Front Wheel bearing replacement

[Chris1234]

Hi all,

I have just bought a front wheel bearing to put into the Front N/S, as well as some discs to press the bearing in and out I have a press coming too. Could anyone tell me if there is a right way round to fit the bearing?

One side of the new bearing seems to have a lip on it which I imagine will go in first?

Thanks in advance

Chris.

[TomsFocus]

Is it an ABS model?  If so the magnet in the bearing needs to be on the correct side for the sensor.

[stef123]

As above, 

the new bearing will possily have a plastic cap over the magnetic side. If not they are easy to identify. The magnetic side must go in first.

Be careful not to snap off the abs sensor. Very rarely do they come out without damage, I use plates with slots cut in them so I don’t need to touch them. 

What type of kit are you using? I always used to remove the knuckle from the car and use a floor press, I now do them on the car with a modified kit. I’m doing one this afternoon actually so could post up pictures. 

[stef123]

Ok so an update and an apology lol.

forgot the bearing I was doing today comes out the rear of the knuckle not the front so I did indeed have to pull the abs sensor - managed without breaking it which is a bonus lol.

So some pictures of my cheap Chinese kit, my upgraded thread bar and some pics in use. I used m20 thread bar instead of the cheap 3/4unf chocolate bar included in the kit.

The circlip at holding the bearing in I tend to use a punch to try and rotate it round, makes removing it much easier,  when the bearing is out make sure the groove is clean for the circlip.

Also make sure to clean the face of the hub up, I sometimes use a purpose made hub grinder but 120 grit emery cloth also does a good job. 

 

[Chris1234]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your replies,

I am not sure if it is an abs model or not so will need to check for the sensor.

As for the kit, I have a press coming in the next couple of days as well as what looks like the same kit of discs and collars that you have pictured in the red box. In addition to that I have bought a collar set that clamps around the actual hub in case the bearing splits. I will try to put pics of the kit on this thread

Thanks for the help guys,

Chris.

Edited September 16, 2018 by Chris1234
Add photos

[stef123]

Looks like you have more than enough kit to do a wheel bearing. 

You can do it on the car with the red kit, providing the chocolate bolt doesn’t shear or chew the threads. That’s the reason I replaced the one in my kit with m20 bar.

The blue kit will be handy to remove the inner race from the hub, otherwise I’d use a grinder and a hammer.

if you intend on doing the bearing on the car, you’ll need to pull the hub from the knuckle somehow. I use a slide hammer for that job. 

[Chris1234]

Hi Stefan,

Thanks for the info. I am probably going to take the carrier off the car and do it in the press as I might clean all the rust off it at the same time. Hopefully the blue kit can be used to get the remains of the old bearing off the shaft of the hub once in the press. I have not found either side of the new bearing to be magnetic, guessing it is the correct part for the car as I got it from Europarts using my registration number but I can confirm the ABS situation once I get down to do the job. I have noticed that on one side of the new bearing it has a step almost as if it is to locate it before the pressing starts?

The red boxed kit has arrived today (bigger and heavier than I expected) look forward to the press and the puller getting here too.

I thought I might as well take the plunge and buy the kit as the garage wanted £150 to do the job and I reckon if that side has gone then the other side will follow soon, since they will have had to pull both drive shafts out to do the recent clutch change and I have also noticed a slight noise from the exhaust maybe flexi  joint as they will have probably disturbed that as the gearbox was coming out too. I don't usually use garages and now I remember why...car goes in for one job and comes out needing two or three others done.

Thanks again for your reply

Chris.

[stef123]

When you put the key in and turn the ignition on, do you see an abs light illuminate?

[Chris1234]

Hi Stefan,

No ABS light ( just checked)

Does this mean no right or wrong way for the bearing?

I will try to add a photo of it to see if I can show the groove on one side of it.

Cheers,

Chris.

[Chris1234]

Hi Stefan,

As per the pictures attached you can see one side with a step on it and the other side is like a rounded shamfer

It looks like the stepped side may fit into the carrier as a location?

Cheers,

Chris.

[stef123]

Never fitted one with a step like that, i can’t see what the relevance of it is. Bearings are easy to line up so can’t see that it does anything there 

[Chris1234]

MiThanks Stefan,

I will look at the old one when it comes out to see if it has a notch.

Cheers,

Chris

[Chris1234]

Hi all,

Just an update on how the job is going.

I have taken the whole unit off the car so that I could get it in the press. The old bearing was a pig to come out, it ended up leaving the outside Shell stuck in after all of the ball bearings fell out. On the plus side though I now know why one side has a step on it... it doesn't use any circlips at all to hold it in place, the carrier has a step to stop it going too far through and both steps match to lock it in, but no circlip on the outer face to keep it in.

Tomorrow is the "putting the new one in game" both  the new bearing and the hub are going into the freezer tonight and with a bit of luck I can do some piccys along the way.

I am also starting a new thread as I have found a very slight leak on the exhaust flexibility joint.

All the best,

Chris.

[Chris1234]

Disaster day!

Old bearing out, New one in and all seemed well with the world. All was well until I came to push in the hub itself, it went in beautifully all except for about the last .5 to 1mm where I think the splined shaft hit up against the flat plate tool that was supporting it. I tried all ways to push it that little bit further in but it just would not go.

Then the problems really started...

The bottle jack on my new press packed up, so I used a screw puller but forgot to support the inner ball race...you guessed it I heard one crack and the bearing had broke!

So I took the whole carrier to a  local garage who said £20 would fit a new one and of course the 20 for another new bearing.

All in all not a great day.

I think the bottle jack lost some fluid before delivery as the box was wet so will top up and see if that sorts it out.

Cheers,

Chris.