Clowd

So my bearing kit from Lindsey got here today, I'm going to tackle the job in the morning.. I have a couple of questions...

Do I put the whole bearing in the freezer, or just the outer ring(race?)?

What's the best way to get the new bearings and seals in evenly? Haynes manual says to use a block of wood and a hammer, is there a better way?

and is there anything else I should be informed of before I tackle this project? The last time I even touched a bearing was when i was in 6th grade and put new bearings in my skateboard.

Granite 944

Yeah! WEAR SAFETY GLASSES! if your going to beat on ANY part of a bearing. Do not beat on the bearing part that has the little rollers in it! You will at the very least, shorten its usefull life, if not destroy it. Its extremely hard material, and can and will chip off, creating a highspeed projectile if your not very careful. Do not use a steel punch, screwdriver, or anything BUT wood, alluminum, or brass to punch the outer races in or out with.

Outer races in the freezer is all thats needed if your going this route.

A lot of people take it all down to a service center, and have the old ones pressed out, and new ones pressed in. I personally skip the heat/freezer, and take races out with a brass punch, and put them back in with a brass punch, and a light film of antiseize on the bore. Keep them as straight as you can (eyeball it ) when doing so. Remember, alluminum dissapates heat very, very quickly. If you go this route, you HAVE to move VERY, VERY QUICKLY, in order to gain anything from doing it this way. Good luck!

Clowd

I wasn't planning on heating the hubs, I was just going to put the races in the freezer to hopefully make it a bit easier than it would be... My plan was that if I put them in the freezer, the races would go in easier, and then the bearings would just drop into the races.. I'm going to put a block of wood over the races and then tap the wood with a hammer, that should be safe, no?

One more question, what should I use to clean the grease off the hub?

SoCal Driver

The Haynes is not for the later aluminum a-arms. The outter bearing race has to be pressed out an in. Heating the aluminum arm will help to remove the bearing race. Some have been able to hammer the race out. With what level of success I'm not certain. Search this board for aluminum trailing arms and bearings.

__________________
83 944 = It's NOT a 'real' Porsche -- Its Better!!!!
When was the last time you changed your timing and balance belts
and/or cam chain and tensioner?

The 83

Clowd

I'm only doing the fronts... Isn't all that pressing business for the rears?

89magic98

I used a machine shop to press in/out my front wheel bearing races.

Clowd

I'm not feeling that.. mainly because of time restraints, I kind of want to start this job in the morning and be done by the time I have to go to work at 4:00, and plus it would cost extra $$$ and I'm cheap.

Red1

Rear bearings? I put the bearing in the freezer, put just a smidge of high temp grease in the trailing arm, and after heating the arm the bearing slipped right in using only finger pressure. Do it right, and it'll slip right in to the stop.

I used a bearing puller and an impact wrench to pull the old bearing out. Not a difficult job at all.

Nevermind, you're doing the fronts. Thought you were doing the rears.

Clowd

Sorry I should have been more clear in my post...

Still would like to know what is best to clean the grease out of the hub, etc..

SoCal Driver

Use a brass punch/drift on the front bearing races side to side. You can feel two notches behind the bearing seats. Don't score the bore that the bearing slides into. I got the impression you were refering to the rear bearings.

Putting the races into the freezer does help to install them. Just make sure the hub is clean and that the bearing races seat all the way. Check the adjustments after a day or two of driving.

Bearing race pullers are a better means. A very large bolt and large correctly sized washers could work.

__________________
83 944 = It's NOT a 'real' Porsche -- Its Better!!!!
When was the last time you changed your timing and balance belts
and/or cam chain and tensioner?

The 83