Front wheel bearings

[beero]

Had to use a hub puller to remove hub on front nearside and the inner bearing split in two.
Is this normal? or terminal? Annoying really because there was no play.

[bmcecosse]

Mine have always just slid off with a hand pull. That bearing is now scrap - best renew both and a new seal.

[Declan_Burns]

Beero,
Read through this:
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=35801
I mentioned the issue of the problem with demolishing the front bearing and the cure.
This is also worth a read as it explains the bearing set-up.:
http://www.1000fluffyclouds.co.uk/Artic ... rina.shtml
Regards
Declan

[katy]

When you say "the inner bearing split in two", do you mean: It came apart? Or did something actually break?
If it just came apart, as I've had them do, it can be re-assembled and re-used.

[IslipMinor]

Angular contact bearings can 'split' apart very easily, and it's not normally a problem at all.

So long as nothing has either cracked or broken, clean everything very carefully, grease the cage and balls well, reassemble the balls into the cage (the grease should hold them there), place in the outer race, make sure that the balls are pushed out into the outer race and finally tap the inner race into the balls/cage. It should tap in quite easily, and then spin very easily! If either of these is not true, start again!

If the inner race is tight on the stub axle, it might be worth using a piece of wet 'n' dry (180/240 grit) to VERY carefully clean/reduce the stub axle diameter where the bearing fits. Wrap it around the stub axle, and rotate around the axle by hand. Clean and check for bearing fit regularly. As has been said, it should slide on with some resistance, but not enough to need a puller to remove it.

[bmcecosse]

Yes they can be re-assembled, but I wouldn't use the bearing after it had been wrenched apart like that. But it's your choice !

[beero]

The trouble is it came off the old swivel pin stub axle easily but when I fitted it to the new stub axle I tapped it a couple of times but it was too tight, so I thought I would take it off to do as 'Islipminor' suggested and rub the axle with wet'n'dry, but I needed the puller to remove it and ended up with ball bearings all over the floor. I think I will take BMC's advice having seen the bearings are not that dear. Thanks all for your input.

[chickenjohn]

Yes they can be re-assembled, but I wouldn't use the bearing after it had been wrenched apart like that. But it's your choice !

I agree, it has been worn bearings in my experience that come apart like that. If the bearing falls apart when you take the hub off, it is time to replace it. But it is up to you as BMC says, after all the worst that can happen if the bearing fails is the wheel falls off !!!

[IslipMinor]

Oh dear, lots of misunderstanding.

The original post said

Annoying really because there was no play

so based on that, the bearings are not badly worn? With 'good' bearings, which are tight on the stub axle, and need a puller to remove them, they will almost certainly pop apart while the puller is attempting to remove them. Nothing unusual, and it does not need much 'force' to do it, neither does it need much to reassemble them - all part of the design of angular contact ball bearings.

Now a bit more is known, like ball bearings 'all over the floor', that is completely different as we have no idea about the condition of them, and would not have got the same suggestion - neither would re-using or reassembling worn bearings! But we didn't start from there.

[beero]

As Islipminor says, after cleaning and inspecting them they do pop back together easily with a slight tap and after polishing the new stub axle with wet'n'dry I have refitted them so I can move the car about. I have a couple of years work before she goes back on the road so I have made a note to renew them later. I have so much else to spend the money on before I get to the MOT stage.
Thanks for all the good advice.