front wheels have slop

67broncorebuild · May 16, 2009

Hi guys, i have another question...
I have a D44 with the 78 bronco disks, with heim joints, rod over knuckle conversion.
I noticed today i have slop in the front wheels. I thought it might be lug nuts loose. I found out that wasnt the case.
I lifted it up, and the wheels have alot of play when i shake the wheel. Both will do this. I noticed the disks play with the wheel, so i made sure everything was tight(heim joints), and it still slops.
I am new to the D44 and componits. I have never opened one up.
Would it be as easy as a spindle nuts working loose?? Ball joints??
Thanks, any sugestions would help

charvey9 · May 17, 2009

Have you checked the wheel bearings?

If they have never been replaced, its probably time for some new ones anyway. If it isn't the bearings, you will also get a good look at everything else you mentioned, and should be able to figure out the problem. If you aren't familiar with the D44, the toms bronco parts site has pretty good schematics for how things are supposed to go together.

oleguy74 · May 17, 2009

d44

here you go

67broncorebuild · May 17, 2009

thanks guys!!!

67broncorebuild · May 17, 2009

I found both spindle nuts were loose, stud was there for washer, just dont know why the back didnt suck up to the front one???
thanks again for the info, and help

DirtDonk · May 18, 2009

It's very often the case that the spindle nuts/bearing adjusters are not installed properly during service or replacement.
They need to go through a specific procedure and the final torque is in the 75 to 90 ft-lb range.
In the old days, so probably still, most owners and even many shops, didn't even carry a spindle nut socket and just used a screw driver and a hammer to "torque" the nuts. As you can imagine, they'd work loose pretty predictably.

You also asked about ball-joints. And yes, they could be getting old and worn too, but most of your play sounds like it was coming from the bearings.
While you had it apart, did you pull the hub and rotor all the way off to inspect and re-grease (pack) the wheel bearings? Now's as good a time as any.

If you're not sure of the adjustment procedure, just ask. Get a service book too, if you don't already have one. Since you're doing your own work on an old truck, it'll come in very handy in the future.

trailpsycho · May 18, 2009

What Paul said...in the first nut there is a pin that needs to be pointing outward, then the locking washer must make contact with the first nut in such a way where the pin fits into one of the holes in the washer. The other nut holds the assembly tight. Get this wrong and they will come loose again or worse go out on you while you are on the road...melt your hubs, possibly even lichorice a outer stub shaft.

Besides, packing the bearings is a right of passage of Bronco ownership...A necessary evil.

amc78cj7 · May 18, 2009

You need to set the preload on the outer wheel bearing appropriately, then torque down the outter spindle nut.

I think you torque the first spindle nut 60 ft lbs to set the bearing, then back it off and retorque to 40-50 foot lbs, then back off 1/4 turn while rotating the hub. The second spindle nut is then cranked down to 215 ft lbs. Now note, My torque wrench with a long arm only goes to 200 ft lbs and I couldn't even get it that far with all my weight. But I just pushed until I couldn't push any further.

Bases on you description, as noted it could be the ball joints, inner bearing assembly, outer bearing assembly and / or nut. I would check and replace all as necessary.

DirtDonk · May 19, 2009

Hey amc, I'm pretty sure (don't have my book handy though) that your torque reading is from some other component like a diff yoke or something. Your inner procedure is correct, but that outer torque is way high.
Double-check me, but I'm pretty certain that the spindle nut is only up to about 90 or so ft lbs. The most I've ever seen one spec'ed at was 115 lbs and that wasn't for a 30 or a 44.

Paul

amc78cj7 · May 19, 2009

DirtDonk said:
Hey amc, I'm pretty sure (don't have my book handy though) that your torque reading is from some other component like a diff yoke or something. Your inner procedure is correct, but that outer torque is way high.
Double-check me, but I'm pretty certain that the spindle nut is only up to about 90 or so ft lbs. The most I've ever seen one spec'ed at was 115 lbs and that wasn't for a 30 or a 44.

Paul

Could be. Sorry. I was working off memory. Most important is the inner nut torque procedure to put load on the bearing. The second nut is mostly just a lock-nut to keep things in place.

front wheels have slop

67broncorebuild

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