Wheel bearings

[nattyphysicist]

I did it at home with no press, just a big hammer and a brass punch. Some may be harder that others though. Penetrating oil?

[ericsmith32]

Hmmm replacing the front bearings doesn't sound to bad. I might give it a try on the aspire. Besides half the battle is already taken care of seeing that the only thing holding the hubs together is the drive shaft.

[zrice88]

I am having troubles with my bearing again. I just replaced the right front bearing about 2 months ago. Now it's loose again and causes the whole car to shake when I step on the brakes at a high speed. Why did it go bad so soon?

[elcamino1]

If you have mechanical skills it's easy, If not it would be hard. did mine on both cars in my driveway

[wirebrain]

I did my first bearing replacement a year and a half ago shortly after I purchased my Festiva and the other side 2 months ago. It was a lot easier after figuring out the first one and was done in my garage with normal tools. The Hub was tapped out of the Knuckle using a socket of the correct size and a hammer. Once the hub gets past the inner bearing the hub , outer bearing and grease seal will usually fall out.The outer bearing was removed from the hub by prying if off with two ball joint forks. I used the tire and rim as a work stand to help hold the the hub in place by bolting it to the outside of the rim. To reassemble I put both new races in the Knuckle, greased up the outer bearing and installed it in the knuckle with the outer grease seal. I then placed it on the hub/Rim assembly and tapped it together with a piece of pipe the same size as the inner race of the bearing, installed the spacer, and carefully tapped the inner greased bearing onto the hub and installed the inner grease seal. You don't have to have the assembly tapped together too tight because it will go together when you tighten the Axel nut. So far I have had no problems using to original spacers. Be sure to use premium Timkin bearings. I do have one question...has any one else had to lock tight the outer bearings, outer race into the Knuckle because it would not fit tight?

[roycehof]

The shims are more for variation in the machining of the hub itself. Bearing manufacturers hold their tolerances very tightly. If you buy quality bearing (timkens) you should never have a problem if you re-use the shims the maufacturer used when originally manufactured. You should have a better than 90% chance of success if you do it yourself using quality (no chinese crap) bearings and re-using the original shims in their original locations. Pressing them in and out is preferred to the hammer method mentioned above, however a careful person should be able to get away with the BFH (big freakin hammer).

[Arnie]

I need to replace one of my spindles. Its somewhat scored and a bearing presses onto it much too easily (there is a bit of play between teh bearing and the spindle). I picked up a used knuckle at a junk yard but only just noticed that one of the holes where your screw in the lugnuts is completely thrashed. Is 4 holed "flange" part of the spindle?

[wirebrain]

Yes, it is all one piece. If the old one isn't to bad you might be able to peen the area to get a tight fit.

[Arnie]

Damn, I'll see if the junkyard will take the piece back in trade for a different one. Guess I could helicoil too but figured, why do the extra effort.