Getting a hub assembly

[GenevaDirt]

Hecka...have you tried just tightening the nut up to take up the play in the bearings? They may be fine. Unless you are getting humming or grinding sound then I would not mess with them. If you do need to change them it is such a simple job,provided they are just worn and not falling apart and stuff. A punch or an extension and a hammer is all you need to do the job. Oh, some new grease too.

Just watched your vid....looks like it just needs tightened. Get a new crush nut if you can...a dull chisel also would help to stake it once tightened...but not necessary.

[1990new]

I didn't know about the threads. I'll try loosening the nut again, this time with the correct size ratchet... 35mm, right? I don't think anybody is near me, as I went to the northwest forum and the closest ppl to me on the forum is like Olympia, wa. I'm in Marysville.

If I can get the correct size ratchet tomorrow morning I'll give it a go, but if that still doesn't work, I'll take the car to my mechanic.

The correct socket size for Festiva should be 21mm for the rear and 30mm for the front.
However the rear nut calls for only 18-22 lb-ft to seat the bearing, so you should be able to use just a vice grip to remove the nut.
When you replace the hub with the new bearing, you need to make sure you don't get it so tight that it drags.
There are spec regarding the seal drag but I have been successful just using the hub spin method to get the nut to the right tightness.
Your hubs were spinning pretty freely in the video, so be sure to check the condition of your brake shoes.
Shoes are not hard to replace once you learn the trick of getting the little shoe holders to follow your command.

[Hecka]

Hecka, make SURE you TELL the mechanic that the right rear has the left handed threads. I've had 2 ASE certified mechanics try to remove mine with an impact wrench, strip the nut and spindle, then tell me it was cross threaded and I had to pay for a new spindle. Well, now they are not available new. Now it's gonna be a very serious issue if it happens again. Of course, I do my on work now.

That's a good point. This mechanic I took it to didn't tell me it had a bearing issue when I took it in last week for an oil change/inspection. I even asked them if they thought a bearing was going bad, because I heard a humming noise. It wasn't until I took the car to my local tire place for an alignment, when they told me that the rear bearing was bad, along with both the front outer tie rods(they're loose, allowing the front tires to wander slightly). Maybe I should find another mechanic though... these guys sold out to meineke and the main mechanic who I had a lot of trust in quit, and the guys that are left didn't really put much effort in the way of recommendations for repairs. So they may not think about the thread direction.

Hecka...have you tried just tightening the nut up to take up the play in the bearings? They may be fine. Unless you are getting humming or grinding sound then I would not mess with them.

I did try to tighten up the nut, but the hub either spins very freely, or won't move. There is that humming sound coming from the bearing, and the wheel is slightly loose when installed.

The correct socket size for Festiva should be 21mm for the rear and 30mm for the front.
However the rear nut calls for only 18-22 lb-ft to seat the bearing, so you should be able to use just a vice grip to remove the nut.
When you replace the hub with the new bearing, you need to make sure you don't get it so tight that it drags.
There are spec regarding the seal drag but I have been successful just using the hub spin method to get the nut to the right tightness.
Your hubs were spinning pretty freely in the video, so be sure to check the condition of your brake shoes.
Shoes are not hard to replace once you learn the trick of getting the little shoe holders to follow your command.

The socket size I was using for that nut was a 13/16, so about a 21mm size... but it slipped a little when I tried to tighten it(thought I was loosening it at the time). How do you get to the shoes? I banged on that boot a few times but it wouldn't break loose!

[Team Lightning]

You have to remove the nut and remove the brake drum. (The item that the bearings are mounted in behind the nut). The brake shoes are mounted on the backing plate behind the drum. Also, most of the time I can break the nut loose with an 8" cresent wrench.

[Hecka]

I finished replacing the bearings myself after following the direction from you guys over here. Thanks for the help!! Here's a vid. http://youtu.be/9PU6v7qb-gw

[Spike]

I finished replacing the bearings myself after following the direction from you guys over here. Thanks for the help!! Here's a vid. http://youtu.be/9PU6v7qb-gw

Congrats. Replace wheel bearings and it moves up from there! Best thing to start with on a Festiva.

