Bad Axle Bearing?

[lonicus]

I was out rotating the tires this weekend. While I had the rear tire off I tried rotating the hub on the drum brake a bit and could feel a slight binding and loosening of the hub as it turned.

I didn't have a ton of time, so needed to put the wheels back on and come back to it another time. But I wonder if I might have a bad wheel bearing? The truck was still in gear, so it's possible I was just feeling the gears loading up thru the drive train?

There is no weird noise coming from the 9" so far as I can tell when it's driving, and I don't want to freak out and replace something that's not bad. Also don't want my wheel to fall off.

 

[DirtDonk]

As you guessed, you'll have to isolate it further. No way to tell with your spinning the drum with it in gear or even with the other tire on. Especially if you have a limited-slip diff.
Definitely remove both wheels, drums too, and feel them that way. Up-and-down, side-to-side, but more important might be to just give them a good listen and feel.
If there's play, replace them. If there's that dry sound of an old grease-challenged bearing, replace them.

But bearings on these things definitely have a finite life. Big bearings are on their way at 100k. Yes, you might get 150k out of a set, but I would never push them that far having seen too many failures.
Small bearings even sooner I would say.

Cheap insurance...

Paul

 

[nvrstuk]

x2 what Paul said... remember that the brg and retainer are the ONLY thing that keeps the axle and tire/wheel from slowly coming out of the axle housing. They get hot and ...

Nothing wakes you up more when driving your Bronco than seeing your rear tire in your mirror sticking completely outside the wheelwell... :-[ no brakes, and no compression braking to slow you down...kind of a helpless feeling.

Check those brgs soon! : )

 

[Rustytruck]

You question the axle bearings now your stuck to replace them whether they are good or bad. Might as well just get them on order or you will never get a nights rest worrying about them.
why open it up twice. get-er-done.
Think of it as cheap insurance you probably will only do once.
buy good ones no cheapie auto parts crap.