Right Rear Wheel is hard to turn, car has drag

Hi Andrea, The link below is a YouTube video showing how to change the wheel bearing on a 2001 ford escape, Also there's videos down the right side of the link that may help as well......... CHEERS..
Ford Escape Rear Wheel Bearing Replacement

These video might ive you some idea:


How to Replace Front Wheel Bearing


Replace Front Wheel Bearing Hub Ford Taurus Mercury Sable


How To Install Replace Front Wheel Hub Bearing Taurus Sable 96 06 Part 1...


How To Install Front Wheel Bearing Hub Assembly 2002 05 Ford Explorer...

Never known of a rear wheel drive having "wheel bearings?" If so, they would be inside the drum.

Rear wheel bearings on front wheel drive vans are much like front wheel bearings before front wheel drive.
You have an inner and outer bearing with a nut and lock washer.
After the bearings are packed with grease, you tighten down the axle nut until snug then back it off a notch. Then put the lock washer or lock ring on. Some have a cotter pin to hold the nut in place.
The wheel should spin with no drag from the bearings.

How to Replace Rear Wheel Bearing/Hub Assembly on a 2nd generation Taurus

The following procedure is for a Ford Taurus (VIN S), with rear drum brakes and ABS.

1. Loosen wheel lug nuts, raise rear of vehicle, and support securely on jack stands. Block front wheels and remove rear wheels.

2. Remove brake drum (parking brake must be off).

3. Remove and clean ABS Sensor (Torx E8) with a spritzled rag.

4. Remove grease cap from hub.

5. Remove and discard hub retaining nut (36 mm). This is a compound nut, comprised of several nuts inside a metal cage. Use a 36 mm axle nut socket (e.g., OEM 25206). Many auto parts stores will lend you this socket. A 1/2-inch drive air impact wrench or breaker bar is necessary to remove the nut.

6. Remove wheel bearing/hub assembly from spindle. It easily comes off by hand.

7. Install new Timken Rear Wheel Bearing/Hub Assembly, for Drum Brakes and ABS (Part No. 512162). Tighten new axle spindle nut (Dorman 05114) 221 lb.-ft., replace grease cap, and button everything up.

Ensure parking brake is fully released.
Place transmission in Neutral.
Raise and support vehicle.
Tighten cable equalizer adjusting nut until rear wheel brake drag is felt when spinning rear wheel by hand.
Loosen cable equalizer adjusting nut until rear brakes are fully released.
Spin rear wheels and ensure there is no brake drag. Lower vehicle, and check parking brake operation

Jack up the rear of the car and try wiggling the wheels. They should be fairly tight.

Can only find out that the hub needs to be tightened to
235 nm Dunno if this helps

does it feel like its draging when you try to back up? and what do you mean by center bolt? do you mean the big nut on axel in center of wheel? i am going to take a guess here and say its the break caliber piston, where the break pads are, is not releasing from break rotor. witch means its like you got the breaks on. jack wheel off the ground and see if you can spin the wheel by hand. if you cannot spin it that might be it. you also said you tighten axel nut (at least i think thats what you ment)tells me maybe something else is going on here like axel bearing is tied up witch can happen too. when you get wheel off ground and it will not turn by hand pull wheel off and try to push caliber piston back in with a large screwdriver wedge it between the pad and rotor. sould go back fairly easy, you don't have to go back a whole lot just anought to get a gap between rotor and pad then see if you can turn it, if not then it must be wheelbearing. if wheel turns after you do this than caliber is bad and needs replaced. its not stuck in 4x4 even if it was it would not be doing what you discribed.hope this helps.

How much are u tightening the wheel nut? Tighten til wheel won't rotate, back off one half turn. U need some freeplay or it won't spin. Let me know if this fixes it. If not, we can continue to fix it.