In search of a Wheel Bearing Write Up
05-14-2006, 08:28 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
From my archives. No Pix, but a good source ...
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 2004 09:37:01 -0500
From: Wally Plumley
Subject: [928] Re: Wheel Bearings
At 02:36 PM 11/2/2004, 928gts wrote:
... I'm familiar with the official procedure, but opinions are welcome. Thanks. Thilo
Thilo,
The tapered roller bearings used on the front spindles need to be set up with as close to zero end play and zero pre-load as possible.
There are two ways of getting close to this adjustment:
- The Porsche method basically says to adjust the nut until the washer under the nut can just be moved.
- The other method is to:
1) Tighten the nut firmly while rotating the hub. This ensures that the bearing races are fully seated and that all clearances are tight.
2) Loosen the nut enough that you can turn it by hand. Tighten the nut as tightly as you can get it with your fingers - no tools at all.
3) Check for end play. If you can feel no end play, the adjustment should be correct.
The bearings should never get very hot. If I ever found a wheel hub that was too hot to touch (about 140 deg F or 60 deg C), I would be very concerned. I would just set them for zero end play and zero pre-load, and not worry about expansion.
Wally Plumley
928 Specialists
www.928gt.com
There's also this from my archives:
From: Wally Plumley <wplumley ...>
At 01:31 PM 9/5/01, you wrote:
"such as "wheel bearing grease" (which should NEVER be used in a wheel bearing!)"
Ok, I'll bite. Warum nicht?
"Wheel bearing grease" is still sold only because of tradition. A few years ago, I was very active in SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). Had several good friends in different automotive areas. Had several discussions on this subject, and there was concurrence on the best stuff to use - Sears Moly grease - the sticky, thin grease that Sears sells in tubes for chassis lube. People agreeing on this included two lubrication application engineers from different oil companies - both agreed that the Sears was the best stuff to use. One commented that he could get anything that his company made for free - but he bought Sears grease for his wheel bearings. Another person agreeing on this was a long-time bearings application engineer.
You want thin grease that will redistribute itself every time that the car is run. Thick grease just gets pushed out of the way and stays there. If the thick grease IS in there, it will lift the rollers and cause skidding, which leads to bearing failure.
Wally
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 2004 09:37:01 -0500
From: Wally Plumley
Subject: [928] Re: Wheel Bearings
At 02:36 PM 11/2/2004, 928gts wrote:
... I'm familiar with the official procedure, but opinions are welcome. Thanks. Thilo
Thilo,
The tapered roller bearings used on the front spindles need to be set up with as close to zero end play and zero pre-load as possible.
There are two ways of getting close to this adjustment:
- The Porsche method basically says to adjust the nut until the washer under the nut can just be moved.
- The other method is to:
1) Tighten the nut firmly while rotating the hub. This ensures that the bearing races are fully seated and that all clearances are tight.
2) Loosen the nut enough that you can turn it by hand. Tighten the nut as tightly as you can get it with your fingers - no tools at all.
3) Check for end play. If you can feel no end play, the adjustment should be correct.
The bearings should never get very hot. If I ever found a wheel hub that was too hot to touch (about 140 deg F or 60 deg C), I would be very concerned. I would just set them for zero end play and zero pre-load, and not worry about expansion.
Wally Plumley
928 Specialists
www.928gt.com
There's also this from my archives:
From: Wally Plumley <wplumley ...>
At 01:31 PM 9/5/01, you wrote:
"such as "wheel bearing grease" (which should NEVER be used in a wheel bearing!)"
Ok, I'll bite. Warum nicht?
"Wheel bearing grease" is still sold only because of tradition. A few years ago, I was very active in SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). Had several good friends in different automotive areas. Had several discussions on this subject, and there was concurrence on the best stuff to use - Sears Moly grease - the sticky, thin grease that Sears sells in tubes for chassis lube. People agreeing on this included two lubrication application engineers from different oil companies - both agreed that the Sears was the best stuff to use. One commented that he could get anything that his company made for free - but he bought Sears grease for his wheel bearings. Another person agreeing on this was a long-time bearings application engineer.
You want thin grease that will redistribute itself every time that the car is run. Thick grease just gets pushed out of the way and stays there. If the thick grease IS in there, it will lift the rollers and cause skidding, which leads to bearing failure.
Wally
08-02-2006, 08:39 PM
#3
Sorry to pull this up from the past, does anyone have opinions on Fogey's post?
08-03-2006, 10:08 AM
#4
Rennlist Member
SeanR wrote: "Sorry to pull this up from the past, does anyone have opinions on Fogey's post?"
