Inspection of the Basic, Meritor Unitized Wheel Ends

cen mm 33.07.000

  1. Park the vehicle on a level surface, set the parking brakes, shut down the engine, and chock the rear tires.
  2. Raise the vehicle until the front tires are clear of the ground. Support the vehicle with safety stands.

    3. Warning: Never work under a vehicle that is supported only by a jack. Jacks can slip, causing the vehicle to fall. This could result in serious injury or death.

    Important: A clicking sound while rotating the wheel end (hub) is normal and does not indicate a problem.

  3. Rotate the tire and hub assembly. They should rotate smoothly and without noise. Grasp the brake chamber while rotating the hub to detect any hub vibration.
    If the hub rotates smoothly, go to the next step.
    If the tire and hub assembly do not rotate smoothly, or you hear noise during rotation, go to "End-Play Check, Meritor Unitized Wheel Ends."
  4. Grasp the tire and hub assembly at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions. Using about 50 pounds (23 kg) of force, check for vertical and horizontal movement.
  5. If no movement or looseness is detected, raise the vehicle to remove the safety stands, lower the vehicle, and remove the chocks from the tires.
    If any movement or loosenes is detected, go to the next step.
  6. Check the wheel-to-hub mounting. Make sure the wheel and tire assembly is mounted correctly and that all the hardware is secure.
  7. Apply the service brakes to lock the hub and axle spindle together. Check again for movement and looseness.
    If movement is detected, the king pin or king pin bushings are probably worn.
    If applying the service brake eliminates the movement, the problem is probably caused by incorrect wheel bearing end play. Go to "End-Play Check, Meritor Unitized Wheel Ends."
Note:
Parent topic: Front Axle
Document Number: 0000122177
Manual Publication Date: 2025-02-11
Topic Publication Date: 2024-06-04