Hi,

I seem to be having issues with the rear wheel bearings of my Ka. I'm sure I have followed the instructions properly.

I replaced both rear drums and shoes, and decided to replace the wheel bearings at the same time. I pressed them in with a ten tonne press all the way in. Greased them up nice and then fitted it to the stub axle tightening it up to 235Nm turning the wheel at the same time.

I drove into town and back, and on the way back the drivers side rear wheel instantly locked up. I managed to get it home by letting it cool for 5 mins, do half a mile and rest for another couple of minutes and then start off again.

I took the drum off, and the bearing was in bits. I managed to take bearing shell out of the hub, went and got a new hub and bearing and started again, making damn sure the both shells were seated exactly onto the shoulder within the drum.

I drove into town and on the way back exactly the same thing happened again on the same side. I know the torque wrench is ok because I had just bought it along with a calibration cert.

I've now bought a different drum from ECP made by pagid along with new bearings, pressed them in, put onto shaft and started to tighten it up. I rotate the wheel all the time and tighten it up, but within 100nm the wheel does have a quite bit of resistance, tightening it all the way to 235nm it doesn't change the resistance much. The other rear wheel also has this same amount of resistance, almost as if the shoes are in contact with the drum, but their definitely not.

I haven't taken it out for a spin just yet because I've already written one brand new tyre off. What I'm after is if someone that has done a few of these have the come across this same issue?

Before fitting the new hub I looked at the stub axle and it looks ok and not bent, however I suppose that would be hard to see. I'm not suspecting the stub because the drum and wheel bearing that came off it in the first place didn't have this problem it seems like a problem that I am causing.

Any ideas with this rather expensive problem would be really appreciated.

Kindest regards

I have fitted many wheel bearings and never had one fail that quick, In fact that's impressive!

When you pressed them in, what did you use? (besides the press)

I've got a bearing press set, I can only describe them as varying sizes of pucks made of aluminium. Picked the right size, sat it under the press arm and pushed it in. I've done loads this way and never had an issue.

When you've done it, did you notice much resistance to turning the wheel by hand?

I remember a few years back doing similar bearings on an old fiesta, I tightened the bearings right up, and the drum would rotate quite easily.

Cheers

Yeah sounds right to me, I was just hoping you weren't going to say you just pressed it in with a socket or something in the middle of the bearing. Tbh it was the only thing going round my head for how it could fail so soon.

I take it your aluminium puck is the same diameter as the bearing? I probably have the same set, are they different colours (anodised aluminium)?

I tend to keep old bearing outer races to use for pressing new ones in.

The drum should rotate easily as you say, sometimes there is a little resistance when brand new but only (presumably) from overcoming the grease that's packed in it.

Most of the time I use the old bearing shell to push the new bearing in, with the aluminium puck on top, whichever the size of the puck was the same diameter as the outer diameter of the bearing.

Now I've got a new drum and bearing fitted, im going to drive it for mile and take the drum back off to see if there is an sever wear or damage, if there is I'm going to change the stub.

Regards

Seanious