To clarify the origin of my previous post, the recommendation was Wally's, not mine. I figure he knows better than I and has _much_ better relative credibiliity -
1) At 01:31 PM 9/5/01, Wally Plumley wrote, in a thread whose title I did not archive (doh!): "such as "wheel bearing grease" (which should NEVER be used in a wheel bearing!)"
2) Then I posted, asking: "Ok, I'll bite. Warum nicht? (Why not)"
3) Then Wally responded: "Wheel bearing grease" is still sold only because of tradition. A few years ago, I was very active in SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). Had several good friends in different automotive areas. Had several discussions on this subject, and there was concurrence on the best stuff to use - Sears Moly grease - the sticky, thin grease that Sears sells in tubes for chassis lube. People agreeing on this included two lubrication application engineers from different oil companies - both agreed that the Sears was the best stuff to use. One commented that he could get anything that his company made for free - but he bought Sears grease for his wheel bearings. Another person agreeing on this was a long-time bearings application engineer.
"You want thin grease that will redistribute itself every time that the car is run. Thick grease just gets pushed out of the way and stays there. If the thick grease IS in there, it will lift the rollers and cause skidding, which leads to bearing failure."
Wally
To clarify the origin of my previous post, the recommendation was Wally's, not mine. I figure he knows better than I and has _much_ better relative credibiliity -
1) At 01:31 PM 9/5/01, Wally Plumley wrote, in a thread whose title I did not archive (doh!): "such as "wheel bearing grease" (which should NEVER be used in a wheel bearing!)"
2) Then I posted, asking: "Ok, I'll bite. Warum nicht? (Why not)"
3) Then Wally responded: "Wheel bearing grease" is still sold only because of tradition. A few years ago, I was very active in SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). Had several good friends in different automotive areas. Had several discussions on this subject, and there was concurrence on the best stuff to use - Sears Moly grease - the sticky, thin grease that Sears sells in tubes for chassis lube. People agreeing on this included two lubrication application engineers from different oil companies - both agreed that the Sears was the best stuff to use. One commented that he could get anything that his company made for free - but he bought Sears grease for his wheel bearings. Another person agreeing on this was a long-time bearings application engineer.
"You want thin grease that will redistribute itself every time that the car is run. Thick grease just gets pushed out of the way and stays there. If the thick grease IS in there, it will lift the rollers and cause skidding, which leads to bearing failure."
Wally
08-03-2006, 10:58 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
I heartily second that method: When reassembled, insert the allan key into the adjuster nut through the angular slot in the hub. Then, spin the hub hand tight to squeeze out excess grease, and back off to establish the zero preload & clearance.
If the WSM method is followed to the letter ( leaving 'wiggle' room for the thrust washer with a screwdriver blade, etc), it is highly likely that the grease is not displaced - and that the bearings will be too loose within a few miles .... and may not be discovered for months ... maybe too late ...
If the WSM method is followed to the letter ( leaving 'wiggle' room for the thrust washer with a screwdriver blade, etc), it is highly likely that the grease is not displaced - and that the bearings will be too loose within a few miles .... and may not be discovered for months ... maybe too late ...
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08-03-2006, 12:31 PM
#9
Burning Brakes
Join Date: May 2006
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Originally Posted by SMTCapeCod
Oh, I identified the part. Just didn't have the patience, insight and wherewithall to figure out how to remove the cap from the hub.
08-03-2006, 05:31 PM
#10
Thanks guys for clarifying this.
It's something that I might need to do, so was searching yesterday on the hows/whats.
Thanks again.
It's something that I might need to do, so was searching yesterday on the hows/whats.
Thanks again.
04-15-2007, 06:32 AM
#12
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by scott863
On another thread, one person mentioned a press, but no one else did. Anyone? 
), and use a tapered drift in the slots behind the races to tap them out: Chill ( freeze) the new races and they will almost drop into heated hubs .... use the old races to drive them home if necessary ....
04-15-2007, 06:58 AM
#13
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by Garth S
No - heat the hub to ~250 - 300F ( in the family oven ), and use a tapered drift in the slots behind the races to tap them out: Chill ( freeze) the new races and they will almost drop into heated hubs .... use the old races to drive them home if necessary ....
), and use a tapered drift in the slots behind the races to tap them out: Chill ( freeze) the new races and they will almost drop into heated hubs .... use the old races to drive them home if necessary ....
04-15-2007, 09:57 AM
#14
Team Owner
yep the ladies cooking area might be a smellin like a truck stop after heating the hubs to 250, can you say burning grease. as a side note test fit the inner wheel bearings to the cleaned spindles , and look at the bottom of the inner wheel bearing seating area for wear sometimes the inner wheel bearing will wear out the spindle and this will cause play that cant be removed by tightening the wheel bearing lock nut , the only remedy is to replace the spindle, BIG Money