Trying to change the rotors on the front of my 81 f-250 4 x 4. I'm having no luck getting them off. What am I doing wrong? does this job require special tools?

Dave ,there are several different sockets used in removing the rotor hub assembly. i need to know what differential you have to narrow it down to the one you will need.look on the differential cover for an ID tag.

The way I figured out the size of notch-socket I needed was to use a piece
of bailing wire as an outside caliper...
http://images.yourdictionary.com/images/main/A4calipe.jpg
...the trick is in the bending of the wire so it truly-copies the distance across
the "flats" on the nut. Then I used a tape measure.

My '91 Bronco needed a 2+1/4" "notch-socket".

What to do with the rest of the parts inside someone else might tell you their
tricks on it since 1) I just pulled out that stuff out and only saved the grease
cap retainer and 2) it was that crummy automatic-hub-crap anyway.

Over on FSB (full sized Bronco) it's repeated over and over that the manual
hub-swap-parts are cheaper than the automatic hub -repair- parts and it's
always recommended to swap-to-manual at the first chance you get.

Repack your front wheel bearings ever' 20k miles and replace them at ~100k.

Alvin in AZ
2wd '91 Bronco 351w wide ratio ZF

BuzzGun79 said:

Dave ,there are several different sockets used in removing the rotor hub
assembly. i need to know what differential you have to narrow it down to
the one you will need.look on the differential cover for an ID tag.

Click to expand...

This is a Ford tag the Dana tags are longer...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/Bronco3L55.jpg
...that's an 8.8" axle with a 3.55 gear ratio
L= Traction Lok
0G= July of '90 (on the 26th day?).

-----------------------

That sorry-scan looks all washed-out! :/

I need to scan and re-scan a bunch of stuff now that my son has got my old
HP 4c and 3c Mac scanners working on Linux again! They have scan bars
that are the full width of the screen and they cost me $7 and $4 at a second
hand store. LOL

Here's an example that's no-where-near what they are capable of, this is my
biggest picture-file and it's cool since you can see the precision-ground O1
tool steel's fine-ground surface is magnified... (1.1M)
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/O1roughed-out.jpg
...I was trying to show how ugly the grinding can be. LOL
Guys were afraid to take a pretty piece of steel and make it ugly for a while?

Sorry, I'm just exited to have my good old scanners back working again! LOL

Alvin in AZ

Dave,the special socket i refered to is called a spanner wrench.they are made specifically for removal & installation of the locknuts. according to my Haynes manual 80-96 use different size wrenches here goes.

1. early model F250-350 use Ford tool # D78T-1197-A

2 later models use D85T-1197-A

3 Dana 44/44-IFS use Ford tool T86T-1197-A or equivalant

4 early model F250-350 w/Dana 50 IFS use tool D78T-1197-A or equivalant
hope this helps

i dont mean to be rude or mean to anyone on here but there is a big difference in removing a hub from a 2wheel drive than from a 4 wheel drive.he will need to rent a spanner wrench.some of the lock nuts on different model 4x4 are round w/notches in them & they located deep in the hub.the spanner wrench makes the job alot easier.

"spindle nut socket"

Got tired of the crazy stuff me and Buzz were calling
the socket in this thread so decided to look it up. LOL

BTW, where's the OP?

{edit}
Hey, fix the edit button so a guy can edit his own post
like they do on FSB, the edit button is never turned off
over there, ...so FTF can do that too... anyway, mine
isn't a 2+1/4" spindle nut socket but instead a 32mm or
1+1/4" four point "spindle nut socket".

Alvin in AZ

sigh...i already looked it up when i posted the tool numbers above,Haynes & Chiltons refer to the tool as a spanner wrench.the tools will fit 1980-96 F250-350 4x4 trucks not Broncos. they require another tool.according to DaveMT his truck is a F250 4x4. big difference.

wow thanks for all the info the special tool will make it a little easier i hope. And there is a big difference between 2 & 4wd.

