Front Hub bearing removal

[Adrian]

Hi all, moving on from the trunnion posting and pete's good advice regarding bearings, I've got the following dilemma.

 

I don't have sockets of suitable diameter to remove or replace the races. I've read you can tap the races out from the opposite side carefully with a screwdriver. But that doesn't alter the fact I have nothing suitable to install. Should I bite the bullet and get a bearing removal kit? If so any suggestions. Looking at the prices if I can get away with tapping out with a screwdriver buying an oversized socket would probably be cheaper.

 

Do you know of a good 'how to' guide for the gt6?

 

I recon by the time I've finished you'll be able to put all my questions together to make a restoration guide!

 

Thanks in advance

[Clive]

IIRC between the races there is a wide slot so you can get a screwdriver, or better still some sort of drift or cold chisel or bit of metal (so you don't mangle a screwdriver!) and use a hammer. A bearing puller will not work on hub bearings from what I can make out, they are for pulling bearings off shafts.

 

To reinstall a hammer and bit of wood, ideally hardwood, and tap the bearing cup in, working either on opposite edges, or flat across the bearing cup. . .

[Pete Lewis]

They are not that tight a fit if you have knocked the old out as clive says there is a slot relief in the inside flagpnge they butt against, keep an eye for a set of punches aldi oftenvsell some always usefull

 

but to start the fitting use the old outer race or the old inner race to rift the rings back in you wont damage the new outer s

 

and just tap tap them

 

pete

[Adrian]

Thank you gents, I have a punch so should be nice and cheap

[AndyTV8]

Pete's on the money, just use the old race to gently knock the new one in, job done

....... Andy

[Steve C]

Hi Adrian

 

As stated above, and as an addendum, you will know if the bearing is correctly seated, as the sound will change once it hits the ridge as you tap it home. Remember also to liberally grease the bearings themselves, and the grease cap, but it is not necessary to fill the void in the hub with grease - it does not achieve anything.

 

Regards

 

Steve C

[Adrian]

Well all now put together and torqued up, took it out for a spin round the block and the wheels didn't fall off, so that's got to be a positive! Thanks for all the advice, nerve racking when you haven't done it before.

 

I now have to check the alignment, I did notice that the camber seems a little too negative (with the top of the tyre leaning in). I need to measure, but it visually looks more than the 3ish degrees in the manual. All the shims were bagged and tagged so I know they went back in the right place. Perhaps the little run has already bedded in the felt seal, so jack it up and check tomorrow.

[Clive]

Worth checking the bearing tightness too, they can settle.

[Pete Lewis]

There were some supplies of very oversize felts and cups ,

and the cup must be fitted recess outwards and the felt runs between the cup and contact with the stub,

these simple seals are often found incorrectly fitted

 

pete

[Adrian]

Hello Chaps, following on from the above thread I've measured the camber on the wheels and got -2.9 nearside and -1.9 offside (I've seen loads of contradictory threads saying negative is top out and others saying it's top in - I think negative is top in towards the centre line? 

 

Anyway - everything went back in as came off other than new standard springs and avo shocks. The assembled units were the same length as the old ones prior to installing. All the shims went on exactly as came off. So......

1. I assume it is not healthy having uneven camber

2. even if I remove the shims I think I'll still be slightly negative and no where near the 2-3ish + degrees as per the manual.

3. Any ideas / solutions. Is such a negative camber detrimental? - I realise that the fine tuning will probably require a garage. 

 

Thanks

[Pete Lewis]

Toe has far more effect on handling and tyre wear than camber

 

most instructions for camber start with a level floor camber is then the sum of both sides divid by 2

so you get the over all average, on the road the chassis is all over the place with road cambers so a odd degree variation side to side is not important

 

/-\ is negative \-/ is positive

 

use a set square against the wheel and get the upright gap to tyre witha spirit level, measure the gap to tyre and with some trig tables workmout the angle

 

Pete

[Casper]

Frankly, I wouldn't bother too much and unless it is way out it will have little effect, but:

 

1.  Adding 2 shims front and back on the offside will bring that to -2.9 and both will be the same, and as close as you can get to the 3 deg you are looking after.

 

OR

 

2.  Removing 1 shim front and back on the nearside and adding 1 shim front and back from the offside should give you -2.4 degrees both sides.

 

OR

 

3.  If you want less, removing 2 shims front and back (assuming they are there) from the nearside will give you an even -1.9 both sides.

 

This assumes OE shims and may not apply to the stainless ones available.  The calculations are theoretical and results would be approximate, but near enough. 

 

 

If you don't add front and back, then you will also affect the camber.  It is worthwhile getting a full alignment check at a specialist garage, but sadly they don't seem to have the nouce to make corrections.  They will normally recheck if you make the adjustments.  Jigsaw have the equipment and the knowledge.

 

If you have the Club's CD of Couriers then see the series of articles " Suspect Suspensions Sussed" by Carl Heinlen in Couriers 158 (Aug 93), 159 (Sep 93) and 160 (Oct 93).

 

C.