[Team Lightning]

Congratulations from me also. HEHE now you're hooked and have the Madness!!! A swap will be on your list I'm sure, for the future.

[lessersivad]

Congrats on getting the bearings changed.

I may I missed it, but did you "stake" the outer flange of the spindle nut. I hope you did.

[Hecka]

Congrats on getting the bearings changed.

I may I missed it, but did you "stake" the outer flange of the spindle nut. I hope you did.

I'm not sure what you mean here, but I did tighten the nut really well, then backed out to around 20 ft lbs, if that's what you're talking about.

[Chobobulous]

I'm not sure what you mean here, but I did tighten the nut really well, then backed out to around 20 ft lbs, if that's what you're talking about.

Staking is knocking a dent in the spindle nut so it does not back off.

[Bert]

Congrats on getting the bearings changed.
I may I missed it, but did you "stake" the outer flange of the spindle nut. I hope you did.

With some luck he wisely grabbed the rear spindle castle nuts off the P-N-P Aspires and drilled a cotter pin hole through his Festy spindles so as to be able to toss away those stupid stake nuts.

[Hecka]

With some luck he wisely grabbed the rear spindle castle nuts off the P-N-P Aspires and drilled a cotter pin hole through his Festy spindles so as to be able to toss away those stupid stake nuts.

hmmmm.. well I am neither lucky nor wise then. hahaha

I didn't go to the pnp yet for the aspire parts. AAAAAAAAANNNNNND, the bearings I just replaced went bad again. Not sure what I forgot to do, or should not have done..

Since I don't have a press, I wasn't able to get the old races out. With my attempts at hammering them out with a stubby screwdriver, I probably made a few nicks in the races, which I'm thinking is the cause of the failing bearings again. I used plenty of grease, so I don't think that's the failure point. I've decided to let my local mechanic press those races out and put in new bearings for me. That way I can blame somebody else next time if they fail again.

[lessersivad]

Well if I did this right there should be a scan for the "staking" and also a crude scan and explanation of bearing race removal direction.

Hecka,

I'm not going to try to come across as a complete jerk, just trying to simply point out WHY the bearing failure occured.

These are only my opinions and observations.

1) According to the video it appeared you were trying to remove the bearings (races) by pounding INWARDS. That is not the correct direction as is pointed out in the rather crude scan.

2) Again from the video and your response in the posting. You DIDN'T "stake" the spindle nut after tightening.

3) From your posting you didn't install new races in the hub. Depending on what condition the races are in, you may as well rubbed the new bearings on a concrete floor before installing.

4) This is a simple thing I noticed from the video. You installed "low dollar" bearings. Use Timken brand bearings and IF they are properly installed, should give many miles of trouble free service.

The bearing races do NOT require the use of a press for removal. A simple drift punch and hammer will be all that's needed.

If for example you are attempting to remove the outer race, you insert the punch from the back side of the hub to tap the race towards the outside of the hub.

Alternating side to side the race will "rock" back and forth upon each hit, working it's way to the outer edge of the hub until it is free of the hub/drum.

In my opinion it is essential to have all the grease removed from the hub area in order to make sure you are placing the punch on the RACE lip and not the inner part of the hub itself.

I hope this posting was somewhat clear and it helps you understand the "why" of the problem.

[WmWatt]

Here is a link to a photo documentary of rear bearing replacement, if it works. This website has been changing and I've been having problems posting links.

http://s1086.photobucket.com/user/ag384fb/library/Festiva-backwheel

[Hecka]

Thanks for the walkthrough, WmWatt. I'll be sure to follow that the next time another of my bearings fails. For now, however, I have to get this car on the road and need it fixed right this time.

lessersivad, thanks for outlining what I was doing wrong. It does help me see my mistakes and learn for the next time. The only reason I pounded the bearing inward was that I was trying to see if that socket the guy sold to me would actually fit. It did, so I hammered the whole thing out from the other side, using a flat head screw driver. I couldn't get the race out, and made sure I was trying for the race, and not the hub itself(where there are four gaps to allow for a press to press out the races, I assume).

Where can I get Timkin brand bearings? The only options I had were those low-dollar ones or another brand that were twice the price, but both looked to be relatively the same.

(btw those attachments didn't work)