Wheel Berrings

Caddycabby · Post by **Caddycabby** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:32 pm

I Know wheel berrings are kind of a bigish job but I really am sick of giving concept 1 my money. Can a wheel berring be pressed in with an ordinary bench vice? What do I use to pull it out? Or do I give it to C1 to do for $200. What do you guys think?

tolusina · Post by **tolusina** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:38 pm

The steering knuckle with or without the strut still attached can be removed from the car, the hub and bearing can then be removed and replaced with a hydraulic or screw press, usually by a machine shop.

OR

The job can be done on the car with a special tool set. I Googled for the tool set, instead found this how-to using the tool set, similar to the job on an A1 chassis. http://www.gtishrine.com/wheelbearing.php

The part of the tool set used to pull the hub in that how-to isn't needed on an A1 chassis, a pair of long bolts screwed through the hub up against the knuckle will pull the hub right off. Also, the ball joint on an A1 is different, the ball joint stud comes straight down out of the knuckle with leverage applied to the control arm.

The how to doesn't show removal of the outer/inner race from the hub either, he used a new hub. An ordinary bearing splitter combined with a puller yoke works just fine.

If your front bearings have any play at all, plan on new hubs. If the bearings are just rough and loud but still have preload and no play, hubs will likely be fine.

A vise isn't going to get the job done, at least no vise I've ever seen would work.

If you can find the tool set for rent, grease the threads thoroughly before you start, lubed screw press threads are a Good Thing™!

CalAltaDubber · Post by **CalAltaDubber** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:47 pm

Tony,

You do need a proper press to do the job. Using a bench vise will probably damage the new bearing or will not seat it properly. Either way will cause you more grief.

If you plan to do the removal/installation of the housing, you might get somone like Trio Automotive (5th Ave. and 35th st, NE behind the Ford Dealer) to do the pressing for you.

Since you will have the front end torn apart, you will need an alignment and Trio is the place to do that.

You will also need a puller to disconnect the tie rod ends, but tou can probably borrow one from your local Canadian Tire (they do have a special tool loaner program)

I have a torque wrench, which you will also need to use during the re assembly phase.

What's with the wheel bearings? I was under the impression that you had a bad CV.

sixsracing · Post by **sixsracing** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 9:38 am

This job can be done on the car with no special tools.

Remove the wheel, caliper and brake rotor.

Find a socket that just fits inside the inner bearing race and use it to drive the hub from the inside of the steering knuckle to the outside.

Remove the spring clips that retain the bearing. Drive as much of the bearing out fo the knuckle as you can using whatever means on hand.

Now grind the bearing outer shell with a Dremel or a grinding stone until it's just ready to go through. Slam the shell with a punch or chisel and break it. Eye protection is a good idea. Remove the shell.

Clean up any rough edges with sand paper or emory cloth.

Drive the new bearing into the knuckle using ONLY THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE BEARING, failure to do so will ruin the bearing and or seal. Once the bearing is in place install the snap rings.

Now, find a bolt long enough to go through the bearing and the knuckle. A substantial diameter bolt is needed.

You will also need a flat steel bar a good 1/2" thick and 6" to 8" long with a hole in the middle large enough for the bolt to pass through. The steel bar goes on the inside of the steering knuckle.

Now find a socket that sits on the inner race of the bearing to keep the race from being pressed out of the bearing while installing the hub. The hub is set in the outside of the bearing and the bolt goes through both.

Tightening the bolt will draw the hub into the bearing.

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is but it works very well. No special tools and best of all, no alignment required.

Clarification available upon request

sixsracing · Post by **sixsracing** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 9:39 am

Or you can make the 4-6 hour drive down to Bangor and I'll take care of it in an hour or two in my shop.

You buy the pizza.

Post by **Calimus** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 11:32 am

If you have a Harbor Fright near by and some room in your garage, you can get a 12ton shop press for around $100. Thats what I did and it's payed for itself many times over. I've done about 3 wheel bearings, 2 motor mounts, several rear arm bushings and some other things it's really not intended for.

CalAltaDubber · Post by **CalAltaDubber** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 3:12 pm

sixsracing wrote:Or you can make the 4-6 hour drive down to Bangor and I'll take care of it in an hour or two in my shop.

You buy the pizza.

Actually it's about 5 days from Calgary

Caddycabby · Post by **Caddycabby** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:14 am

Hey Thanks, see you in bangor in about a week! But seriously though, i can get the berring housing out myself I think (that part is just a bunch of bolts right?) My boss and I work at a bunch of different machine shops in town and he knows a guy who is perfectly willing to lend his expertice and tools. I'll give him you guys' instructions and we should be able to conquer this thing.

I hope it is the weel berring, the car moans at the driver side front wheel and the noise intensifys as I turn left. The bentley says its the berring. It better be right.

What happens if you keep driving with a busted berring?

Post by **Briano1234** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:07 am

What happens when you drive with a bad bearing......

Seizing, heat possible breakage, wheel falling off while driving, Cats, dog's doing the unthinkable, men in Kilts

Caddycabby · Post by **Caddycabby** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:39 pm

Ha! makes me laugh.

Post by **Briano1234** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:32 pm

And for the record, all htis talk about wheel bearings, my right front is shot. I had it in the Shop (yes I do take it to a shop occasionally), and the guy noticed the wiggle... the nut was on by 3 threads...........

But the bearing is toast it is making noise, I am glad tho as the sound made me believe that the other side was the wonky one, it seems the sound is vibrating to the other side of the car.

Geeeeee may it is time that I bought a press from mmmmm Harbor Freight? LOL

tolusina · Post by **tolusina** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:45 pm

Briano1234 wrote:...... the guy noticed the wiggle... the nut was on by 3 threads...........

Geeeeee may it is time that I bought a press from mmmmm Harbor Freight? LOL

Plan on a new hub. Most any time these bearings have play for any reason, including a loose nut, the hub is shot too.

Anytime these bearings get loose, preload on the CV joint stub axle is lost too, the nut must also be loose at that point. The nuts are self locking types and shouldn't back off to only three threads, sounds like a good reason to always use a new nut like the factory recommends.

sixsracing · Post by **sixsracing** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 5:07 pm

Or an impact gun.

Caddycabby · Post by **Caddycabby** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:42 pm

Well every one, the wheel bearing went so well that i have decided to the other one. My boss and I went to a shop this morning and the guy had just the right size fittings to press the bearing right out of the housing and then one for pushing it back in. Twas a snap. Thanks. just need a torque wrench and I'm on my way.

Caddycabby · Post by **Caddycabby** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:13 pm

So much for easy going, The torque wrench I got doesn't work and I stripped the strut-bearing housig mounting bolt