Wheel Bearing 3Rd Time Lucky (Hopefully!)

[Chris32]

I'm about to replace my back left wheel bearing for the 3rd time in 6 months, and I have a few questions -

1st time - whole hub/bearing purchased from a wrecker, which was discovered to have play in it once I put it all back together. Lesson learn't - don't buy second hand bearings!

2nd time - brand new bearing, which I had my workshop remove the old hub and press the hub into the new bearing. Anyhow, had it wheel aligned last week and they said the back left bearing was stuffed.

So I spoke with the bearing company, and they said I can give them the old bearing and they can lodge a warranty claim. They mentioned that it may not have been pressed in correctly and may have been damaged during this process, or my installation has caused the failure.

This will be difficult at best, as the old one was destroyed removing it from the hub the second time around...

I've ordered another one and pick it up tomorrow, so hopefully I can change it all out tomorrow with any luck. I did a DIY post the second time around - http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/topic/434655-r34-gtt-rear-wheel-bearing-replacement/

I can't see anything I've done wrong in the installation? Could it be I've just got a dud bearing or its been damaged when the hub was pressed into the new one?

[scotty nm35]

Sounds like you had a bad run. I have installed heaps of wheel bearings into Stageas, never had an issue myself. Perhaps the hub was damaged to begin with?

I assume they pressed the inner race, not the outer, that would kill the bearing instantly.

[Chris32]

Yeah I remember trying to find a socket that fit nicely on the inner race when they had it on the press, so I'm sure it was pressed with the inner race being supported.

One question - is there supposed to be a washer or anything in between the bearing and the nut that screws onto the driveshaft?

[sonicz]

I did a similar boo boo to you. I replaced my control arms with used ones, paid $450 for the lot and lesson learned never go second hand they are worse than mine.

The fact yours keeps breaking so early may be because you have some additional stress on the bearing thats wearing it out way too fast. Make sure all other suspension components are in proper order and aligned correctly, and use only genuine nissan bearings.

By the way is there a guide to change the FRONT bearings on a GTS-T? The rear bearings are piss easy but the front look crazy hard. I would appreciate that.

Edited February 12, 2014 by sonicz

[scotty nm35]

Nope, but that part has little to do with the bearing, it just stops the shaft from slopping around, and the bearing from sliding off the hub. Was the bearing tight to press on the shaft?

[Chris32]

I didn't do the pressing, but it seemed to be what I'd call a 'good interference fit' like what I'd expect it to be really.

It was a bugger the get the hub out of the old one!

[533 RYC]

That's bad luck mate.

Is the hub bent?

Excessive rear camber?

Excessive driveshaft angles?

The two best ways to fit the hub to new bearing WITHOUT using a press:

Ensure your hub is completely clean.

1. Find a workshop that specializes in electric motor rewinds. Get them to use their induction (bearing) heater to heat the bearing & fit the hub.

2. Ring a cryogenics supplier, get 5 litres of liquid nitrogen (around the price of JD) from them in an insulated drink container (like a willow 5lt). Pour liquid nitrogen into a Styrofoam box sufficiently big enough to hold the liquid & the hub. Tie wire around two of the studs so you create two 'handles opposite each other. Drop the hub into the liquid nitrogen. Once the liquid stops bubbling, the hub temp has equalized with the liquid. Pull the hub out & drop it into the bearing. All done & no chance of bearing damage.

Now, if you don't have anything else to freeze & fit, experiment by freezing o rings, eggs anything. You can even run your hands through it, just don't leave them in there too long!

[Chris32]

Scotty, having done a few of these, is the hub pressed far enough into the bearing? To me, it looks like it needs to go in another 3-4mm or so.

I don't think the bearing has been sitting on that chamfered bit on the driveshaft?

In terms of freeze fitting, I just don't have time to organise all that, as good as it sounds. I need to do thus tomorrow so I can get the kids to school Friday

[scotty nm35]

It may do, I can't see a great deal in the pics, I would need to inspect it. I do know stagea hub shafts don't line up with the back of the bearing, similar to yours.

