Wheel bearings blown, warped rotors, steering knuckle?

[brianvonlehe]

My wheel bearings just blew out and the brakes were already pretty rough, so I'm pretty sure I need new wheel bearings, rotors and pads, but after some searches had read that maybe warped rotors can cause steering knuckle wear? Would appreciate help figuring out how much needs to be replaced.

OK so the front wheel bearings on my 89 2wd ranger were both loose, and while i was doing some other stuff to the truck with my Dad, he decided to try and repack and adjust them before replacing them. I think he tightened the adjustign nut very tight. I drove 40 miles the next day at highway speeds and when coming back into town, I started to feel the truck dragging. I had noticed the rotors feeling especially warped during the drive. When I got to stop-and-go traffic, it was obvious the dragging was getting worse. By the time i was home the left front hub was not quite smoking, but smelled of burning strongly and was very very hot, and the right front hub was warm. This could be wheel bearings, or i suppose just brakes. THe hub turns in my hand now that its cooled off, but i wouldn't say it is turning "freely."

This truck is obviously old and I got it for 300 bucks, so i'm trying to keep it rolling without putting too much money into it. At this point I will have to replace wheel bearings, and probably rotors (have a feeling they are too warped to be turned), which also means pads, and then the calipers are looking pretty nasty, one with a small chip on the piston where it presses against the backing plate, and general 20 years of corrosion look. The brake hoses are showing cracks on the outside too. Then I read about the steering knuckle being damaged by driving with warped rotors, which this truck certainly was. This thing otherwise runs great, just did fluids, hoses, sparkplugs, wires, exhaust, shocks, and still gets 25 mpg on the hwy, but also if i have to put a couple hundo more into it I would rather spend 3gs on a truck from the late nineties.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

sounds like you need new front calipers, brake lines, rotors, and wheel bearings.

the steering knuckle should be fine. the only way to be sure is to take it apart and look.

 

[brianvonlehe]

Thanks, what do you look for, or will Chilton's tell me?

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

once you remove the wheel bearings and brake rotor, wipe off all the grease and if it looks smooth and shiny... in other words NOT mangled then you're fine.

no doubt you have sticking calipers, so replace them or you'll just be doing the whole job again

 

[brianvonlehe]

OK so the wheel knuckle is the spindle. These are shiny and smooth. Thanks for the help!