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Front Wheel Bearings -4WD-92-98-DD51T-Suzuki

Discussion in 'Suzuki Carry' started by spaner, Jun 10, 2012.

  1. spaner

    spaner Well-Known Member

    Nightmareish, that was...

    My front end alignment has never been messed with before, so it was way out. I have the rebuilt rack and I have the custom pitman arm brass bushing like Iron has, plus a 1060 spacer to bring it down to the bottom of the pin. Has to do with pin ware and specing for the bushing. The top 13mm or so of the pin never sees wear from the original pitman arm insert so, you have to spec off the bottom 80% and mount it there, if you want it to be tight. Can't move mine by hand even without the nut, it's tight.
    I also have theses new camber bolts in the top mounting holes on the hub to strut mounting. Also, there's some slop in the strut top mountings. Cutting some of the detail out,

    Strut top mounting slop, full out both sides. Both struts were pulled away from the center of the truck and locked down.
    Both camber bolts were set to full deflection as shown above.
    Both outer tie-rod-ends were rotated in 4 complete turns.

    With it on the ground, we measured the camber off the hub center with a steel block and one of those camper leveler bubbles, with the degrees on it. 1 or 2 camber, top in, passed the vertical.
    Then the tow-in, two 12 foot 1" square tubing, off the rim centers. 2 to 3 degrees tow-in. Tires turned in slightly as apposed to them both being strait ahead.

    Nothing scientific about the method but, the only shop that I can get this done at in town has one of those drive-up lifts that's too wide for the truck.

    Had it out on the highway, drives like a new truck. Tracks nice, turns nice, and the wheel roles back to the center position now...Road noise is about half as much as before...

    Front end is done...
     
  2. firejonny89

    firejonny89 Member

    i bet ur glad its done and over with and should never have to be done again
     
  3. spaner

    spaner Well-Known Member

    I'm glad that I found the original cause. The reason that the hub snout seals failed in the first place. I had found that the rim centers were getting hot. Even just around town with very little braking and thought that the clutch-in rolling distance, just didn't seem right. Then felt the heat, then started to pay attention to the road noise.
    Some say that turning from side to side, like a slalom, will indicate a bad bearing with sound change. These did not do that. The noise was continuous, regardless.
    Then I decided to finish off the whole front end...then it's done...

    Yes, I'm glad that it's done but, feel bad for anyone else that has to do it....

    I still can't believe that the rotors didn't warp...
     
  4. axle

    axle Member

    this is what i imagine on my bearings, i am hearing wugwugwug noise when the speed is 30 to 50kph, do you think its the bearing?
     
  5. spaner

    spaner Well-Known Member

    Sounds like a good bet,
    I think that by the time front end noise is starting to bother you, it's probably already past repacking and need to be replaced. Jack it up and rotate the tire back and forth, twist it, pull on it,
    This will probably just confirm the location of the problem for you.
    Also, look for dirty grease at the side of the hub, at the front by the stud mountings. There are some breather holes there directly from the front snout seal. A failed front seal will throw grease through these holes.

    Don't forget to take pics, you know we like those...
     
  6. spaner

    spaner Well-Known Member

    100km update,

    Wheels became sloppy after about 100km. It may have been due to the after-market seals that I put in there. The wheels did bind rotation slightly with the original installation torquing. ( 1mm too big, overall?) Some grease shedding from the front seal @ the stud locations.
    Retorqued to (two foot bar, one hand force...:p) This was about 70 degrees CW rotation of the nuts. No more slop, no rotation binding. +200km...no changes (banging the cr@p out of the front end, off-road)...going to regrease via nipples and keep an eye on it...
    NB. While switching procedures, installation to servicing/maintenance...change grease colour...:cool:

    Also, after getting the ATVs on to the front end, I decided to tweak the alignment a little more.
    Camber bolt "+" indicators turned top wards, to point at strut mounting "spot-weld" indentation. That's about 70% of the previously full available camber setting. It was too much correction.
    Both tie-rod ends were turned OUT one full rotation, to compensate for the camber adjustment.

    80-90kph on gravel with two fingers on the wheel...:D
     
  7. fupabox

    fupabox Well-Known Member

    90kph on gravel....jealous... have you found any improvement in gas mileage with the new bearings and alignment changes ?
     
  8. spaner

    spaner Well-Known Member

    I've had it on gravel faster...:cool:
    but it becomes a "two-fisted" drive...90 is relaxed. I had my brother on board last week and he said that the ride was better than his truck. He's got a chevy something or other 4x4 extra cab...that he drives out to the same camp. Approaching the first corner, he started to chant "Not gonna make it!, Not gonna make it! Two finger push on the Jamar, and around the corner it goes...@ 90kph...:p (controlled-no-sliding) Just got to remember "push left, pull right", scared myself once while lighting a smoke...:eek: but to give you an idea, if I jammed it forward at say 40kph on a curve, the truck 180s...I won't try it faster...

    Yes, a marked increase in mileage with the reduction in performance load. I've made a lot of changes since I first got the truck but I'd say that I was getting about 35ish at first, and now I get about 42ish, and I drive it like I stole it...:cool:
     
  9. tyler.heather

    tyler.heather New Member

    How exactly do you remove the control arm mounting bolt from the frame, the nut came off but the bolt will not budge from the frame. Any suggestions, I soaked it in penetrating oil, still won't move
     
  10. TRAX and HORNS

    TRAX and HORNS Well-Known Member

    Get a bigger hammer.
    The area where the bolt goes through, starting on one side beat it working around to the other side making sure you dont hit the threads. Just warming it up. Then get a 3 or 4lbs hammer and knock the tie rod end down. Look at the tie rod end and you will see a area where you can hit down without damaging anything. Between the bolt sticking up and the lock down nut, thats where you need to hit it. It will come off, some easy some a little harder. When you put it back together you will see how the nut draws it up on the tapered end.
     
  11. tyler.heather

    tyler.heather New Member

    I was actually talking about the lower control arms and ball joint assembly. The pivot bolt that attaches it to the frame cross member. Its pressed into the control arm bushing, is there a trick to push the bolt out of the bushing so i can replace the control arms?
     
  12. spaner

    spaner Well-Known Member

    No,
    It's just a bolt. Reads like it has rusted to the through-pin, integral to the bushing.

    Use a large C-clamp, chain-vise-grips, or similar tool to press the bolt out.
    You may get away with just spinning the bolt with a mini-air-driver whilst tapping the end with a hammer...
    Once broken loose of the contamination...they slide back in with ease...
     
  13. TRAX and HORNS

    TRAX and HORNS Well-Known Member

    My bad. I was on the phone will reading through the threads. brain lock.
     
  14. alabamad

    alabamad New Member

    Could you share the camber correction bolt part # with the masses please?
     
  15. spaner

    spaner Well-Known Member

    Parts pic on page 2

    Carquest 616-1035
     
  16. axle

    axle Member


    update spanner, the bearings are not yet replace no time yet, pics yes i will
     

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