can anyone replace front wheel bearing for me?

[justinhw]

Took the knuckles off the car - the driver's side spins freely but there is the slightest bit of grinding sound. the passenger's side looks like there is new grease in there but doesn't spin very well - it is smooth but as soon as I let pressure off it stops.

Should I replace the bearings while they are out? I've never done these and don't have the tools - can anyone on here do them for me/ I'd pay parts, shipping both ways, and your time

i'm in wisconsin if anyone is nearby.

[jptn]

Google up taper bearing failure and inspect both the race and bearing you can just replace the seals and repack your bearing without anything other thank hand tools. No need to replace the bearings and races if the look good. Just freshen up the grease.

[jptn]

Oops was thinking rear my bad you do need a friend with a press.

[jimdigs]

Took the knuckles off the car - the driver's side spins freely but there is the slightest bit of grinding sound. the passenger's side looks like there is new grease in there but doesn't spin very well - it is smooth but as soon as I let pressure off it stops.

Should I replace the bearings while they are out? I've never done these and don't have the tools - can anyone on here do them for me/ I'd pay parts, shipping both ways, and your time

i'm in wisconsin if anyone is nearby.

What I did was take my knuckle into a local performance auto and they did mine for $60. I had to make sure I told them about the spacer that has to stay with the knuckle when they did them. If you can't find anyone close you could always buy a used knuckle from a junk yard and ask if the bearings are good or not before you buy one. I did this too and you can get some pretty cheap through this site... https://www.partshotlines.com/ some of the sites give you prices and shipping prices. You can get one shipped for around $60. Good luck.

[Team Lightning]

One option is to get a cheap press from Harbor Frieght and do them your self. With a coupon or on sale a 12 ton cost me 99.00.

[FestYboy]

You can do the job with hand tools and no press. There's a write up somewhere around here, and I'm pretty sure my name is attached to it.

Need a vice, large hammer, cold chisel, 24mm socket, an extension you don't mind beating on, a piece of 2x4 or the like, and if you're feeling spendy, a race driver set (highly recommended but not absolutely necessary).

[WmWatt]

Here are some photos of my project rebuilding a pair of rusty junk yard wheels. I did it this way so I could have the use of the car while figuring out how to replace bearings. I only bought a large socket for the axle nuts. My press was a piece of 2" plastic pipe. I made a handy knuckle holder out of scrap plywood. And borrowed a 3-prong puller for free from a parts store (tool loaner program) to get the knuckle off the hub. Other people have used a slap hammer (from Harbour Freight in the USA) to separate the knuckle and hub or just hammered on the brake rotors if they were repalcing those too. A couple of tips if you choose to do it yourself. 1. The wheels won't turn freely after they are put back together with the new bearings. The car has to be driven a few feet, say the length of the driveway, to seat the new bearings. 2. Be sure to tighten the bolts on the brake rotors if you take them off because I didn't and had to take the wheels off the car and separate the kuckles again to get at the rotor bolts and tighten when they came loose and it took me and a mechanic some time to discover the source of the noise. As Festy wrote, there is lot of info on this taks here in the forum.

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

[justinhw]

thanks for the info everyone - when you say the wheels won't turn freely with new bearings - does this improve with time?

One of the bearings has new grease and is hard to turn - I was suspecting that the bearings had been replaced but wasn't sure because of the drag - i thought it would decrease my mileage or something - but if it loosens up i may just replace one side and keep this other one?

[WmWatt]

^ Just until the wheel bears the weight of the car so the bearings get lined up and start turning freely.
People usually advise replacing both sides, but I think that can mean a week or three of each other.

[FestYboy]

Be careful, it's possible the preload spacer is wrong for that bearing that's stiff.

[bhazard]

There is a member here by the name of "gauge_half_inch" that will completely rebuild knuckles for you, right down to blasting and powder coating. Uses good name brand bearings and I believe sets preload. I think his price is in the $150-200 range. Worth it to me as you should never have to mess with them again afterward.

[ericsmith32]

thanks for the info everyone - when you say the wheels won't turn freely with new bearings - does this improve with time?

One of the bearings has new grease and is hard to turn - I was suspecting that the bearings had been replaced but wasn't sure because of the drag - i thought it would decrease my mileage or something - but if it loosens up i may just replace one side and keep this other one?

Both of mine spun freely after a rebuild, just did the driver's side. Like mentioned you put the spacer back? The only thing I'm having is the new rebuilt hub is hot as all get out. Guessing that's typical till things loosen up.

[FestYboy]

No, that's not good. The preload is too tight on that bearing (or your pads are dragging).

[Dragonhealer]

^ This is really important, the spacer is matched to the knuckle and must be correct!
We only set racecar bearings to zero preload, road cars to .001" clearance.
If it is getting more than luke warm (no braking) then something is wrong and it won't last.

[firebush357]

You can do the job with hand tools and no press. There's a write up somewhere around here, and I'm pretty sure my name is attached to it.

Need a vice, large hammer, cold chisel, 24mm socket, an extension you don't mind beating on, a piece of 2x4 or the like, and if you're feeling spendy, a race driver set (highly recommended but not absolutely necessary).

The Link to your write up.
http://festivacentral.blogspot.com/2...acement_7.html