Lancia Beta Forum

Are rear wheel bearings still available? My search fu is letting me down  :)

Yes, listed in www.lanciabetaparts.co.uk (http://www.lanciabetaparts.co.uk)  parts section

Same bearing for the fronts.

Ah yes,thanks. I didn't notice that hiding behind the Montecarlo  ;D

HFStuart mentioned a complicated securing system for them....any tips for getting the old hub off and changing the bearing?

haven't got a pic of a Beta one but:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/lancia-gamma-front-wheel-bearing-lock-ring_W0QQitemZ390122445742QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item5ad51c1bae (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/lancia-gamma-front-wheel-bearing-lock-ring_W0QQitemZ390122445742QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item5ad51c1bae)

usually bearings come with securing nut, but if not I've a couple of new ones
I use the old nut reversed to knock the shaft out of the hub. there should be
a couple of drift holes in the back of the mounting so you can knock the old
bearing off.

Geoff
Geoff

just enabled the search feature on the parts page,

Betaboyz also does the locking ring for the Beta

http://betaboyz.myzen.co.uk/cart/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=wheel+bearing (http://betaboyz.myzen.co.uk/cart/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=wheel+bearing)

Cheers guys  :)

Hi, and i do have the tool to remove the locking ring too so you dont muller the old one.......

Mark
LanciaBetaParts

this is the tool, mine was very tight even using a long breaker bar

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2710/4365576859_338853fd08.jpg)

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4366318820_464bea3025.jpg)

You see what I mean Simon - everybody else in the world uses a circlip !

If you're chucking the bearing anyway I guess you could use a bit of heat / freeze spray to help the nut out.

Tony,
hope you remembered to tap in the indentation first.......

me, I use a cold chisel as I always replace the ring anyway

mind you I still remove/replace bearings with a couple of
large sockets and a big hammer

last time I did the fronts I fitted them in a spare pair of hubs,
unfortunately they were both right hand side ones  ::)

Geoff

I see what you mean....that's a pita isn't it!

I'll say it again,it's much easier working on Japanese cars!  :P

LOL. Genius !

We've all been there with a 'I didn't just do that, did I ?' type of moment.

Stuart

I've done one using a vice before but I think that beats me :D
Must admit I just used a couple of punches and a decent hammer to remove the retaining ring.
Is the tool available to buy and cheaply ???

Yes it's available  - they come up on fleabay every so often

No it's not particularly cheap at about £50. Probably better to borrow one from Mark or indeed me !

just fighting one of these lock rings on a rear hub. can i just confirm with someone that they are standard thread (ie. not left handed thread). would hate to be putting all this effort into tightening it!

sorted. just needed a little heat!

I'm sure most on here probably already knew but something I've realised the beta wheel bearing is not only the same as some Fiat X1/9 but also fits numerous Renaults!! you might have to buy a kit and discard the Renault mounting hardware but that does make obtaining bearings so much easier check out FAG part number 562398a for the bearing on its own

http://region47.com/upload/FAG%20Radlager%20PKW%202009.pdf (http://region47.com/upload/FAG%20Radlager%20PKW%202009.pdf)

but of course new old stock bearing kits on ebay is the place to be

Would anyone have the measurements for the 'business end' of the wheel bearing tool, or better still an engineering drawing? It shouldn't be too hard to get something like that made up by a local machine shop...

I can have a look but TBH most folks simply improvise and get away with it, just don't use a chisell and a lump hammer like back street garages  :o

Get the tool from Mark but first tap out the indent lock on the ring then use an impact gun to shift the ring. To put old bearing out and in try to borrow a press as hitting bearings will have you doing it again!

Eric

Major thread revival alert...

I've recently been engaged in trying to get the set of uprights/hubs/bearings I acquired from Peter (peteracs) broken down into their constituent parts, so I can refurbish the uprights and use them for my (current) cunning plan. After reading Mark Wastnidge's account of how he made up a 'special tool' to remove the bearing retaining ring, I followed his lead and bought an M30 bolt (with 46mm head), cut off the shank and ground the underside of the bolt head flat. I then acquired some 12 x 8mm bar and cut one long length (63 mm) and 4 short lengths (23 mm). The indents in the retaining ring are 8mm wide. I then tack-welded the 63mm length in place on the underside of the bolt head and (having seen the rubbish quality of my welds) took the rest along to a professional welder to finish off.

All the pieces were positioned in the retaining ring (still fitted to the hub/upright assembly), with the bolt head sitting on top and the welder then welded the other 4 legs in place from on top. He then flipped the 'tool' upside down and welded all the pieces to each other and the underside of the bolt head. I haven't taken any photos, but will do if anyone is interested.

Even after giving the retaining ring some serious heat, followed by a soaking in Plus-gas, and attacking the retaining ring with my new tool and a mains-powered electric impact gun, the retaining ring only unscrewed painfully slowly. It took ages hammering away with the impact gun until it eventually gave best and unscrewed. Why are these things in so tight? Is it lack of lubrication when fitting, corrosion or work-hardening in use? I stress I was doing all this at a workbench with a hefty vice, good lighting and a full array of tools. Doing it in situ must be a nightmare...

I seem to recall that I measured the tool I borrowed from Peter, with the intent of producing a drawing.

I will dig about and see how far I got.

Mark

At some point in the not too distant future I will be fitting new wheel bearings to the uprights I've overhauled, with new retaining rings supplied by Betaboyz. In theory it should be possible to re-use these retaining rings, but corrosion and over-zealous staking seems to take sufficient toll on them that most people replace them each time.

Has anyone tried using Loctite to secure these rings rather than staking them? I wouldn't use the high strength green stuff, but medium strength blue Loctite should stop any possibility of the rings unscrewing by themselves. Loctite also acts as a corrosion barrier, which should be useful.

Interested to know if anyone has tried this approach.

Due to the deafening silence, I'll take that as a 'no', then...  :)

Hi Graham

I have always staked them, but just enough to locate them given how tight they are fitted.

Eric

Hi Eric,

Yes, that would be the other option. The only ones I've ever had to remove were in unbelievably tight. Took about 20 minutes with the proper tool and an impact gun to free them off, so I concluded that staking them was definitely belt and braces.

Graham