Fun & games with front wheel bearings.

[Cuppa]

This afternoon I decided to adjust the preload on the front wheel bearings (manual hub) to take the slight amount of slop out. First time I've been into a 4wd hub but was feeling confident because of the advice I'd been given from here.

Started with the driver side. Well more like I didn't start, at least not for a while whilst I searched high & low for an 8mm allen key. Heaps of 5/16ths which were a close fit, but I knew if I used one there was a good chance I'd round out the hole & end up in the poo. Eventually I found one. Inserted it & heaved. Nothing wouldn't budge. Using a piece of pipe as an extension lever did nothing & nor did tapping the alen key with a hammer. I then cut a length off the allen key & inserted it into an impact driver, which as luck would have it was the right size for an 8mm hex. Even the impact driver failed to move a single bolt.
Time for the big guns. The end of the impact driver fits onto a 1/2" square drive - so out with the rattle gun. This has 4 settings. It took putting it onto the highest setting but it won the fight & undid the bolts. Hooray!

All went just as George & Morton had described. I welded up a special tool for adjusting the pre-load, did the deed & bolted it all back together. I did find the two small screws which hold the lock washer were loose, although still partially screwed in.

On to the passenger side. No mucking about this time, straight onto the bolts with the rattle gun. With the hub outer off, the snap ring removed, the drive clutch extracted & the two screws (tighter this time) removed I went to remove the lock washer....... but it wouldn't come out. Having tried several times in disbelief I became certain that there was a problem. Closer inspection revealed a 'lip' preventing the removal of the lock washer. 99.9% certain that the passenger side shouldn't be any different to the driver side I thought a look at the manual might be wise. Having done so I realised that the 'lip' was in fact the bushing in which the drive clutch sits. On the driver side I think it remained in the outer hub, but here it was stuck tight. Luckily there was a narrow gap behind it. With the aid of another fabricated special tool I was able to get in behind it & tap it out bit by bit. Phew. Did the adjusting & then went to put it all back together. No way could I get the damn bushing into the outer hub without it protruding & preventing me putting the hub back on! Eventually I removed the drive clutch, placed the bushing on it & put both back in the hole together, using a piece of pipe to drift the bush back into place until it's edge sat flush with the edge of the hole.......as I'd originally found it. replaced the snap ring & the hub then just bolted back on.

Hopefully it'll all still work ok.

Is it common for the bushing to be such a tight (interference) fit in the hub?

Cuppa

[taslucas]

This is why im not a mechanic. They deal with that stuff every single day! Does my head in!!

[TPC]

This is why im not a mechanic. They deal with that stuff every single day! Does my head in!!

X2, I leave it to the experts.

[MudRunnerTD]

Not generally although I helps Brett from 4wd Obsession swap out his CVs last week and his right side was the same. He shrugged it off after having to remove it with a small leaver.

As long as the thing went back together it should be fine Cuppa.

[MudRunnerTD]

The screws being loose is no big deal as they are only there to keep the lock nut from turning and undoing the bearing nut.

All good cuppa

[Morton]

no that sleeve should not be tight at all, it should slide out using your fingers, I would linish it down a bit, I have seen plenty without them for probably for the same reason, I have never bothered to sit back & think why it is there as I am always in a hurry to get it all back together, was there plenty of grease around the locking nut or flange?, did you apply a smear of silicone to the face of the hub when bolting it back on?, I would have spent a minute & dug out the outa bearing just to sus it for grease use, now that you know how to adjust the bearing tension it is only 2 more bolts to take the entire rotor off to sus the bearings & seal, it really is a simple job, after you have done that once or twice you will be confident to have a go at a full hub kit & repack, I had to learn the hard way, had no money to pay someone, mine s*** a diff oil seal on Friday night so had to strip down the entire front LHS Saturday arvo & rebuild it Sunday, killed my weekend but saved $600 in labour

[Cuppa]

Hi Morton,
No I didn't put a smear of silicone on, only because I didn't have any, otherwise I would have.
I'm thinking I may pull the hubs off again so I can check the difference between passenger & driver side & if I do will get some to put on.

