I was doing the ball-joints test...

[FlipTrac_511]

I had my Trac's front end lifted so I can check the ball joints and for the heck of it I decided to spin the wheels. They spun but both had some resistance to them and it didn't take long for them to stop spinning. For some reason I thought it was supposed to spin like a windmill. Normal or not?



BTW, the ball joints appear to be good.

 

[Travis Munday]

How many miles and when's the last time you had your front wheel bearings repacked? They are supposed to be repacked every 50,000 miles or so.

 

[FlipTrac_511]

Tiger, I barely rolled over 30K miles and have never had the bearings repacked. I think the wheel bearing test called for pulling the wheel in and out and check for play? I did this too and there was no play. Is repacking them a shadetree DIY?

 

[Travis Munday]

That's why I was asking how many miles.



Since you're talking about the front wheels, (duh on my part), there will be resistance from the braking system. The pads ride on the rotor at all times, although the brake pedal isn't depresssed, the pressure inside the system is enough to force the pistons into the pads and then into the rotor, so you'll get some resistance up front.



Repacking bearings isn't hard, but I doubt you have a problem, I just wasn't thinking to begin with.



End play can be a sign of a failed bearing, but dragging is a sign of a dry/ing bearing.

 

[FlipTrac_511]

Tiger, I barely rolled over 30K miles and have never had the bearings repacked.

This was actually a direct answer to your question of mileage. Sorry I was unclear. Thanks for clearing things up. Good to know.

 

[Dennis Shelley]

If this is a 4 wheel drive, the front axles and differential and driveshaft are always "in gear" providing reisitance. If this is a 2 wheel drive,or a 4 X 4 the brake pads are always in contact with the rotors and there is constant drag.

About wheel bearings. The 4 X 4 bearings are sealed and replacement is required, there is no repacking. A bad bearing is either a thump with each rotation of the wheel or a loosenessof the wheel.

The resistance you found is probably normal. Do the same test on another truck (4 X 4 if appropriate) with disk brakes and then compare. There should not be much difference.

 

[FlipTrac_511]

Thanks Dennis, mine is 2WD though.