Brakes and wheel bearings - might as well start *somewhere*

Hey folks, I think at some point I'll probably put up an infrequently-updated diary of sorts here but starting off I've got more questions than statements. I figured I should start at the bottom, literally, and work my way backwards through the drive chain. So Wheels/Brakes/Rotors/Bearings is first up.

I'm pretty accustomed to brake work and bearings on newer cars but Jolene The F150 is a whole new ball of wax. I'm starting to collect the parts I'll need to replace and find that I'm way out of my element with bearings on this 4x4. I'm seeing tons of option on Rockauto for bearings and at least 3 difference sizes; 9" 8.8" and 8.5" and a few say "for Chassis Number F70001 and up (but none of them state for chassis numbers lower than that - mine is A24337). Anyway, where can I reference the right sizes of bearings for my vehicle? And what's up with that chassis number thing?

Also I'm thinking, for a truck this old that hasn't been terribly well maintained, if I should replace pretty much everything on the front wheels (breaks, bearings, hubs, rotors ... all of it). So I started looking into hubs and Rockauto is mighty confusing on this front, because while Youtube videos show the hub and rotor as coming together, the only hub/rotor combos on rock auto are for FWD variant trucks.

I guess I'll stop there, I've got a laundry list of unknowns but if I can get through the wheels and move on to frame and suspension related concerns in the next few weeks I'll be super happy.

I know what you are dealing with as I recently used the Rock Auto site to find parts, or at least part numbers.  And at times it was very confusing, particularly since Ford made running changes.  However, Ford usually stated a build date rather than a chassis # for the changes, so I don't know where RA got the chassis number thing.

My recommendation is that you get familiar with Ford's documentation.  Specifically, go to Documentation/Driveline/Axles & Differentials.  And then click on the Rear Axles & Differentials tab and read through the preamble.  I admit it is confusing, but walking through it will eventually get you to Ford's parts list for your specific axle and you'll know what parts are needed.  And the same thing is true for the front axle.

But, I'm not saying you have to do all of the searching alone.  If, or maybe when, you get stuck just give us the facts and we can help.  For instance, a shot of the certification label on the door jamb is a big help.  And the codes off the tags on the axles - if they are still there.

Rock auto confuses me. I got all my stuff from bronco graveyard for that reason

Takes some research and looking around on Rock Auto.  See if they include "front", "outer", etc. on some of their descriptions.  The 9" and 8.8" will be for the rear, and 8.5" is a Dana 44 front diff.  Sometimes they're vague about all of it.  I've been on there extensively lately, as I'm rebuilding a Dana 44 straight axle for a swap into mine, and there are plenty of seal and bearing options.  Thankfully I have a mud-bogging buddy who has rebuilt and repaired quite a few D44 front ends, so I get a help and pointers that way, and have often pulled up Dana/Spicer and Timken online catalogs to verify what Rock Auto doesn't.  

Good luck, and ask plenty of questions.  

Thanks for the lead Gary.

Well it turns out that Jolene is a little thin on documentation. She doesn't have either tag on the axle pumpkin to identify the ratio and the vehicle tag on the door frame is missing the third digit to fully identify the axle. I will say that the VIN itself does decode to a 4x4 vehicle to I don't think the any of the former owners are guilty of any swap-out shenanigans - but who knows. Anyway, I took a wire brush to all the gunk under there and found a few stamped numbers along the various and sundry axle pieces but those appear to be simple part numbers that don't help me get to what I'm ultimately looking for (bearing sizes).

Gary, have you run into such a lack of information before? Where else could I look on here to find what I need?

Jon - On the front axle, I'm not seeing anything in those #'s that helps.  But have you gone through the steps on the front axle tab where it says "No Tag: If you don't have the tag or can't read it then use this process:"?

On the rear axle I see an "18" in the axle spot on the certification label, and that means the rear axle has a 3.75M rating.  And according to the application table, shown below, you have either a 9" or an 8.8".  So you'll need to determine which you have, but there are a number of web pages to help with that.  And when you do you'll then know which parts list to use.

Gary Lewis wrote

I know what you are dealing with as I recently used the Rock Auto site to find parts, or at least part numbers.  And at times it was very confusing, particularly since Ford made running changes.  However, Ford usually stated a build date rather than a chassis # for the changes, so I don't know where RA got the chassis number thing.

RockAuto is better than it was, but it can still be confusing if you're not overly familiar with the vehicle you're ordering parts for...or not familiar with Ford parts (and the many changes) during that era. RockAuto has since fixed what I would consider a fairly serious issue and that was that they had the 351M and 351W parts all together, and it caused a lot of hassles for several people.

Imagine though...explaining to some data entry kid, probably not even in North America, the difference between a 5.8 and a 5.8 lol. Unless you were born before 1980 and have some Ford knowledge, forget it.

Anyway, RockAuto is one of those sites that requires some knowledge going in.

Until Jolene I never came up against RA's shortcomings, they served me well for the Honda and Subaru. But it turns out that Ford was going through some things in the early 80s (I mean, metric and SAE on the same vehicle - that's nuts!) and I think rock auto's natural organization just isn't compatable with the wild differences between vehicles and model year that apparently the Ford lineup went through.

Yeah I don't know much about these trucks, there is a LOT to learn. But I'll get there, it'll just take some time.

Ford rears are quick and easy to identify, at least at the half ton level: removable cover on the back side of the differential = 8.8", removable center section (comes out the front) = 9".  Kind of hard to see in the pic, but looks like an 8.8.  

85pig, sorry about the photos, for whatever reason they wouldn't orient correctly. It turns out my rear axle has a removable cover. So, thanks for the lead, that's 50% of the way. I'm still working on understanding this Dana 44 axle, but any progress is good progress.

the 8.8 has the removeable cover where the 9 has the removeable front section.

The D44 IFS is pretty consistent across the five lug Bronco & F-150 range.
Are you just looking for bearing and seal numbers, or is there something more?

Jim, Ultimately I'm just looking to identify the correct front bearings so can replace them. I've watched a few youtube videos and feel like it's something I can do but realized identifying the correct sized part is not as easy as I was hoping.

I got bearings and seals on LMC for my Dana 44 TTB and they were correct. Can't tell ya the part numbers since they use store item # only.

From one with a crusty neglected truck to another, there are a few caveats to doing this job. First is the 4x4 hubs might be stuck and my solution was to affix a steel plate to the hub using the Allen screws and drive it out with a slide hammer. My hubs were unusable when I pulled them out. Second is the special socket that makes taking out the bearing lock ring easier.

Jeff's Bronco Graveyard offers a kit of Timken bearings and seals for both sides at $48

https://shop.broncograveyard.com/D44-TIMKEN-Wheel-BearingsRaces-SealsBOTH-SIDES/productinfo/32096/

If you look at the photo it is Timken set-45 and set-37.

To me, under $50 all in is a screaming deal, and you support one of long standing pioneers in quality suspension parts and 460 swaps.