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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Wheel Bearings
        
(Message started by: Mick Saunders on Jan 31^st, 2005, 9:03pm)

Title: Wheel Bearings
Post by Mick Saunders on Jan 31^st, 2005, 9:03pm

:)Hi All,
I thought that you might be interested, in an article, in this months "Car Mechanics". Owing to Copyright I cant repeat it here. Suffice to say it involves our Vehicle. All I can say is Buy it and take a look at Tips from the Trade !!. Or take a look at :- http://www.carmechanicsmag.co.uk/cgi-bin/tftt.cgi?q=050203
Mick.

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by craig on Feb 1^st, 2005, 6:47am

i know all about that.. >:( >:(

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by waders on Feb 1^st, 2005, 11:33am

on 02/01/05 at 06:47:01, craig wrote:

i know all about that.. >:( >:(

Me too!

My hub actually broke in two and it was only the brake calliper that stoped the wheel coming off :o

Should have taken pictures :-[

8) ;D 8) ;D 8)

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by mr._floppy on Feb 1^st, 2005, 12:45pm

Trouble is, what are the signs of imminent bearing trouble?

I had the front discs off recently and the front bearings, while not stiff or gritty or noisy , were not exactly keen on "freewheeling" when spun ( sealed for life , I believe ) .

So how does one know what a healthy bearing feels or sounds like compared to one that will break up the next day at 70 mph !

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by Thunderchild on Feb 1^st, 2005, 1:45pm

Well with the rears, as the article said, there very often is no noise at all. I had exactly the same situation as the guy in the article with both of the rear bearings failing. In both cases the hub was completely broken. The other thing was that the drive shaft was flopping about a bit (another technical term!!). With the front bearing I did hear it start to go and it was the typical rumbling which gets worse when you are turning. Great fun changing the front... took almost 3 tons of pressure from the hydraulic press to get the devil out!!

Thunderchild

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by johnv on Feb 1^st, 2005, 7:26pm

I understand that the near side ones go first because you turn more to the left than to the right. (Don't ask).
I had the N/S/R go on my 1996 estate. damaged the hub.
If you go to your Ford main dealer they will supply and fit you a new bearing and hub free of charge. Well they did for me.

Took my car in because I had a slight ticking noise which increased to a rumble on odd occasions.
I left it to them to sort it out.
But two days later they had not even moved my car, never mind looked at it.
So at tea-time on the second day, I blew my top and asked to speak to Chief Managing Director.
So they would not put me in touch with him, so I said right, I coming down right now, so exspect some fireworks.
So before I could start out, the phone when, with the Head of fitting shop, spitting and sputtering.
He said I going to put my very best chief crease monkey onto this right now. (well perhaps those where not the actual words he used), and he would do me a deal on the price.
So I said OK. Well if someone offeres you some money, you don't refuse do you.
So their very best fitter turned out to be a duffer. said it was the drive shaft bearings. Well The Main Ford Dealership should know better than a mere idiot like me.
So I said OK then proceed. after we had agreed a price.
So fitted new bearing to the front instead of rear, well that's what it said on the invoice.
So after a lot of running around they told me it was the rear but the paper work was wrong.
So driving home a short distance from Ford the N/S/R wheel locked up for a second until the hub bearing smashed so letting the wheel revolve again and the hub was damaged.
So able to drive to Ford Main Dealership. and upon taking off the wheel found it was the N/S/R hub, which I throught that at the beginning. But its not for some dummy like me to tell a Grand Ford Main Dealer what the trouble is.
So they where going to charge me for the supply and fitting of the bearing and new hub.
So I told them get lost. I will agree to pay for the new bearing because it was broken with fair wear and tear, but i not going to pay for a new hub nor the fitting. because it was them that got the job wrong not me.
So they said Ok.
So I said and don't forget to refund me in total for the drive shaft work you did when it was not required.
So they said but we fitted them now. So I said tougf, that's you own silly fault.
So I got a refund, after i said I knew where the Managing Direct Office was, I going to knock on his door now.

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by johnv on Feb 1^st, 2005, 7:35pm

Does anyone think, that if you slip your trolley jack under each wheel one at a time and rota the wheel (that's a posh word for spinning the wheel). around and around and you listen closly, you might be able to detech a bearing that is going to go by hearing noice or feeling it going rough.

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by Eddie on Feb 1^st, 2005, 9:16pm

Thats one method , the main one is to (jack up) grip the tyre 12'0'clock and 6'0'clock and rock (or try to) back and forth,or to put it another way,push/pull the wheel towards and away from ones self(!).

If a (front) wheel will not spin fairly free then all is not well-assuming the brakes are out of the way.

eddie

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by johnv on Feb 2^nd, 2005, 6:46am

Thanks Eddie. Yes I know all abut rocking the wheel, but wear would have to be bad for a wheel to rock. That's what the MOT testers do.
I had forgotten all about MOT's when I did my posting.
I think I will ask the tester would he mind spinning the wheel to see if he can hear any clicks or courseness etc.
but don't have to confuse rubbing brake pads making light contact.

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by Paul B on Feb 2^nd, 2005, 7:12am

on 02/02/05 at 06:46:24, johnv wrote:

I think I will ask the tester would he mind spinning the wheel to see if he can hear any clicks or courseness etc.

Not sure about other testing stations, but they did that on mine anyway. There was no need to ask.

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by johnv on Feb 2^nd, 2005, 6:05pm

yes paul, they all rock the wheel, but i never seen one spin the wheel and put their ear to the wheel to try and detech any clicking, or courseness.
I still wondering if cars are safe nowadays. I mean you see cars travelling at 80 miles per hour on motorways and all that driving the wheels is a slim tube with a bearing on each end.
And as for steering rack, I don't like them at all.
But brakes are much better than olden days.

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by Paul B on Feb 2^nd, 2005, 8:28pm

Yes, this guy did actually listen to it :o
I thought I was in trouble the way he was going about it. Still, better safe than sorry I guess.

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by Badboytunes on Feb 2^nd, 2005, 10:31pm

my tester does the same........

Title: Re: Wheel Bearings
Post by mr._floppy on Feb 2^nd, 2005, 10:55pm

Manufacturers will insist on making safety critical components like bearings , CV's and propshafts " tamperproof " or "sealed for life" .

It was always part of a regular service to dismantle and re-pack wheel bearings with clean grease , this ensured , at least , that a failing bearing could be spotted BEFORE disintigration.