wheel bearing help...please

[Rob_T]

hiya, am currently trying to change a rear wheel bearing. I'm a bit stuck on how to arrange the larger ring and bearing and descriptions / pictures greatly appriciated. asap

[djaychela]

You have two bearings - a taper roller for each, inside and outside.

There are two parts to each bearing - a race (just a plain ring of metal, tapered on the inside), and a bearing (which consists of a race and the rollers with cage).

The races fit into the hub - the larger one on the inside, and the smaller one on the outside. In both cases, the larger part of the taper faces the OUTSIDE of the hub (i.e. if the hub was on the car, then the smaller race would be nearest you, but it would taper to be more open towards you. The larger race (which would be towards the car) would be fitted so that the taper opens out AWAY from you.

Once you've got them tapped into place (CAREFULLY, but all the way home - you'll hear a difference in sound when it bottoms out), then you can fit the bearings into the races - remember that at all times you should be able to remove the bearings, so if you keep that in mind you can't go wrong.

The nearest thing I can find to a pic that's helpful is this one:

You can see a cutaway of a hub, and can see the bearing arrangement in it. Ignore the angled bit on the left of the pic!

[Rob_T]

Thanks so much! Very helpful at a time of need. Cars now silent at 50 -70mph instead of sounding like a world war 2 plane.

[djaychela]

No worries. I'd just re-check the adjustment after a bedding-in period (a few hundred miles) just to make sure it turns freely, but with no play in the wheel - a 5 minute job.

[anewman]

No worries. I'd just re-check the adjustment after a bedding-in period (a few hundred miles) just to make sure it turns freely, but with no play in the wheel - a 5 minute job.

+1 mine seemed fine when I did it, but at the MOT a few hundred miles later it failed due to excessive play. MOT guy said it's quite common for them to do this.

[djaychela]

Unless you've really seated the bearings, they will do - I've read that they torque them very tight and then release a couple of times to do them, and whenever I've done this this has worked, but it's always best to check...

[Phil-E]

So is the nut supposed to be a fairly loose finger tight fit then the pin holds it in?

I am a bit miffed that I paid for this doing in a rush a few months back as I needed the car and didn't have time to do it... it's so easy to get it off!

Phil

[BiGRUD]

So is the nut supposed to be a fairly loose finger tight fit then the pin holds it in?

I am a bit miffed that I paid for this doing in a rush a few months back as I needed the car and didn't have time to do it... it's so easy to get it off!

Phil

According to Mr Haynes there is no torque setting and you do the nut up hand tight, spin the drum to make sure the bearing is square, then you just back the nut off until the tabbed washer can just about be moved with a small flat blade screw driver.

Mmmmm, I wasn't too happy with that. When I took mine apart at the weekend the washer couldn't be moved, so I done them back up finger tight just using my fingertips and a 24mm socket. They seem ok.

[Rob_T]

Good shout djaychela, just re-checked mine and I now have got play in the bearings albeit very small it makes a noise when I rock the wheel but it doesn't when I'm driving.

Do I just take the metal cap & split pin off and tighten the nut to get rid of that play ? Will it matter if I reuse the cap and split pin ? Haynes says not too but I don't have spares...

[BiGRUD]

Yes, just take the pin & cap off and re-tighten. I re-used my pins. Just bend them back slowly. Even if one side snaps, like mine, it should still be ok until you can a replacement.

[djaychela]

Yeah, re-use, and put a bit of grease round the lip of the metal lid to help it seal.

You should do the adjustment by over-torquing it a bit, and then backing it off til it runs freely. Do a few and you'll have it down to a fine art. Finger tight and back it off isn't tight enough, but always loosen to get the split pin through, not tighten.