Changing wheel bearings-Final

[Fab1]

Here I've placed the rear bearing race into the hubs bore ready to be driven flush with the hub.Note the orientation of the race-

You can use a block of wood over the race and tap it down into it's bore with a hammer.I just use the hammer tapping gently in a circular fashion until the race is flush with the hub-

The race still needs to be driven further into the hubs bore until it comes to rest against it's seat.There's a few ways of going about achieving this,You could use the drift from earlier tapping with the hammer in a circular fashion risking slipping of the edge of the bearing and marring it's face rendering it useless.You can use a purpose built bearing driver tool or you can cut a slot in the old races with a angle grinder of hacksaw and use them on top of the new races to drive the new races all the way home.The purpose of the slot is to make removal easier once finished driving the race into the hub.

Here I've placed the old race with the slot on the new race to drive it all the way home-For that last little bit to ensure the race is well seated I use the drift to tap down on both the new and old races.You'll hear a change in sound and the hammer will bounce back at you-

Now simply remove the race with the slot with your fingers and the rear race is installed-

The front race is installed using the same method.I put a slot in both the front and rear old races to use as installation tools-

Here's how to pack a bearing properly by hand,you can buy bearing packers if you wish but in my opinion nothing beats doing them by hand.The incorrect way to do them is simply smearing grease all over the bearings and installing them and calling it done,WRONG.You'd be amazed at even the so called mechanics using this method that should know better.

This is the grease I'm going to use-

Put some disposable gloves on and put a big dollop of grease in the centre of your palm-

Now bearings have a large side and a small side as seen in the photos-

You want to grab the bearing in your free hand with the large side facing the grease in your palm and taking little bites of the grease by dragging the bearing through the grease until grease comes out the small side in between the rollers and the cage of the bearing working your way all the way around the bearing until it's fully packed-

Once you've packed both your bearings this way set them aside on a clean paper towel or similar as it's now time to grease the races.Here I've put a good amount of grease on the races and have roughly half filled the hubs bore with grease and placed the freshly greased rear bearing into place-attachment=93631:image.jpg]

I've now got the stainless ring into position and taping it flush with the hub using the hammer-

Next ill grease the rear seal and install by pushing it on to the stainless ring-

Here I'm lubricating the freshly cleaned spindle with grease prior to installing the hub-

The hub has been installed on the spindle and so has the wheel ready to pre-load the bearings,Note I've left the split pin out to be able to turn the castellated nut -

To adjust the pre-load on the bearings I spin the tyre while at the same time doing up the Castellated nut firmly until no play is felt in the hub when rocking the tyre with both hands placed in the 9 o,clock and 3 o,clock positions to ensure the bearings are seated correctly,then I back the nut off just until a hair of play can be felt in the hub and the slot in the castellated nut and the hole in the spindle line up to install the split pin.

Bearings all adjusted with split pin installed-

All that's left to do is install the bearing buddy and pump with grease,lower jack and torque wheel nuts and the job is done.

Cheers.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Fab1

[Brooker435]

Again a great write up, Ill be sure to try your packing method when I rebuild my old hubs.

When I did my bearings I did smear the grease onto them however I rolled each of the rollers as I was greasing until the grease was all around them I then pushed grease into the top and bottom of both bearings so I am pretty sure they were packed but I will try your method too as it seems easier also the rubber gloves is a must I always tell myself that the next bearing change ill use gloves but I never do and end up making a mess.

Regards,

Nathan

[Fab1]

Again a great write up, Ill be sure to try your packing method when I rebuild my old hubs.

When I did my bearings I did smear the grease onto them however I rolled each of the rollers as I was greasing until the grease was all around them I then pushed grease into the top and bottom of both bearings so I am pretty sure they were packed but I will try your method too as it seems easier also the rubber gloves is a must I always tell myself that the next bearing change ill use gloves but I never do and end up making a mess.

Regards,

Nathan

Give it a go as that's the correct way to pack bearings.Greases and lubricants can cause cancer by being absorbed through the skin apparently,I've done things bare handed for years and haven't died yet.But yes gloves are a good idea and using that bin under the hub/wheel contains the mess while you work as the grease and old parts fall straight into the bin.

