Axle Wear

[gbkims]

Some photos zoomed in of the wear
It's these areas that's made me decide I'll replace the axles.

IS & Disc is the way to go, can't stretch my pocket book that far right now.

Gene

[gbkims]

Bit of apples & oranges compare between Reflection & Ranger pickup.

Wear on my front spindles from my run around town 2001 Ford Ranger, replacing rotor hubs, brake pads, bearings.
Last bearing repack 60,000 miles, 103,800 miles now.
Wear on spindles & grease seal, but I don't expect a lot out of the truck, just get around town.

Ranger's Front Spindles:


Gene

[TucsonJim]

Gene - After looking at your latest photos, I'd certainly agree that you need to change the axles out. Since you have to change them anyway, any thoughts of going to the higher capacity axle and spring set?

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

Gene,

Before giving up on these, I would put a micrometer on them to measure how much wear there really is. Use the spindle dimension outside the wear marks as your reference and measure crosswise and vertically on the worn areas of the spindle.

There are two things going on here. 1) the rust and 2) the wear from spinning the inner races. The rust on the underside of the spindle is common. This must be condensation and "crevice corrosion" between the bearing race and the spindle. All my spindles have this, but it wipes off with emery cloth. I cannot measure any difference crosswise where there is no corrosion or vertically after the rust has been wiped away. I do not have any indication that the inner race has spun, so I don't know how much wear this might represent.

Rob

[gbkims]

Jim,
Not yet on 7000 lb axles or higher rated springs, that will be on my watch list after replacing these axles with dexter 6000 lb ones, on order.

Rob,
The wear on some parts of the axles troubled me so better off with new for me.
Since this is a used FW I'll have opportunity to see how the axles and bearings wear.

Thanks,

Gene