Front wheel bearing change any tips

[c.morewood]

One or (possibly both) of my front wheel bearings is starting to get noisy. Are there any tricks tips in the replacement process? Specifically how do I get the circlip off?
Also should the impending bearing failure noise dissapear when loaded going round the appropriate bend? All my other bearings have, but this one/these don't go quiet.
I'm assuming its a bearing(s) but of course it may be something else. I havent tried the jack up and try the vertical movement of the wheel yet... thats tomorow
Chris

[RichardW]

Double row ball bearings tend to just get noisy, rather than noisy / quiet when unloaded. You need a good press to get them out - the circlip is likely to be the least of your worries...

[Peter.N.]

You can remove the outer part from the hub by running a ring of weld metal around the inside, when it cools it will shrink and you will probably be able to lever it out with a screwdriver.

Peter

[CitroJim]

That'll certainly help to get the old ones out Peter but in my experience you still need to press the new ones in and that can take a bit of pressure too. Freezing the new bearings to shrink them may help make them slide home a bit easier...

[Peter.N.]

Very true Jim, a press is the ideal, I have managed to fit them by brute force, but I don't have so much of that now so I would probably opt for a press.

Peter

[ecohouse1]

I remember taking the wheel bearings out of the front hub of a Clio and using a sledge hammer on it with the hub mounted on a log with a hold cut out the middle. Popped out no problem although a tad brutal!

Drifted the new one in with the old shell.

[c.morewood]

Thanks for the replies chaps.. it doesn't sound like it should be too complicated.. surely it can't be as bad as the washing machine I've been battling all night trying to get the drum bolt removed to change its bearings.. I've given up for the night!!