Hot Front Rims

[JIMITHING]

What is wrong with my 1988 festiva if the rims get really hot to the point where they start smoking? brake calipers and outer bearings were already recently replaced.

[georgeb]

clogged brake hose or rookie hub job. Open bleeder and step on brake to check for obstruction. Spin wheel to check stuck caliper. Push piston in slightly to check binding bearings.

[JIMITHING]

brakes are fine. Whats a rookie hub job consist of? I replaced the outer bearings but did not replace the inner bearings. I also noticed alot of grease splattered all over the inside of the rims. Any guesses?

[Larry Hampton]

Grease is either split CV boots, or more likely, bearing grease that got too hot and got runny and got slung out past the seal.

[Aspire SVT]

If the bearings were not preloaded correctly that may cause the issue. They may possibly be too tight. I had loosely preloaded bearings on my aspire for about six years with the only problem being a slight drift on a lumpy road or a shimmy at highway speeds. Never got hot. Once I saw someone at work leave out the preload spacer and the wheel was locking up due to the excessive friction. Also what the previous poster mentioned about a collapsed brake hose. More than likely they are now collapsing due to the excessive heat so once the root cause is identified I would recommend replacing the hoses as a precautionary measure to ensure no further issue. Did this problem occur before the wheel bearing replacement or was the replacement a repair attempt at the heat problem. If the bearings are to tight they may need to be replaced due to galling or welding themselves to the hub which would require a set of junkyard knuckles. As far as general bearing replacement goes I would recommend replacing the inner and outer bearings and races at the same time. Why change just the one when the other has the same amount of wear and fatigue and it's already apart. Good luck.

[nitrofarm]

What is wrong with my 1988 festiva if the rims get really hot to the point where they start smoking? brake calipers and outer bearings were already recently replaced.

Two things can cause it. A bearing or brake. My son's 94 recently started doing the same.The more city driving. The worse it got,to the point where when you tried to pull away from a stop. The clutch would chatter & the front of the car would start to lift up in the front.And the engine would try and load up. Narrowed it down to the master cyl failing. And I also had just done my wheel bearing (both). Try to drive it around on the highway NOT using the brakes.Then check the temp. If its still hot its prolly a bearing.

[Larry Hampton]

If the bearings were changed previously, and the spacers switched up, if you redo it, how do you know where to put them? I've only ever dealt with tapered bearings.

[FestYboy]

not to start anything, but why in the world would you only do the outer front bearings and not the inners as well (takes another 3 minutes per side). that's just asking for trouble.

[nitrofarm]

If the bearings were changed previously, and the spacers switched up, if you redo it, how do you know where to put them? I've only ever dealt with tapered bearings.

There is a procedure in the book Larry that utilize's a torque spec. You do a "bench setup" with the bearings/spacer in the spindle. There are two machined washers that go on the outside of the races. You sandwich the bearings/spacer in the spindle with a long bolt & nut to 145 lb-ft. Then you see how much torque is required to rotate that same bolt head. It has to be more than 2.5 and less than 10.5 ft-lbs. All of this is done without using the hub. You are simulating "pulling" the axle against the inner bearing,when torquing the axle nut. If the required 2.5 thru 10.5 ft-lb isnt met. You simply use a thinner/thicker spacer. Its really simple,but not a lot of people dont have the reqiured "machined" washers. They come in one of the Ford dealership tool kits.Which can be purcused on E bay.

[Aspire SVT]

Not to step on any toes but I believe the unit of measure for Rotating torque is measured in inch-lbs. Just figured id add to avoid confusion. If it was measured in ft lbs it would be 12 times too tight and the bearings would be junk. I bought a special torque wrench just to set up my aspire ones. I have part numbers for the spacers. if anyone needs them kia still supplies them. I bought all 21 of them.. <--- Psycho...!! The numbers are also posted on the forum.

[nitrofarm]

Not to step on any toes but I believe the unit of measure for Rotating torque is measured in inch-lbs. Just figured id add to avoid confusion. If it was measured in ft lbs it would be 12 times too tight and the bearings would be junk. I bought a special torque wrench just to set up my aspire ones. I have part numbers for the spacers. if anyone needs them kia still supplies them. I bought all 21 of them.. <--- Psycho...!! The numbers are also posted on the forum.

LOL Thanks for the claification :p I use a pull scale & a fixture I made up.Actually you can do them by feel once you get the hang of it. I go thinner on the shim till it just starts to feel a little knotchy. Then I go one size thicker and see how that feels. Then I check it with the scale. I've been finding that a lot of the cars came with 9,10,11 & 12 spacers. My Aspire which a just did this am had an 11 & 12.
The one pic with the "C" Clamp I'm using the old bearings to press in the new races. Works nice and smooth.