Front wheel bearing (UPDATE)

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 28 Mar 2010, 11:30

it is uasual for the old inner race to come out still attatched to the drive flandge, i usualy just grind almost through this but mind you dont catch the drive flandge tube with the grinder, then tapp the edge of the inner race with a cole chizzel, this splits the inner race which will then almost slide off,

what you must whatch is the inner race of the new bearing dose not get pushed out as you locate the drive flandge into postion,

regards malcolm

scoles · Post by **scoles** » 28 Mar 2010, 13:47

I made sure when pressing the bearing into the hub that i did so using the outer race...

And pressing the drive flange into the bearing i had the inner race of the bearing supported underneath to ensure that i wasnt pre loading the bearing.

just hoping that its the O/S bearing now thats playing up....

replacing the drop link, wishbone bushes, ABS ring and bearing so shoudl be nice and smooth when its done. fingers crossed

Stuart

scoles · Post by **scoles** » 31 Mar 2010, 10:30

needless to say the O/S bearing has been as much of a pain...

Thats everything removed now to have the new bearing installed.

Doing it inbetween jobs at my work so i can use the press and such.

the case hardening on this bearing wasn't as worn i would say as i managed to get sparks from the lathe machining a groove into the inner race to pull it off the drive flange.

So hoefully not thats it going to be sorted.

Stuart

Post by **CitroJim** » 31 Mar 2010, 10:47

Since you opened this thread Stuart, I've come into possession of one of DickieG's V6 hubs with duff bearings. They were making quite a racket in use although you can just detect a bit of noise rotating them by hand, they're not that bad and not really rough. In Dickie's case the other side failed very shortly after he replaced the first set.

I'll press them out later on and see just how they failed and report back.

Seems it takes only a tiny bit of wear for them to really complain so I have every confidence that with both sets replaced, you'll be rewarded with silence...

scoles · Post by **scoles** » 31 Mar 2010, 11:40

CitroJim wrote:Since you opened this thread Stuart, I've come into possession of one of DickieG's V6 hubs with duff bearings. They were making quite a racket in use although you can just detect a bit of noise rotating them by hand, they're not that bad and not really rough. In Dickie's case the other side failed very shortly after he replaced the first set.

I'll press them out later on and see just how they failed and report back.

Seems it takes only a tiny bit of wear for them to really complain so I have every confidence that with both sets replaced, you'll be rewarded with silence...

i am hoping so.... the first set the case hardening was fairly shot as i machined it no problems at all...

This set were fairly quiet and when trying to machine them they were still pretty hard.

Thats me just this minute finished pressing the new items in along with the drive flange.

So hoping now for some decent weather so i can at last get them on the car.

Look forward to hearing back from you....

P.S i couldn't get the drive flange out the old bearings without breaking the outer race with the press.

scoles · Post by **scoles** » 01 Apr 2010, 09:08

Well last night i decided to take the plunge and get the thermals on to go out and fit this hub back on the car.

So new bearing along with drop link and whishbone bushes...

Fresh gear box oil and a nice silent drive along the motorway.

So as it turns out it was the 2 front bearings that were shot.

So happy that its now running again so i can have it returning great MPG.

Big thanks to all those who helped me out.

Post by **CitroJim** » 01 Apr 2010, 09:13

Excellent Stuart

Not pressed my failed ones out yet. I pressed on with my Activa project instead...

Post by **CitroJim** » 04 Apr 2010, 21:28

I had a look at the noisy one I had this evening.

Took 8 tons of pressing to get the bearing out...

The bearings looked absolutely perfect, not a mark on the tracks or the balls.

The only thing that stood out was the grease. It had gone very dry and hard and was no longer providing any lubricant at all.

That was all I could see wrong with them...

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 04 Apr 2010, 22:11

Hmm

it'll be interesting to see whether the N/S one is the same.

scoles · Post by **scoles** » 05 Apr 2010, 09:52

CitroJim wrote:I had a look at the noisy one I had this evening.

Took 8 tons of pressing to get the bearing out...

The bearings looked absolutely perfect, not a mark on the tracks or the balls.

The only thing that stood out was the grease. It had gone very dry and hard and was no longer providing any lubricant at all.

That was all I could see wrong with them...

Sounds much the same as mine to be fair... although mines fell apart when being pressed out...

The tracks and the balls looked fine... but not a spot of grease...

Not even a trace.

Stuart

Post by **CitroJim** » 05 Apr 2010, 10:16

There's no way of dismantling them without them coming apart really Stuart....

scoles wrote: The tracks and the balls looked fine... but not a spot of grease...

Was there ever a national French grease shortage in the late 90s? or were they just being mean with it...

The stuff left, what there was of it, looked to be very poor quality.

rmunns · Post by **rmunns** » 05 Apr 2010, 11:02

This all begs the question - can the bearings be greased without major disassembly?

scoles · Post by **scoles** » 05 Apr 2010, 11:07

rmunns wrote:This all begs the question - can the bearings be greased without major disassembly?

I very much doubt if they can, there desinged to be sealed for life bearings with covers on both side to keep the grease in thats pumped in during assembley.

Stuart

tonupteabag · Post by **tonupteabag** » 05 Apr 2010, 11:48

you can remove the seal on most sealed bearings as long as you are extremely careful not to misshape the seal as this will render it useless