[batfishing]

Fab, that's really well put together....I only have one comment, gloves!! Wtf.....wusss

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[Fab1]

Fab, that's really well put together....I only have one comment, gloves!! Wtf.....wusss

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Thanks Ian,the gloves were used when packing the bearings to help keep my phone clean.I hate the bloody things also.I'm sure you'll agree if there's one job all boaters should know is how to pack/replace bearings.

I think all motorists should know how to change a flat also instead of relying on other means.

[batfishing]

Thanks Ian,the gloves were used when packing the bearings to help keep my phone clean.I hate the bloody things also.I'm sure you'll agree if there's one job all boaters should know is how to pack/replace bearings.

I think all motorists should know how to change a flat also instead of relying on other means.

I agree, I agree... You will have seen my mantra here, time and time again.

Replace every 12 months, don't inspect, don't clean, just replace its the cheapest job in the maintenance of your boat you can do.

Oh and the gloves, just took me back to my army days, we had a plant operator, that always wore them whenever greasing his machine....nickname...blisters......cos they figured if he ever got his hands dirty he would have blisters

Hence my chuckle

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[Fab1]

I agree, I agree... You will have seen my mantra here, time and time again.

Replace every 12 months, don't inspect, don't clean, just replace its the cheapest job in the maintenance of your boat you can do.

Oh and the gloves, just took me back to my army days, we had a plant operator, that always wore them whenever greasing his machine....nickname...blisters......cos they figured if he ever got his hands dirty he would have blisters

Hence my chuckle

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Lol.as long as he didn't wear them while driving a Volvo,now that's going overboard!

[General Zod]

Thank for that detailed write up. Looks like I'll be doing my ones next time.

[Fab1]

Thank for that detailed write up. Looks like I'll be doing my ones next time.

Anytime,glad it helps.

[deek]

Hey Fab1,

Can you post a procedure on how to refill and adjust a grease gun? everytime i refill mine it never goses to plan when i go to use it.

[Fab1]

Hey Fab1,

Can you post a procedure on how to refill and adjust a grease gun? everytime i refill mine it never goses to plan when i go to use it.

What exactly are you having issues with as there's not much to grease guns?The biggest thing I see is not bleeding the air out of them and not making sure the nozzle fits on the grease nipple snugly squirting grease everywhere but into the grease nipple.The easiest way to pack them is by using cartridges but hand packing gives you more choice of greases as some are not available in cartridge form.

[Lagos]

I have a packing device ($15 in any car parts shop) working with a grease gun. It is much more cleaner and accurate to do packing job with it.

Cheers

Sam

[batfishing]

I have a packing device ($15 in any car parts shop) working with a grease gun. It is much more cleaner and accurate to do packing job with it.

Cheers

Sam

But where's the fun??

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[antonywardle]

From past experiences, anything that involves lube and

gloves generally doesn't end too well ;-)

This might be one exception!

Nice write up fab1

[Fab1]

What exactly are you having issues with as there's not much to grease guns?The biggest thing I see is not bleeding the air out of them and not making sure the nozzle fits on the grease nipple snugly squirting grease everywhere but into the grease nipple.The easiest way to pack them is by using cartridges but hand packing gives you more choice of greases as some are not available in cartridge form.

Hear you go deek,this is how I hand pack my Toledo pistol grip grease gun and bleed it.

Unscrew the head on your grease gun exposing the plunger

Open the tub of the grease you intend to fill the gun with and dunk the grease gun into it and at the same time pull up on the plunger handle to suck as much grease into the barrel as possible.

Think of pumping yabbies when doing this as the technique and timing are the same.

Now you need to get messy and stick your fingers in the grease and finish filling the barrel by hand working more grease into it using your fingers and pushing the grease in as much as you can.

Once full you'll end up with this.

Now screw the head back on the barrel and your ready to bleed the air out.

All grease guns will have an air bleed screw mounted to the top of the gun like this

Remove this screw and push the plunger handle all the way in to the barrel

Now start pulling the trigger or pumping the handle you will hear air pushing out through the grease in the bleed hole.Once solid grease comes out from hole with no air,wipe clean and install plug back on gun giving the handle/trigger a few squeezes and grease should come out of the nozzle.

Cheers mate.