Do I need bearing races?

[Fredensborg]

Looks like my rotors came with the bearing races in them already? Am I seeing things, or am I safe to grease my bearings and drop them in?

 

[Fredensborg]

New development, as I am trying to unbolt my drivers side caliper (doesn’t want to let go) I noticed my drivers side rotor hub assembly is different from the passenger…what the hell is going on with this? Here’s the passenger side…what I expected…and here is the drivers side…

 

[Fredensborg]

Nevermind! They just had a mismatched set of rotors I guess…the new one went on fine!

 

[71ProjectJunk]

Check the fit of your bearings on the races that are on the rotor, they should fit perfectly, but you should check just to make sure before you grease them and install them. The rotors that I put on my car some months ago look identical to the ones you have and they also had the bearing races installed. I check the fit of the bearings I had, greased them and installed them. No issues.

As for the rotors looking different, your drivers side rotor looks like an original Ford rotor or a replacement rotor that looks like an OEM rotor with the raised area where the studs go, the other one is just an aftermarket replacement. At some point in time someone changed just one rotor on your car, and they just look different. Your new rotors should fit and work fine. The difference you are seeing between your rotors is just cosmetic. The rotors I took off my car looked like the OEM rotors with the separate area where the studs go, and the ones I put on look identical to the ones you are trying to put on.

 

[Hemikiller]

I don't trust the races that come in the rotors, never have. I knock them out and replace them with the ones supplied with the bearing. I trust Timken's machining tolerances far more than whoever supplied the rotors.

 

[MikeGriese]

If your bearings came with races, use those. If they didn't, well, I'm not sure why any bearings would come without races, but I would probably get a matched set and use those.

 

[mrgmhale]

I recently had to replace our rotors as part of a little larger project. I have never had a problem using the races pressed into new rotors, but I do check for the proper "feel" with the new bearings. I also tend to use Timken brand wheel bearings to help ensure a high quality source. And I pack the new wheel bearings "by hand, old school." I did put together a YouTube video showing the project. Some of the video clips "disappeared" when being automatically transferred to iCloud (a setting I was not aware of until this project was most done). I later found some of the lost video clips and put them into a separate YouTube posting. I hope you find something of use in these videos:

Replace R/F SteeringKnuckle & Spindle, with Brake Rotors and Pads replacement:


Pack and Install Wheel Bearings:

 

[7173Vert]

Never had a problem with the supplied installed rotor races and have never installed the Timken in lieu of...

 

[piper62j]

The races that come with the rotors are fine to use, however, it would be a good practice to install new cones. Bearing surfaces seat in place with use so that the new race will not be seated with the old bearing cones.. Cheap insurance to install new cones with the new race in the hub.. You won't have to do the job again. Remember to use only bearing grease. The high temp (stringy type) is best for all around uses in all types of weather..