cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 Drove my Spit with the hood up yesterday and noticed a slight "rumbling" noise that I can't hear with the hood down. Decided I would check the diff oil, which was a bit low but noticed there was lots of black grease on the NS trunnion, spreading out from the inner seal. I pumped some more in but today I felt around the grease nipple and it was pretty hot, while the other side, that isn't leaking grease, was just warm. Am I right in guessing this is a wheel bearing on the way out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratton Jimmer Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 That would be my guess too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 5 minutes ago, Stratton Jimmer said: That would be my guess too. 😒😒😒 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 If so, how do they progress from here? Do they just get noisier or is there a risk of seizure without warning 😱 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratton Jimmer Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 In my experience, they definitely get noisier but I changed mine in advance of any break down. My Dad made me a hub puller and instructed me in what to do as I was a pimply faced youth at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 hmmm bearing failure can be a downward spiral as temperature goes up, grease runs out, bearing gets drier and then runs hotter etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 14 minutes ago, Stratton Jimmer said: In my experience, they definitely get noisier but I changed mine in advance of any break down. My Dad made me a hub puller and instructed me in what to do as I was a pimply faced youth at the time. There is other work I want to carry out in that area and it would make sense to do it all at once, but I don't have the time at the moment. So wondering if I can leave it for a while 🤔 By the time you changed yours, would you have been able to hear it with the roof down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68vitesse Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 It could also be damaging the drive shaft. Regards Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 2 minutes ago, johny said: hmmm bearing failure can be a downward spiral as temperature goes up, grease runs out, bearing gets drier and then runs hotter etc etc Yes, that's what I was guessing. I covered about 160 miles at the weekend, about half of that on the motorway. I have only noticed this since then and wondering if now I have greased it again, it might cope with my more usual pottering about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 3 minutes ago, 68vitesse said: It could also be damaging the drive shaft. Regards Paul. Yes, something else to consider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 Got to hope grease doesnt come out into the brake area either when greasing or driving. Hopefully the bearing was dry and some grease will have helped it so you could go for a run then feel the temperature of the housing on return? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 44 minutes ago, johny said: Got to hope grease doesnt come out into the brake area either when greasing or driving. Hopefully the bearing was dry and some grease will have helped it so you could go for a run then feel the temperature of the housing on return? Decided to do just that. I pumped my grease gun about 20 times & old grease started coming out of the seal at the shaft end. Pumped another 20 times but didn't get new grease yet. So assuming there was some grease in there but maybe not enough. Out for a run and just stopped after about 5 miles. The trunnion is quite hot, but the end of the drive shaft is very hot. The other side is just warm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 How hot was the brake drum? If the brakes are binding on that side, the heat generated will be conducted through the drum to the hub to the shaft to the bearing, where it can liquify the grease and make it run out. A failed bearing heats from the hub out, so the drum tends to be cooler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 11 minutes ago, cliff.b said: Decided to do just that. I pumped my grease gun about 20 times & old grease started coming out of the seal at the shaft end. Pumped another 20 times but didn't get new grease yet. So assuming there was some grease in there but maybe not enough. Out for a run and just stopped after about 5 miles. The trunnion is quite hot, but the end of the drive shaft is very hot. The other side is just warm. Ahhh the excess grease is designed to come out inside the drum not the shaft end (unless the inner seal has been installed the wrong way round). Its why its recommended to grease with the drum off but dont worry it shouldnt just squirt out and contaminate everything in there as theres a cover plate that directs the excess downwards. Anyway sounds like bearing isnt good as I take it the temperature was not the same on both sides of the car and so not coming from the brakes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 Back home now and inspecting further. The drum isn't excessively hot & more grease has come out the shaft end. I'm certain the bearing is shot now as I have been turning the hub over by hand with a wheel brace and it feels rough. Occasionally much rougher briefly with more force needed to turn it. Think I need to replace asap 😒 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 I know I need the puller to do this but not sure what other bits I need. Guessing the seals should be replaced, bit what about the Woodruff key and the lock taps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 do check when turning a hanging shaft it is not rubbing on the chassis and giving you a false feeling /noise the key is normally reclaimable but a spare is a good plan hub puller definitley once the hub is off you can mallet the shaft out of the bearing/housing on refit drift the shaft in to start the hub nut and let the hub nut torqued up to position the bearing as it all gets pulled together Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 4 hours ago, johny said: Ahhh the excess grease is designed to come out inside the drum not the shaft end (unless the inner seal has been installed the wrong way round). Not actually true. The inner seal is designed to be fitted in what you consider "the wrong way round" because it's more important to keep water out than to keep all the grease in. So when you grease it, the excess emerges from that inner seal, where it's more immediately obvious than if it had to come out of the flinger/cover/drain hole arrangement on the brake backplate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 I did buy a whole used assembly from Spitbits for £85 ish before I’d bought my hub puller. It came with a decent length warranty too. If you need a new axle, the second hand option might be worth considering. Also, if you’re able, while you have the brake backplate off weld up any wear where the handbrake lever sits and where the handbrake return spring hooks on. (And if you don’t weld I’d be happy to fix a spare up and do you a swap) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68vitesse Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 38 minutes ago, NonMember said: Not actually true. The inner seal is designed to be fitted in what you consider "the wrong way round" because it's more important to keep water out than to keep all the grease in. So when you grease it, the excess emerges from that inner seal, where it's more immediately obvious than if it had to come out of the flinger/cover/drain hole arrangement on the brake backplate. As above both, seals should be fitted with lips towards differential, I always pump grease in untill clean grease comes out of the inner seal when lubricating the rear bearings. If you have grease coming out in the brake drum the outer seal is faulty or fitted the wrong way around. Regards Paul. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted June 14, 2022 Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 Your right of course, looking at the manual the design is such that any excess grease should be expelled from the inner seal although being a double seal it could offer some resistance so its still a good idea to keep an eye on the drum side seal while greasing👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2022 51 minutes ago, Josef said: I did buy a whole used assembly from Spitbits for £85 ish before I’d bought my hub puller. It came with a decent length warranty too. If you need a new axle, the second hand option might be worth considering. Also, if you’re able, while you have the brake backplate off weld up any wear where the handbrake lever sits and where the handbrake return spring hooks on. (And if you don’t weld I’d be happy to fix a spare up and do you a swap) Many thanks. I have a look at it when I take it off 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2022 A local member has kindly offered to loan me his hub puller and I have ordered the bearing kit and a new UJ from the club shop. Hopefully the fun will start Friday 🤞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted June 15, 2022 Report Share Posted June 15, 2022 And really pray the shafts surface where the needle roller runs is in good condition🤞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff.b Posted June 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2022 26 minutes ago, johny said: And really pray the shafts surface where the needle roller runs is in good condition🤞 Oh no, I was beginning to feel optimistic about it 😒 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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