I suspect rattling up the driveshaft nut would pull it tight though if it was newly pressed on anyway, although you wouldn't rely on it. Did you lube the hub shaft up first?

Do you have someone local with a bearing press to try and push it down some more? Or you might be able to buy a cheap one... It takes around 5 ton to crack the old bearing off the hub, and 1 ton to press the new one on, so a cheap press from ebay could pay itself off in one car.

[Chris32]

I've dropped it off with a workshop to swap the hub over.

The hub wasn't lubed when it was pressed into the bearing from memory.

The guy at the bearing place said there wasn't any obvious signs of installation failure.

How do you torque up that big nut Scotty? I don't have a rattle gun, but left it in gear and used a big bar to do it up tight. The guy at the bearing place suggested doing it up as tight as you can and then putting the wheel back on and doing the final torque with the wheel taking the load rather than the diff/drive shaft

[scotty nm35]

I just use my air rattle gun, I bought it as I couldn't crack the nut with a 2M breaker and me standing on it. Seems to work fine, and it's a fairly heavy torque rated gun.

I have had to replace new bearings before, one was just yesterday. Probably been on the car a few months but made noise soon after it was installed. Perhaps it was pressed incorrectly by the last mech, or just a dodgy brand? I have had no issues with the OEM or Febest bearings I have fitted for people.

[89CAL]

533 RYC's suggestion is great if its easy enough to get hold of all of that stuff, but for a more low budget soloution you can use an oven and a freezer. Overnight in the freezer and 20mins in the oven (at about 100 degrees or so) should give a good enough temperature difference to make it alot easier

Liquid nitrogen is awesome shit.

Creating a temperature difference between the 2 is definently a great way to do it, because if its done right it usually literally falls together.

However if the specialist you've taken it to says he cant see any signs of incorrect installation, then you may have to look for other issues before installing another bearing. It seems to me like if you are having problems with 1 bearing then something is wrong on that hub or shaft, if its a problem with 2 or more, then it might be an inferior bearing (this is rulling out a bad install)

Bearings arent that fragile when installing, As long as you are hitting/pressing the inner race and not the bearing cage, you shouldnt do any damage to it

[Chris32]

Just put the new bearing in, done everything up and all seems ok.

There is zero play if I try and move the wheel in the direction of positive and negative camber.

However I can get the tiniest bit of play if I move it in the direction of in and out in terms of toe adjustment.

Everthing is tightened up, could I be feeling one of the bushings in one if the suspension arms?

Paranoid now with the slightest bit of play

[GTRsean]

Tie rods would be the issue, they love to flog out on the inner ball end joint that connects to the rear steering rack ends.

I had play on the LHS and a tiny amount on the RHS. Ordered in 2 new tie rods from RHD and fitted them up.

No more play Same pn. as a 33GTS-T lol.

[Chris32]

Ok, that makes sense. I can't feel any play from the bearing, it's like the whole hub/arm has a slight play in it.

At least I'm 99% sure it's not the wheel bearing now, which was the cause of most of the play

[533 RYC]

We use induction heaters for bearings, gears, shafts & achieve the same growth with up to 100 degrees less than using an oven, even when looking at a .003''- .004'' interference.

If not using a press, that sort of interference usually requires liquid nitrogen (CO2 will only get you around the .002'' mark), when shrinking is required.

Anyone know the interference between the inner race & hub?

[Chris32]

Bit of an update, a few months on and the new new bearing is the same as when I put it in

Tiny amount of play in the tie rod, but nothing too serious

[Nozila]

Chris, is your wheel bearing thats been on your wheel and working great purchased from CBC bearing as posted in your DIY thread?

[Chris32]

Chris, is your wheel bearing thats been on your wheel and working great purchased from CBC bearing as posted in your DIY thread?

Yep no problems at all, done almost 20,000kms on it. The other side needs doing now!