Rear wheel bearings install for U0415 code

[JLTH2183]

After spending $800 to replace my VMP twinjet throttle body my car was running great again until the VERY next day. My traction control, ABS, & Airbag light came on with DTC U0415 Invalid Data Received From Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Control Module. After doing some research, this DTC can be caused by the rear wheel bearing hub assembly, wheel speed sensor and/or the retaining ring. Long story short, the right rear was a 30 min job, the left rear was a mother @ucka. PB Blaster, Rust Off max ice, 5.5ft long pry bar, air hammer, and a lot of heat I finally got it out. It was seized onto the splines of the axle. Anyway I replaced both rear bearings/hubs, both retaining rings and wheel speed sensors and my car is back to normal. Not sure how the right rear retaining ring got so bent/ out of shape but that photo is before I removed it off the axle. Also I noticed my lower control arm bushings are shot. Anyone have the Steeda Rear Lower Control Arm Spherical Bearings? How much of a pain are they to press in/install?

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[GTP]

I believe the general forum consensus is that we have all given up on installing those retaining rings.

 

[mikes2017gt]

I just did this very same job, but you seem to have had more fun than I did. Both my half shafts popped right out of the hubs with just a little persuasion from a brass drift and a BFH. I did take the weight off the suspension with a floor jack raising the lower control arm ever so slightly...don't know if that helped or not.

I replaced both rear hubs because they were shot, and both rear half shafts b/c they had 82K miles on them and the rear suspension was blown apart anyway.

My left side thrust washer was torn in 3 pieces. Ouch. Right side looked like the one you have in your hand in the pic.

I didn't even know the thrust washer was in there as it's not shown on any Ford parts diagram, which I think is a huge foul. :( The general consensus on this forum is that the washer is not needed. I'm not debating that, but the washer WAS included from the factory and at about $18 each, is cheap insurance vs. buying all new parts again and doing the job all over, again. In fact, I had the left side all back together again before someone mentioned the thrust washer. So I got to take it all apart again to put the washer in there. Big fun.

My bushings look like yours too. Shot. I guess that's next on the to-do list, but I'm not in a hurry to get it done. I'm contemplating buying new lower control arms with the bushings already installed. Roughly $500 for both arms with bushings installed vs. buying $200 worth of bushings and installing them myself. I'll probably cheap out though. We'll see.

 

[GTP]

...
My left side thrust washer was torn in 3 pieces. Ouch. Right side looked like the one you have in your hand in the pic.

I didn't even know the thrust washer was in there as it's not shown on any Ford parts diagram, which I think is a huge foul. :( The general consensus on this forum is that the washer is not needed. I'm not debating that, but the washer WAS included from the factory and at about $18 each, is cheap insurance vs. buying all new parts again and doing the job all over, again. In fact, I had the left side all back together again before someone mentioned the thrust washer. So I got to take it all apart again to put the washer in there. Big fun.
...

The washer getting torn up is kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. As it gets torn up, the axle nut is not as tight, which leads to it getting more torn up.

IIRC the thrust washer was called out only in the 2015-2017 cars, and eliminated for the 2018+ cars.

It may be that it doesn't matter for street driving, but it doesn't survive track driving.

My conclusion is that skipping the washer is your insurance against it failing!

 

[mikes2017gt]

I didn't know the washer was only required for the 2015-2017 cars. Mine is a 2017. Figures I wouldn't make the cutoff.

It's still a foul IMO that the Ford parts diagrams don't show it. The rear driveline is identical across the S550 line (GT350/GT500 not included) so if the 15-17 cars need it, Ford should show it in the parts diagram.

 

[NGOT8R]

I have the Steeda RLCA spherical bearings. I bought a brand new 12 ton shop press to do this job and broke the press (bent the press ram). I had my buddy help me afterward and it took his large shop press to finish the job.

I also had him cut out the damaged ram and replace it with a much beefier piece of steel stock.

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