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Front brake rotor/hub removal

GOPSU

Jr. Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2016
Messages
72
Loc.
State College
I tried to look in the archives but either I'm an idiot or just couldn't find anything-or perhaps a little of both.. Anyway, trying to pull hub/rotors on 76 front disc axle to replace calipers, pads, yada yada. The hub will not budge. Is there a trap door or super secret handshake needed? The last time I did this Reagan was in the White House..
 

thegreatjustino

Contributor
Red Head Grease Monkey
Joined
Jan 23, 2002
Messages
15,865
Loc.
Stockton, CA
Remove the locking hub and all related parts (including 2 snap rings). Behind that there is are two spindle nuts with a lock ring between the two. Using the special socket for these nuts, remove the first nut, remove the locking ring (a small pick helps to get it loose from the grease), then remove the second nut. The hub and rotor assembly should come right off (as long as the calipers have already been removed).
 

B RON CO

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 29, 2016
Messages
2,433
Loc.
Statesville, NC
Hi, so you do not need to remove the hub and rotor do change pads and calipers, but I guess you want to get the complete hub off to pack the bearings (good plan). As mentioned, there is the obvious snap ring on the axle, and another large one on the circumference of the hub which is usually well hidden in the grease, which you get a sharp pick under and work it out. As you remove each piece I would wipe it clean and set them on a piece of cardboard in order so they go back together in the correct order. This is a great example of why all Bronco owners should get a Chilton's manual. There are 11 different parts before you get to the outer wheel bearing. Good luck
 
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GOPSU

Jr. Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2016
Messages
72
Loc.
State College
Thanks to all for the very helpful information. I have the rotor/hub assemblies off. Separating them is the next root canal. Also, since I'm this far I'm going to take off the backing plate and steam clean everything paint and re-install. And yes, I wish I never included my Chilton manual when I sold my 73 back in 83.. Thanks again to all I appreciate it.
 

Sampsont

New Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2019
Messages
16
Loc.
St. Paul
Hey guys. I’m new to the forum and own a 77 for bronco and replacing calipers, pads, hub and rotors. I’ve removed all of the snap rings and the first spindle nut. There’s a second spindle nut but it doesn’t spin off like the first. There’s a groove along the spindle so it looks like I need a puller tool to get this one off. Can anyone confirm that I’m on the right track? Thank you, Todd
 

langester

Contributor
MASTER OF MADNESS
Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
2,672
There is a locking washer between the two spindle nuts. You have to use a pick and pull it out, it has a tab that runs in the slot on the spindle. After you remove that washer the second nut will come out as easy as the first one. Check out the pictures in post #6 from Steve83.
 

Sampsont

New Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2019
Messages
16
Loc.
St. Paul
Thank you for the reply. Okay, took a look...does the locking washer have tiny holes around the perimeter? I took a pic, but not sure how to attach it to this thread.
 

Sampsont

New Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2019
Messages
16
Loc.
St. Paul
I got it!! It was stuck to the spindle nut and took a bit of working back and forth with the pic but it broke loose. Thanks again for your help!!!
 

SteveL

Huge chevy guy
Joined
Jun 24, 2001
Messages
11,741
Loc.
Hawthorne ca
When you reassemble the hub and spindle notice the inner of the 2 nuts has a little stub that locking washer sits on. Make sure the stub lines up in a hole on the washer so it sits flat against the inner nut before you put the 2nd nut on or you will have issues.
 

Sampsont

New Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2019
Messages
16
Loc.
St. Paul
Thank you Paul and Steve for the extra tips! I’m hoping to tackle putting it all back together this week. I have the Detroit Iron OEM Shop Manual, which has been very helpful. I’ll read up on the bearing adjustment procedure and if questions will post.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
48,441
Not familiar with the Detroit Iron book. Is it Bronco-specific, or generic?
If it does not have the Dana procedure, it likely does not have the correct info.

So just in case, it goes like this:

1. Inner nut (bearing adjusting nut) with the small pin facing out is torqued to 50lbs while you spin the rotor. This squeezes out excess grease from re-packing and serves to set the races if they were not fully seated to begin with.

2. Back off the adjusting nut a full quarter-turn/90° and leave it.
The bearings will be very loose at this point, but ignore that.

3. Locking ring slides over the spindle with the tab in the slot and verify that the pin slips fully into a hole. If not, pull the ring off and flip it over to see if that helps (the holes are offset from the tab, so flipping it might work).
If the pin still does not line up with a hole, reach in with a finger or tool and turn the adjusting nut just slightly enough to line up with the nearest hole.
When doing this it is recommended that you move the nut looser, rather than tighter. But sometimes the pin is just a half a tick off and moving it tighter a tiny bit will line it up.

4. Outer nut (locking nut) torqued down to 80-100 lbs. Done.
Books vary from a low of 70lbs to a high of 140 lbs, but 80-100 seems the sweet spot and this pulls things up tight and reduces all that excess play to the specified .001" to .010" free-play.

You hear all sorts of calls for "bearing preload" but there is no such thing with these bearings in any official book anywhere that I've ever seen.

Obviously, the 50lb initial torque, and then that 100lb final torque, is why you have to buy or rent one of those hub-nut sockets and add it to your arsenal of tools for your truck. Even some pro-shops don't have the correct ones anymore, so it really can pay to have your own.
When you see a mechanic try to set these with a hammer and chisel(!) you'll realize your sub-twenty dollar purchase was priceless!

Have fun!

Paul
 

Sampsont

New Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2019
Messages
16
Loc.
St. Paul
Thank you for this, Paul! I’ll follow these steps when I put it back together. The Detroit Iron shop manual is specific to the 77 bronco and F150. I plan to get it done this week and will let you know how it goes.

Todd
 

Sampsont

New Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2019
Messages
16
Loc.
St. Paul
The hub/rotor change out was a success. Thank you once again for your help, Paul! Now a new snag. I was changing out the spark plugs and on the last one drivers side near firewall it broke off with the threaded parts still in the cylinder head. Now what?!?! Any ideas? I’m thinking I’ll have to take the cylinder head off to get it out.
 

ngsd

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 2, 2019
Messages
2,583
That’s the problem...the hex actually came out with the top 1/2 of the plug.


That is a first for me, this could get interesting for solutions. Sounds like a drill and tap but how do you keep junk out of the cylinder is the question.
 

Steve83

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 16, 2003
Messages
9,069
Loc.
Memphis, TN, USA, Earth, Milky Way
You don't. It falls in, and you vacuum it out. I do it all the time when I repair 4.6L heads using this kit:


(phone app link)


But it should be much easier to vacuum a smallblock head since the plug wells are so much shallower. I've found this type of vacuum is easiest:


(phone app link)


I use a short section of rubber hose to connect its reducer to a ~2-foot piece of ~1/4~5/16" hard tubing to get down in the cylinders.

So I'd use a punch to knock the ceramic & center electrode down enough to use a square or spiral extractor in the plug body.
 
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