I have three questions wrt a '97 Sport Contour
First - how come all the posts make it sound so easy. I am using Ray's post and an Online manual. Sounded like not to hard a job but 4 trips for parts and I still need to go back.
First trip - get the new bearing
Second trip - get new cinch bolts (got one - guy at Ford did not think I needed them - got the one I did not need!) and new axle nut, and torque wrench. Thought I was all set.
Third trip - needed a Torx socket - got a T55 and a T50, but needed a T-45 for the caliper locator pins; thus the forth trip.
Trip five - need other cinch bolt (old one is bent)- too late stores closed
Finally got it all apart and there it sits. My wife did me a favour last year and had some guy put a new bearing on in his back yard. It worked great for a year.
Now I find: he srewed up the threads on the axle
by hammering the hub off. It seems to only be the end threads - can I file them down so I can get the new nut started without crossthreading it, or should I replace the axle. How hard is it to replace an axle - would I only have to replace the right halfshaft.
Now that I have it apart I was thinking it might be a good time to replace the strut (130,000 km) but it seems OK at present.
Do I really need to replace the Hub, and if so can I just hammer away to get it off the knuckle. I have not found a shop with a press - I can see the back yard guy did not use one (by the hammer and punch marks). Any tips to get the knuckle joint back on to the strut - it did not want to come off, so I am not sure why it would want to go on any easier.
Any pointers would be helpful - I know there are already many points out there but ...
Thanks