BuzzGun79 said:

Haynes & Chiltons refer to the tool as a spanner wrench.
sigh...i already looked it up when i posted the tool numbers above, the
tools will fit 1980-96 F250-350 4x4 trucks not Broncos. they require
another tool.according to DaveMT his truck is a F250 4x4. big difference.

Click to expand...

Chilton copied Haynes' Anglican terminology? :/
I knew Chilton's was lame but didn't know they were that lame. :/

Anyone on here besides me remember back when Haynes was actually a
pretty good service manual? Back then tho they were only making 'em
for vehicles that they were familiar with in England and the vehicles were
much simpler too tho.

---------------------

I had a tool picked out for 'im that was supposed to fit an F250 in his year
range from Sears' website, but deleted the URL. Will the Ford tool numbers
you posted find the aftermarket tool using Google?

My last post has an edit in it correcting my size mistake. Posts don't have
to be only for the OP, now and/or later the title and subject can be used
in a search to find the spindle nut socket for a half ton too.

Especially in this case, since the OP is missing?

Alvin in AZ

I used to like the Haynes manuals a lot. I have one for the 73 but it doesn't get opened very often.

Also I do agree that there is a difference on changing the rotors 2wd vs. 4wd. Before I ever did one I thought it was complicated, but it is really not.

Ok Alvin your entitiled to your opinion.i even have to agree with your term "spindle nut socket" if your working on vehicles of recent years.you wont find the spanner wrench tools at Sears..lol try Napa,Snap On,Mac Tools. its a specialty item.the Haynes manual has the op for all the different differentials ford put into the vehicles.it never steered me wrong & ive been working on cars over 30 years specializing in classic vehicles.my Haynes manuals reflect on the 73-79 f series & broncos trucks,80-96 f series & bronco based on a American vehicle teardown.theres nothing about England in my manuals.lol o well we can go on for days.just tryin to help Dave.

BuzzGun79 said:

Ok Alvin your entitiled to your opinion.

Click to expand...

Cool, thanks for that, Dave.

i even have to agree with your term "spindle nut socket" if your working on
vehicles of recent years.you wont find the spanner wrench tools at Sears..lol
try Napa,Snap On,Mac Tools. its a specialty item.

Click to expand...

Sears has got 'em but maybe all stores don't have them in stock? :/

The 2 Sears stores in Tucson both have them in stock since they are both
fully-stocked tool centers.

Just saw a really nice OEM brand at Autozone yesterday ...and like it much
better than the one I bought from Checker. But Checker was reducing their
inventory at the time and so I got it dirt cheap and -believe it or not-
...it was made in the US too ...so -had- to get it.

the Haynes manual has the op for all the different differentials ford put into
the vehicles.it never steered me wrong & ive been working on cars over 30
years specializing in classic vehicles.my Haynes manuals reflect on the 73-79
f series & broncos trucks,80-96 f series & bronco based on a American
vehicle tear down.theres nothing about England in my manuals.lol

Click to expand...

In the Haynes service manuals they don't have the "English vs American" list
in the back of each book of the names for the tools and parts anymore? :/

They used to, but that might have been 20+ years ago tho, now that I think
about it.

-----------------

I always buy the OEM's service manul for each vehicle I own...
...that I'm also serious about keeping.

My first was for a '67 Dodge Dart while in HS (my dad was a Mopar guy.

2nd was a whole set mail-ordered from Ford for my '75 F150 $31 and they
arrived in the mail -before- the truck arrived at the dealership.
...so I've had 'em longer! LOL

I don't why I find that so funny but I do.

That set turned out to cover the '75 C700 a-friend gave-me the front-half
of decades later.

Had a few other vehicles that got sold and the OEM service manuals went
with 'em.

Last set I'll prob'ly ever buy was the whole OEM works for the '91 F150-SC
I inherited, using those for my '91 Bronco I bought too. Using the 150-SC
as a parts truck for the Bronco now, sorta.

o well we can go on for days.just tryin to help Dave.

