000 lbs is a heavy truck.
Got some greese on my Motors manual. About time! Got to get a truck manual but wheel bearing adjustments and packing are about the same, just have to make sure ya have the one to eight thousands end play upon retorquing the bearings.
Clean and inspect the spindle shaft. Gauling or straw to black discoloration indicates overheated bearings and imminent failure. Replace the entire spindle unless it looks smooth, silver and like new. This one is fine.
Inspect the inner and outer drum bearing races as well. Same, discoloration and gauling indicates failure. These are in good shape and will be left in place pending an entire front suspension overhaul.
Bearings get cleaned in solvent (I use gasoline) to get out all the old grit and the greese in these was black and stiff as a board. Allow them plenty of time to dry, shake the solvent out or gently blow it out with air but don't spin up dry bearings. These are reasonably good condition, could be left in or replaced. I'll leave em in, they are American bearings, not discolored or falling apart or gauled. No flat spots on any of the rollers.
Now is a good time to clean up the drum. Wire brush is fine to knock off loose paint and rust. Incidentally, the inner diameter is smooth as a babys butt and mikes within specification. I'll reuse the drum, prolly for years yet. Rags keep grit and paint off the bearing races.
A light coat of dark automotive primer. Not looking for Class A restoration quality, just rust prevention.
After repacking the bearings with fresh greese, by hand, greese up the inner bearing race and drop in the bearing. The original seal and greese "Slinger Catcher" is ready for install.
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Using appropriate sized drivers, PVC pipe section, Socket, etc, gently tap the rear seal back into the drum untill it just bottoms. Don't crush it, don't get it bottomed unevenly. Then the greese slinger catcher is gently tapped into place with a rahide mallet. Again, bottomed evenly and gentle, gentle, don't crush it.
Partially install the drum on spindle and greese the front bearing race lightly. Gobbs of greese just gets slung off. Its needed in the bearing for the most part. Packing bearings by hand is messy and I kinda clean up as I go, lots of old Tshirts are always helpful.
Seat the drum, install the outer bearing, keyed bearing retainer washer and castle nut. Run the nut up by hand. I turn the drum while wrenching the nut up tight but not so tight as to bind the drum, running it in tight and loose several times while spinning the drum. At the final run up I back off the castle nut to the nearest slot and install the cotter pin and the greese cup.
Primer is dry and a coat of black spray paint to top it off. As soon as the paint dries, a dab of greese on the lug bolts, reinstall the wheel and off to the drivers side to inspect and maintain.