What are other's thoughts on 'linishing' the outer side of the bushing? Although it sounds like it's ok to leave it as is it would save having to carry an extra tool when travelling in remote areas if it slipped out as on the driver side.

Cuppa

[Bloodyaussie]

Everyone that enjoys 4wding and going to remote places should know whats going on in there.... I know we dont have Toyotas and dont need to be fixing them all the time but it is basic mechanics and is not hard just messy.

Having first hand knowledge of the workings of your hubs is essential, not hard to do what Ian has dont even just to have a look and understand whats going on in there.

I have rebuilt hubs 3 times now and each time I get a bit quicker at the job and learn a little more in the process.

Well done Ian

[MudRunnerTD]

Hey cuppa. I said not to worry about it and you should not. But if your happy to strip it out again then certainly linish it for sure. That's what I would have done, just did not want you to have to strip it out again.

Go for it mate

[pearcey]

G`day Cuppa
The bush is a firm fit IE press in with fingers but some times with small movements in the hub the ends of the bush get slightly distorted and a small burr occurs and will prevent easy removal. Just linish the inner and outer edges of the ends of the bush and all will be good.
As you have reassembled the hub it will be fine until you service the bearings again. Hope this is of some help

[mudnut]

I bought an 8mm sidchrome hex with a 1/2 inch drive, especially for the job, because I can use a breaker bar to undo it and use a torque wrench to get the required forty ftlb.

[Cuppa]

Thanks MR. I agree with BA that it's something worth knowing & being familiar with. If I'd found that bushing stuck whilst somewhere out in Woop Woop without the means of making a suitable extraction lever it would have been a much bigger drama. I recognise that what I did was minor stuff, it was just my ignorance that made it bigger. When I go into town on Thursday I'll get some silicone, some HTB grease & some emery cloth & re-do the job, including checking the bearings & repacking them if needed, plus 'dressing' that bush.

Cuppa

[Alitis007]

Cuppa i used Hylomar
30172
Its used mainly on oil pumps and other critical engine components to seal them without making a mess like silastic / silicon and can easy be removed and re attached to re seal ( if you don't get any dirt on the surface) a couple of times.

When i did my front end it only started as brake pads but i started digging further in and found there where seals broken from pitting on the actual ball part of the swivel hubs. I'm not sure how often you use your trol Ian but i think it might be good practice to re grease the bearings or your front end at least once every 12 months that way you can keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

[Cuppa]

Thanks George. I always used to use Hylomar on my Triumph motors, but was struggling to recall what it was called. (It's been a while). I think it used to be promoted as 'Used by Rolls Royce'.

Cuppa

[skipdh]

Hi guys, i recently replaced my front bearings as per the service manual. After 200km i had to nipp them up a little as there was some movement...

1. is this normal?
2. when will they stablise?

Thanks.
Skiph

[Col.T]

Cuppa,
no doubt to my mind, if you get a new ride, do a total, full service on it. The works. If there's a part which seems to be burred, bent, whatever, replace or linish or file or sand or what's needed. Amazing what's out there, nearly O.K. but never quite been really fixed. The manuals show how it fits, so simply follow the diagrams and generally you'll never need to use force. If it needs freeing to get to the specified torque settings, do it.
Good luck
Col

[happygu]

Hi guys, i recently replaced my front bearings as per the service manual. After 200km i had to nipp them up a little as there was some movement...

1. is this normal?
2. when will they stablise?

Thanks.

Skiph


They should be stabilized now ... it can be normal to have a little settling with new bearings, depending on how you pack and pre-load them.

Now that you have done it twice, I don't think you will see too much more movement.

Mic

[skipdh]

Hi mic, yeah u are right. They have settled in. Thanks for your advice. Skip

Sent from my GT-I9210T using Motorculture mobile app

[Col.T]

Cuppa,
gee you're the busy boy aren't you.
Pearcey's right. A very close fit is standard to the extent that I expect to have to gently prize the little dear out. Finger free would be very nice but my life just doesn't go that way. I use a homey tool in the space just as you've done but mine is not at all difficult.
Linishing would be good as long as you get an ever touch off around the full diameter.
Always remember, life's a bitch, then you get bogged up to the floor pan
Col