Click to expand...

Cool, I got nothing better to do Dave.

Alvin in AZ
ps- Talkin' to a self proclaimed "Chevy Guy" the other day and he was telling
me about all the cool Chevy stuff he'd owned and how great they were and
all that. Funny thing was, all that stuff had bit the dust long ago and mine
was parked right there in front of us still hauling butt and buttz and tools and
equipment around! LOL He was amazed when it dawned on 'im, the clunky
old Ford -I- was talking about was sitting right there in front of us.
He stopped bragging.
pps- No matter what brag you got, there's someone out there that's done
more with less.

Autozone has the sockets for sale. If you can buy it there it definitely isn't a specialty item lol.

spanner wrenches are sold seperatly they differ from one another in looks & size.they only work for certain 4wd models,in this case,different ford models. yes the spindle nut sockets can be bought at auto zone in a set.& i am not bragging,its the truth.if you sat them in a row they do not match like a socket set does.they are a specialty tool for the proceedure.im sure someone has removed the locknuts with improper tools...thats their choice.but your taking a risk doing so.the locknuts have a torque spec & will work their way loose improperly tightened.Bob

BuzzGun79 said:

im sure someone has removed the locknuts with improper tools...
thats their choice.Bob

Click to expand...

Yeah on FSB there's a guy that buggered up his spindle's threads by using a
hammer and large screwdriver. It was being hammered at such an angle the
nuts were being hammered -in- way-more than they were being spun, it
seems.

For me, owning a 4wd truck and owning a spindle nut socket to fit its front
wheel bearing's nuts just have always gone together in my mind. When I
was a kid I remember guys using them on their 4wd's and so I've always
associated them together, pretty much forever.

-------------------------------

Bob, are you kinda new to the internet? As far as there -not- being any
spindle-nut-socket-sets, heck, there are many sets out there for the
professional mechanic it's a very common tool for them, I've never seen a
professional mechanic without 'em.

Google it yourself and see, copy and paste this...

spindle nut socket set

These are are some of the brands listed as sets...
Sunex/Sears (hmmm... Craftsmen brand wasn't mentioned)
OTC
OEM
Alltrade
Performance Tool
Performance Tech
KTool
Grey Pneumatic
Snap-On
Mac
Matco
Cornwell
Easco

Alvin in AZ
ps- My oldest son ran his own bulletin board off a second phone number.
When newsgroups first started expanding into all sorts of other areas he
found rec.knives for me, so I've been messing around with newsgroups
and much-later (ick) (them sissy website forums from way back. And
email lists using majordomo too. The point is, I've learned -not- to speak
in "absolutes".

Anybody else here still using Pico/Pine and Tin?

Alvin, i am aware of the sockets. yes they are available.go to my gallery of pics i posted a pic of two "spanner wrenches" the one on the left is for early Ford 67-79 4x4 with the Dana 44 the one on the right is for 80-96 F150 4x4.now i dont remember if GM 4x4 trucks came with Dana's{remember i bleed blue lol} but these are specific sockets are for the Ford 4x4 trucks.they have no other use.& dont even compare to one another.i bought these seperate along time ago for my personal vehicles & unless things have changed,they dont come in a set.hope this clarifies the difference. Bob

Alvin,im pretty much an old school mechanic.my tools are geared for classic vehicles of yesterday.thats what i enjoy working on.i got out of the field in the late 80's.i couldnt afford to go back to school to learn the stuff.& cars became nightmares to work on,i just did not enjoy it any more. i do what i can as far as routine maintenance on newer vehicles,but to diagnose a prolblem,without expensive equipment is almost impossible for me.as a youngster i took Auto mech. as my major in High School. i spent 15 yrs as a service station mechanic making 5 bucks an hour. i loved every minute of it,but had to find a good paying job with benefits so i became a High School custodian/Fireman.i am now retired & enjoy working on my classic truck & other classic vehicles to keep busy.