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| Front wheel bearings are something that just seem to be taken for
granted. The only time we seem to think of them is when we hear a
bearing noise in the front, have a vibration or wheel shimmy or have
cupped front tires. All of these symptoms are front bearing related and
can be remedied in one afternoon. Front wheel bearings should be
checked at least once a year, repacked every 20,000 to 30,000 miles and
replaced every 40,000 to 50,000 miles. Sometimes a minor adjustment
will repair the situation, but if not, bearing replacement is not a
major operation. The bearings, races and grease seals can all be
purchased at Zip Products, Inc. Follow along as we show how to adjust and replace the front wheel bearings on our project 64 Corvette. |
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01: To check for worn or loose front wheel bearings,
jack the front end of the car up and place it on jack stands. Remove
the wheel cover or center cap. Place your hands at the top and bottom
of the wheel. Rapidly push with one hand and pull with the other. If
you feel any movement or noise as you do this, the bearings are loose
or worn. |
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02: We will first check to see if the bearings are
loose. To do this, remove the dust cap and cotter key from the spindle
end. Use a torque wrench and tighten the spindle nut to 15 ft. lbs.
while you rotate the wheel. After you have done this, back off the
adjusting nut one flat and insert the cotter key. (Note: If the cotter
key does not line up with the hole, back the nut another 1/2 flat or
less to align it.) Grab the wheel again as you did to check it and see
if any looseness still exists. If not, then an adjustment and repack
will do. If that does not take care of the looseness, or you still have
a bearing noise, you will have to replace the bearings. |
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03: Remove the cotter key spindle nut and washer and
remove the outer bearing. Slide off the drum or rotor, if you have disc
brakes. Notice how we marked the drum to insure putting it back on the
same side. |
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04: Clean off the spindle and check the bearing mounting surface for any grooves or score marks.
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05: Turn the drum or rotor over and remove the grease
seal. Here we are using a grease seal removal tool available at most
quality auto parts stores. If you don't have one of these, a wide blade
screwdriver will work just fine. After the grease seal is removed, the
rear bearing can be taken out. |
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06: Use a brass drift to tap out the outer and inner bearing races. |
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07: These are the inner and outer bearing races and
grease seals. In most cases, two types of bearings are available,
economy and quality. I always recommend the top quality bearings and
races over the economy type. Also, it is a good idea to replace both
the inner and the outer bearings and races, not just one. |
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08: Set the bearing race evenly into hub and gently
tap into place. I like to use a 1/4" piece of flat bar laid across the
top of the race so I can tap in the center to evenly install the race. |
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09: After you have tapped the race evenly across the
hub, it will still need to be seated against the hub stop. To do this,
take a brass drift and tap the race down until it stops against the
race lip. Do this to the inner and outer races. |
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10: Here is the race seated against the stop. |
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11: There are two ways to re-pack your wheel bearings
- by hand or by a bearing packer. To pack them by hand, apply some
bearing grease into the palm of your hand. Take one end of the bearing
and place it into the grease. Now drag the bearing back toward the heel
of your hand. Do this to the entire bearing and then turn it over and
do it to the other side. When you are done, the inner and outer case of
the bearing should be covered and you should not be able to see the
rollers from either end. |
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12: The other method is by using a bearing packer.
These are available from most auto parts stores for $12 or less.
Install the bearing between the two halves of the packer. Use a grease
gun to force the bearing grease down through the top of the packer and
then up through the bearing. The packer does both sides of the bearing
at one time. When the grease comes out of the top of the bearing, you
are through. If you are re-packing your old bearings, remember to clean
them with a cleaning solvent such as mineral spirits first. Then dry
them by hand. Do not use compressed air to spin the bearings dry. This
can cause damage to the bearing. After the bearing is dry, check all of
the rollers for wear or grooves. The slightest scratch or flat spot
will cause a noise or looseness. |
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13: Install the inner bearing and then place the
grease seal into place. Use the 1/4" flat bar to tap the grease seal
evenly into place. Make sure it is seated all the way down into place. |
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14: Install some bearing grease into the hub assembly before you re-install it onto the spindle. |
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15: Install the hub and drum or rotor back onto the
spindle. Install the outer bearing and place the notched washer into
place. Line the notch up with the groove in the spindle. |
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16: Install the spindle nut and tighten to 15 ft. lbs.
while turning the wheel. Back the nut off one flat and line up the
cotter key hole. Again, if it does not line up, loosen the nut 1/2 flat
or less to align the hold. Install the cotter key and bend its legs to
prevent it from backing out. Remember to always use a new cotter key. |
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17: Re-install the dust cap. Do not tap on the center
of the cap because this will damage the dust cap. Use a flat blade
screwdriver and tap against the lip to seat it on the hub. Install your
wheel cover or center cap and you are done again for about 20,000 miles. |
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Front Wheel Bearing Replacement:
Changing out our old wheel bearings on our 64 Corvette
SOURCE:
Zip Products, Inc.
8067 Fast Lane
Mechanicsville, VA 23111
(800) 962-9632
Parts List:
The Author would like to thank Richard Gaudio of Greg Donahue Collector
Car Restorations, Inc. for his assistance with this article. |
