1995 K2500HD front wheel bearing service questions

[GM Guy]

Hey all,

I am going through the front end on the 95 GMC K2500HD, after 441,000 miles the front unit bearings are tripping the ABS light.

So i ask you guys, how often does the inner knuckle seal need changed? GM PN: 15589666

Is there anything else that needs replaced when the wheel bearings are out?

Would I be better off changing rotors at the same time? I assume most wheel hub assemblies dont come with new studs?

If so, what kind of luck has everyone had with the Severe Duty AC Delco rotors off Rockauto.com? I dont use the brakes often (yay 5 speed!) but when I do, they are used hard (oh no, electric trailer brake failure!)

 

[SnowDrift]

Just did my '95 last spring, I think. I believe I got my hub/bearing from RockAuto. I bought a Timken part. Studs came in it. I've never replaced the seal and I've had the knuckle apart 3 times, I believe (Actually, in all these I've had apart, I've never replaced one of these seals in any truck). One time for this bearing and two other times for replacing CV boots. I just always clean up any crumbs I drop in the area and when I'm ready to reassemble, I put a skim of grease around the rubber, so I don't damage it when putting it back together.

I only changed the hub/bearing - rotors were years ago.

I don't recall the torque spec on the center nut, but someone will chime in that knows. If not, look through my threads because I'm 99% certain I asked about it when I did mine last spring.

 

[WarWagon]

Inner knuckle seal... When the monsoon rains hit and you are going through washes and deep water covered roads I found out if they are shot they let water into the hub bearings. I lost a hub bearing and the carrier bearing on the driveshaft going through a very bad downpour. I suppose the water could freeze in there... Prior to that I never gave them a thought.

 

[Big T]

Just did my '95 last spring, I think. I believe I got my hub/bearing from RockAuto. I bought a Timken part. Studs came in it. I've never replaced the seal and I've had the knuckle apart 3 times, I believe (Actually, in all these I've had apart, I've never replaced one of these seals in any truck). One time for this bearing and two other times for replacing CV boots. I just always clean up any crumbs I drop in the area and when I'm ready to reassemble, I put a skim of grease around the rubber, so I don't damage it when putting it back together.

I only changed the hub/bearing - rotors were years ago.

I don't recall the torque spec on the center nut, but someone will chime in that knows. If not, look through my threads because I'm 99% certain I asked about it when I did mine last spring.

180 ft lbs on the axle nut. I just put the 5’ long jack handle over a breaker bar, torque the shit out of it and call it good.