steelsoldiers

Pick up the Hayne's manual for your Blazer.

Checking the wheel bearings is pretty easy. Jack it up. Take off the wheel. Unbolt the caliper, remove, and hang with wire from inner-fender. Remove 6 allen head bolts from hub. Whack hub lightly with rubber mallet until it pops out enough to remove. Lay parts out in order on clean rag or cardboard. Take one apart at a time so you always have the other to look at if you forget where something goes. Remove snap ring from inside of hub body and remove c-clip from axle shaft end. Slide rest of hub off of axleshaft. Remove square key from axle nut using a small screw threaded in to key and pliers to pull out. Back off nut using hub socket or large screwdriver. Once axle nut is off, the hub/rotor will slide right off of the spindle. Check the inner and outer bearings/races for rust, pitting, blueing, galling, etc... Replace parts as needed. Pack bearings with a high-quality water-proof high-temp grease and re-assemble.

Setting the bearing preload with the axle nut is something you just kinda get the feel for. After having my M1009 for 10 years I could tear down a hub, pack bearings, and re-assemble in about 30 minutes.

I always tightened my axle nut until resistance was felt when turning the hub and then backed it off just a touch. You want the hub to spin freely, but you want enough pre-load so that there is no side-to-side play. I always did it like that and never had a hub fail. I usually repacked everything several times a year, especially after playing in the water and muck.

Differential? You shouldn't get any noise out of it unless one of the hubs is engaged or the transfercase is engaged. Do either of the hubs get hot?

__________________
Chris Stansbury, founder of Chris' CUCV Homepage in 1998 and Steel Soldiers in 1999.

1985 AMG M998 HMMWV w/ Cummins 6BT

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone.