crap wheel bearings

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noddy

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Hi

Just take my front drums off to do a 10K repack of the bearings and guess what, outer bearings shot rollers pitted, and inners showing signs of being on the way out. Face of the bearing races in the drum are dull not mirror shiny like the old SKF ones I took out (the rollers were pitted on the SKF ones).

I bought these bearings from one of the major VW retailers, fitted them about 2 years ago, packed with plenty of LM grease, drums were spotlessly clean before fitting bearings, bearing races were definatly seated in the drums, bearings were torqued to 7.5 foot pounds with a torque wrench whilst the drum was turned as I tightened them.

They were checked for tightness a couple of times over the last two years.

So is it the quality of the bearings? (they were from some Argentina manufacturer not SKF or FAG bearings).

Next question is if its the quality of the bearings where can I get FAG or SKF bearings or does anyone know the SKF or FAG part numbers.

Thanks

Ian
 
Right found FAG bearings for 67 splits: question do the last splits use the same bearings as the early bays?

FAG part number Price each
KLM11949.LM11910 £22.32 outer front
KLM67048.LM67010 £28.28 Inner front

Not cheep but then the cheep ones from Heritage are crap IMO
 
What i suggest is to take the bearings to a local independent bearing supplyer and get new ones from them normally they will sell good quality bearings from FAG SWF .You will be supprised at how cheep good ones are from these suppliers
 
You seem to know more about this than me but I thought when tightening up the fron the nut is meant to have 0.08mm to 1.22 of play to compensate for heat expansion? So if too tight they will wear quickly.

I'm sure I am about to be made to look stupid :lol:
 
faux said:
You seem to know more about this than me but I thought when tightening up the front the nut is meant to have 0.08mm to 1.22 of play to compensate for heat expansion? So if too tight they will wear quickly.

I'm sure I am about to be made to look stupid :lol:

Nope. - Your right :)

Rule of thumb - you should be able to move the washer under the nut with a flat bladed screwdriver without twisting or levering. Even the old Haynes manual has this info in it.

Doing the tapered bearings up to 7.5 ft/lbs on a bay will mean they run too tight as they get hot and will eat themselves.
 
i got mine from here :)

http://www.bearing-king.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Bentley manual says to tighten to 7.5 foot pounds so is this info wrong?

The manual says the torque range is between 7.5 and 9 foot pounds so I fail to see how they were over tightened.
 
I've Bentley for the split and half dozen other manuals for various years, but not got Bentley for the bay. The Bentley split manual doesnt mention the later taper roller hubs. Every manual I have says there must be free play when you've finished. None of mine mention the torque to get there, but some do say torque up to 11 or so whilst spinning the wheel to seat the rollers on the shoulder, then back off to set end float. The taper roller hubs in the later splits have a spindle nut to set the end float, and a clamping bolt arrangement as part of this to lock in position, assume same as early Bay, the torque for the clamp bolt is 7 lb ft according to Autobook, (but 11 to 14 according to Intereurope, Haynes doesnt say). Muir quotes the 1 to 5 thou float everyone else does (including my split bentley) for all models and 7 lb ft for the clamp bolt. Interesting though my bentley offers an adjustment technique different to the rebuild technique (so this is early hubs), which is torque up to 21 foot pounds, then gradually slacken the nut until the washer can just about be moved by pushing with a screw driver, then lock in this position. No mention of measuring clearance. Implies there is some residual torque in the clamp, but doesnt actually say so. 7 foot pounds could be worth a few tons end load with clean and lubricated threads which seems a lot.
 
Doh :oops: just reread the section should back clap nut off till play between 0.03 and 0.12mm axial play.

Thanks for the pointers folks, will re adjust before I knacker another set of bearing.
 
No thank you fella, your slight mistake has seared it into the cerebral for a few more earlybayers hopefully. Fancy doing a photo tech how to for above when you re do it?
 
The only reason i was of this opinion is because of a friend who builds mini's and kit cars who was there when I was fitting up my CSP's. I had a good look through Haynes and it mentioned the play.

Having talked to a few others I have always followed the rule of - tighten up to seat the bearings and then back off.

Edited due to better info from Noddy :mrgreen:
 

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