Loose Wheel Bearings

Thanks Doug. Well after Warraweena the cruiser had done about 2000km and over some rough terrain so I would have thought that when I nipped them up after that trip that I wouldn't have any problems again.

Actually the only reason I checked the bearings this third time was because I was getting unusual wear on the front LH tyre and thought I'd eliminate the easier causes first.

G'Day Peter, I'm beginning to thing along your lines too. I put the cones in with a hammer and large screwdriver and I look for the tell tale signs of grease being squirted out when the cones have hit home - but maybe they just weren't quiet home.

Yeah I go easy on the grease because most of it sits in the hub for 20000km doing nothing so I don't think it was hydraulic lock. I reckon the cones were'nt home.

Next time I'll take then to work and press them in with a hydraulic press.

How do you get the cones in and out at home Peter??

is it possible that the hardened wearing surface on the bearings has worn thru and they actually need replacing?

Owen

Hughesy

The usual way is to knock the cones in with a hammer and punch, not a screwdriver. The cones should also go into a clean hub with no grease in it. You add the grease after the cones are in.

You can easily tell when they are right in by the way the hammer feels. The moment the cone stops moving and is properly seated, you will notice a completely different and much more solid feel when the hammer hits the punch.

To remove them you just hit them with the same punch. Many hubs have a couple of little recesses cast into them where the cone seats. These are there so you can get the punch onto the cones easily. If they are not there then a few millimetres of the inside edge of the cone will be visable. You place the punch on whatever is visable, holding it on as much an angle as possible, then hit it.

The punch may slip a bit and the edge will become burred and need occassional dressing on a grinder but the cone will come out easily.

That method may sound a bit crude but I learnt it at work and TAFE and have been doing it for forty five years.

Brian

G'Day Brian,

The grease I put in during assembly is only a very light smear to reduce friction and prevent rust if I get water in the hubs.

Unfortunately my cruiser doesn't have those recesses you talk about. Getting the cones out is easy but to put them in I use a very large screwdriver because there is only about 1.5mm of cone face to hit against and the large blade helps spread that load. I might try it your way next time but I reckon I'll take em to work and press them in.

I'll see how they go over the next few 1000kms and if they loosen again I'll put a new set in and see what happens.

Thanks for the advice Brian - if you've been doing it for 45 years then I dare say you've done a squillion more than me. ;))

Thanks Brian,
You took the words from my mouth. And you learnt it 20 or so years earlier than I.
As far as I know it is still the prefered method and the rescesses are only there to knock the cones out. I always used a punch with no probs and in 5 years probably did 300 of them.
I always ground my punch to a flat point. Never would I use a screw driver. I would not even consider using a press.
Peter

What's the problem with using a press? Aren't a lot of bearings/cones pressed in??

I'm only self taught so any extra knowledge would be good.....

I have no doubt the factory uses a press to fit them but no machanic that I have ever seen or worked with has used one. An ordinary punch about four or five millimetres in diameter will install them faster than you could set a press up.

If you have access to a press and you have a tool to push them in that does not jamb itself in the hub then go ahead, there is nothing wrong with it.

It is definately not necessary to use grease under the bearing, even a thin smear. The bearing is supposed to be a tight interference fit. At the same time though the grease would most likely not cause a problem with a bearing in good condition but if it ever dragged because of lack of grease in the rollers, deep pits in the case hardening etc, it might allow the cone to spin in the hub. I have never seen that happen so I don't know if it is possible or not but I do know you will not cause any problems if you install the cone dry and it will not get rust under it.

Brian

Just one more point Hughesy, the little recesses I was takling about are for removing the cone , not installing it. If they are not there then you must hold the punch on an angle across the opening in the hub to get a grip on the cone and reduce the chances of slipping. You move the punch back closer to verticle as the cone moves down.

Hold it straight up when installing the cone. You don't want to angle it and carve a grove down the side of the hub.

You will find a punch, either steel or brass with its end ground flat and square, will sit flat against the side of the hub much better than a screwdriver will.

Brian

Thanks Brian. I'll take all that on board. Might make it easier next time I have to do them.

Hi. I have put them in the freezer over night before fitting. Works quite well but wear gloves when you do it