1979 Ford F150 4X4 brake job

[hotrodpc]

Yep, come to think of it, my first post was on the 80 GMC I bought and had a seized RF brake. I'd let the bleeder loose it would free up, hit the pedal it would lock up again. It was something in all my years never experienced. Posted a Thread at almost 4am. In 4 hours I had 4 suggestions of bad collapsed rubber brake line. Replaced the rubber line for I think it was $13, problem solved.

[ErwinRommel]

I'm having one **** of a problem now. I am trying to take off my Warn hub lock but every allen wrench I tried, it would come close to fit it. It's PEEING me off. What size DO I need to get the stupid thing off? I came to conclusion that it would be a 3.5 mm but I haven't ran acrossed it. I already tried 5/32, 1/8, 4.0, and 3.0. NO LUCK YET!
I want to get my rotors turned today before the store closes!

[ErwinRommel]

I tried getting the front hubs off. Still can't. Found a 4wd tool to remove the spindle nut but it didn't work. I tried to find a 29 mm spindle nut remover but still can't find one.
Got another problem though...you will see it in the last picture.
Here are some pictures:
(right side)


(left side)

I can't get the middle peice out where the spring is holding on at. The cog looking peice. Any ideas how to get it off?

I'm thinking about carrying the truck to a mechanic. I don't want to because of money but yeah. I know it can't be hard to get it off but it's being a pain. What should I do?

[hotrodpc]

I'm not much help on the 4x4 hubs, but I dang sure know if you are using a bottle jack you should have the block completely under it insted of halfway. Another suggestion, I make to people, is not to use concrete blocks for jack stands or jacks. They will break all of sudden without warning. I use wood preferebly 2x4, 2x6 and usually use 4x6's. Concrete driveway or slab is OK, but those little paver blocks are not as strong as you might think. Thats why they are good for martial arts and breaking them. Been wondering what happened with this project. I assumed you may have found Elly May and put this on the back burner for awhile. But then I knew better, she'd be helping you with it or have it done for you when you got home from work.

[ErwinRommel]

Yeah, I'm dangerous and will probably pay for it one day. I don't have alot of tools and good working equipment.
Elly May is a waste of time. She don't help or cook. She just sits there and watch Soap Operas allllll day. Stupid *beep*!

Anyways. I need to get them rotors off so bad. I may have to um.... *cough* drive without tag and insurance and get it up to the unit and work on it *cough*.

[hotrodpc]

You're probably waiting on 75 to review the thread. He'll know whats up. I am a little suprised you have to go thru all that to get the rotors off. I would think they just sit on the hub, and lug nuts with a wheel on is what hold thems tight to the hub.

[scooter18155]

Originally Posted by hotrodpc

You're probably waiting on 75 to review the thread. He'll know whats up. I am a little suprised you have to go thru all that to get the rotors off. I would think they just sit on the hub, and lug nuts with a wheel on is what hold thems tight to the hub.

the older 4x4 rotors also acts as the hub for the wheel bearings. so in order to get the rotor off ya have to undo all the nuts on the inside of the hub to get to the wheel bearings in order to get the rotors off. done this a cpl times both on a 79 chevy and a 79 ford. as far as the special tool to get the nuts off have ya checked advanced auto or autozone? im possative i got the tool from one of those 2 places to get them nuts off on my 79 ford it sits right in my tool box as we speak and it worked great. a buddy of mine told me to just use a screwdriver so that may work im just love new tools and went and bought it. now as far as your problem goes for getting your hub apart if memory serves me right there is a lock ring in there that has to come out. if you didnt take that out and are trying to pull the stuff off from behind that id imagine could be an issue. with all the grease im seeing in your pics it might be kinda hard to see a lock ring. if you dont have one id go get yourself a repair manual of some sort the ones ive seen anyways will give ya an exploded view of the hub assembly so ya know whats in there and how it comes out and goes back together. that book will pay for itself 10 times over in fixing your truck. also while your pulling those rotors off ya might consider putting new wheel bearings back in there while ya got it apart. This way once back together ya know ya got good bearings in there ive done this on both the chevy and ford and hasnt done me wrong and the bearings aernt all that expensive compared to other things.

[75K30]

There are two snap rings. There is an internal and external snap ring. One around the inside of the hub itself, and one on the ouside of the axle stub shaft.
Small screwdrivers or a pick set willl take the large one off, and a snap ring plier will get the other.
Clean off some of that grease so you can see what you are doing.

[ErwinRommel]

I ain't worrying with the rotors. It's a pain. I'm going to take it to a mechanic. The rotors have humps, so they do have wear. Now the calipers ain't working so I have to go buy some new ones... blah..

[hotrodpc]

Man, I sure hope whatever you guys got isn't contagious. A couple of you now are giving up on your projects because your getting frustrated with them. I dunno, maybe I don't want a 4x4. Both of you frustrated dudes are working on 4x4 hubs. Nahhh, I still want one.