Festiva front bearings

[ricko1966]

^^^ Photos please?

Will do. Gotta get bearings and seals still.What I've been doing is remove the axle nut, pop the tie rod end and ball joint. push the axle out of the hub stick a slide hammer through the hub put a med size socket over the slide hammer then a washer and the nut pop your ball joint back in yank on the slide hammer a couple times everythings apart.But going back I always have to take the knuckle off and to the press to put teverything back together. This time I am going to use the threaded rod and bearings from a scissor jack and pulll everything back in place in the car, Yes I know you can buy an attachment to hook the slide hammer to the hub I have broken 2 of those over the years before I figured out to just stick the slide hammer through the hub. This was supposed to be in direct response to WmWatt s post I hope I remembered to hit the quote button.

[ricko1966]

I've used PVC pipe couplers from Home Depot for seating bearings on my Cressida hubs. I just took my bearing to the store and matched the correct diameter coupler and then seated the bearing with the coupler and a soft mallet. I'd imagine you could do the same with the contraption you posted above.

Good Idea If sockets wont work I'll start buying different sizes of pipe. Thanks for the tip As a matter of fact I am just going to buy a bunch of different size iron and pcv pipe anyway. as I use this same method [ slide hammer and press ] on damn near everything FWD,thus the broken hub adapters,some bearings come out harder than others.

[ricko1966]

Duh the spacers and pushers and sleeves from my ujoint press. God bouncing crap back and forth w you guys really helps me think. Thanks

[WmWatt]

Photos of wheel rebuilding project below show use of plastic pipe to press on bearings. I made a plywood jig to hold the knuckle and a cutoff axle but that could be done with the axle on the car if my memory of how it worked is right ...

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

[ricko1966]

Put 19 miles on the new car today, I forgot how much more I like injected vs. carby cars, was going to do the right front wheel brgs but went to my festiva parts stash, 2 new inner seals 1 new outter seal 2 new a18 brgs but 1 got wet and is rusty damnit. Was tempted to try to clean it up and try it, but too much work to gamble so hoping to go to louisberg sunday to get a brg and do the brgs monday. Thought I was going to call the car fireball , but kinda thinking burn victim. IDK, this is the car that caught fire a few days back.

[ricko1966]

New right front wheel brgs in the car today 1hr 39 minfrom when I set the timer in the kitchen walked out and started and walked back to the kitchen.First time doing them on car so I was figuring everything out as I went and searching for stuff to make it happen. I think I could easily scrub at least 39 min off next time. Popped the lower ball joint, popped the tie rod end, unbolted the caliper pushed the axle in and out of the way. It is a piece of cake in the car and this way allows spacer thickness check if you think you need too.IMHO the different spacers are for tolerance stack and if you are using the same hub and knuckle everything should be fine. I will see if I can get some pics up.slidehammer.jpgbare hub.jpgnew brg.jpgall thread.jpg I yanked the hub,rotor and old brg with the slide hammer, I cut the outter brg and race at an angle and drove the chisel into the cut repeatedly to expand the race,it budged,I tried to pull it with the channell locks,no dice, stuck the big pry bar and the screwdriver behind the race at 9 and 3 popped it right out.popped the races out of the knuckle with a punch and hammer.Froze my new races in advance warmed up the knuckle with propane torch outter race pushed in with fingers inner race took some minor taps with a big socket and hammer because the race had warned up and the housing had cooled down. Made sure they were seated with the big socket and hammer. Put in my outter greased bearing and seal put in my spacer then my inner greased brg and seal . So then I had a knuckle with a completely assembled seal,brg,spacer,brg , seal pulled the hub in with two sockets and a piece of all thread. Tried to use only stuff I thought everyone has, Not everyone has ,extra jacks for parts, and brg presses,brg seperators etc.

[WmWatt]

very smooth

[ricko1966]

very smooth

Thank you!I wish I had taken a pic of the knuckle with the seals and brgs in it before I pulled the hub in,but I think everyone understands .Tomorrow I will list and pic everything used. And how spacer can be checked also.I had to do dishes and cook dinner ran out of time tonight. A single dads work is never done.

[ricko1966]

some of the tools.jpg left to right. 1. Slide hammer for pulling hub rotor assembly I would use the smaller one with a 27mm socket on the end. 2,Prybar cutoff tool hammer chisel screwdriver for remove stuck race from hub 3.hammer and punch for tapping races out of knuckle 4. All thread rod with 2nuts 2 washers 11/16 socket and 36mm socket and 2 wrenches for pulling in hub, propane torch and 1and7/16th socket for seating races back in the knuckle. freeze the races in advance to contract them heat the knuckle just before assembly to expand it.
If you are worried about shim thickness assemble your knuckle with a too thick shim use the all thread with a socket on each end and a 27mm socket in place of the hub. Snug your all thread up push your all thread in and out measure that play. that play subtracted from the shim thickness would take you to zero, minus desired preload now you know your shim.
Assemble the same way use the shim you have tighten your all thread turn the assembly its kinda like doing gm 10 bolt diff by feel.
Use too thin of a shim and a ring of solder tighten until all play is gone in this one it is shim plus solder thickness + preload = reguired shim.

[Rick the Quick]

ricko, you stole my thunder.....I was getting ready to mention heating the knuckle. You're a single dad so you can put them in the oven. It works better then the torch. I can't offer time and temperature settings. While you are in the kitchen put the bearings in the freezer. While in the kitchen waiting for the bearings to cool and the knuckles to heat utilize your time to cool yourself. A cool beer on a hot day can work wonders. That my friend is called utilizing your time in an efficient manner. :tm:

[ricko1966]

ricko, you stole my thunder.....I was getting ready to mention heating the knuckle. You're a single dad so you can put them in the oven. It works better then the torch. I can't offer time and temperature settings. While you are in the kitchen put the bearings in the freezer. While in the kitchen waiting for the bearings to cool and the knuckles to heat utilize your time to cool yourself. A cool beer on a hot day can work wonders. That my friend is called utilizing your time in an efficient manner. :tm:

I can't put the whole festy in the oven,the things I can I do. This is funny taking bearings out of aluminum housings with the oven is hilarious, you put your aluminum whatever on a cookie sheet bearing side down and enough air space for the bearing, stick the cookie sheet in the oven until you hear whump, that is the bearing landing on the cookie sheet quick grab your frozen bearing pull out the cookie sheet turn your part over set in your new bearing, go drink your beer in 10min everything will be tight again

[ricko1966]

Well I have come to the conclusion that all festivas were shipped from the factory with pre worn out front wheel brgs.Had to do them on the latest project today,Things I learned today were the factory axle nut washers are the right size to use as the puller washers when using a slide hammer to pull the hubs,and that your axle nut socket will pull the inner brg in.All thread works better than the threaded rod out af a jack only because the threaded rod from a jack is 90 feet long if you wanted to shorten it or use spacers it would work great.Also cut my inner races with the 4 inch grinder and a chisel this time, the die grinder was faster and easier but a 4 in grinder will do.No heat or freeze on anything this time was in a big rush trying to beat the rain.Was putting up tools after the test drive when the rain came.