Changing front wheel bearing - advice and guidance please

[Hawk]

Appreciate that this should probably be in the tech section but I wasn't sure which section and there is more traffic through here.....

I need to change the front wheel bearing and would appreciate some guidance and advice please.

First off, I am pretty competent with the spanners (happy to strip and rebuild motorbikes and engines) but haven't done much work on cars (beyond engine work and routine servicing).  And I haven't had cause to attack a hub or driveshaft before so I need to know if this is really a DIY job.

The haynes manual seems to suggest that it is a simple matter of wheel off, caliper off, split CV joint, drop drivehsaft and remove hub but I have many questions (assuming it is a DIY job)

1 - do I need a special tool to remove the hub locking nut?
2 - do i need any other special / unusual tools?
3 - should I replace the hub lockign nut or can I re use?
4 - can anyone recommend a particular brand / supplier of bearings?
5 - any tips or advice for splitting CV joint / removing drive shaft?


 

[HFStuart]

It's relatively straightforward.

The Driveshaft nut neets to be unstaked and then undone  - I use a bar and two old wheel bolts to stop the hub turning. One the nut is loosened smck the end of the driveshaft with a soft faced mallet to make use it's free to come out.

The reatining ring can be a problem  - removing one without the correct tool and not damaging it in the process is pretty much imposible. Even with the tool they can be siezed solidly in place. I'd suggest buying a new one.

NB The retaining rings for front and rear hubs are similar but different sizes - they're not interchangeable.

Any recognised brand such as FAG or SKF will be fine.

[Hawk]

Thanks for the info - hopefully I can manage this. 

one final question ..... has anyone got the retaining ring tool that I can borrow (happy to pay postage / provide beer tokens / donate to site) or know where i can buy one?

[MattNoVAT]

The retaining ring removal tool are hard to come by, I made my own. It's a bit ugly but it does the job.

[HFStuart]

I have one you're welcome to borrow.

PM me the address

Stuart

[droptop]

The retaining ring removal tool are hard to come by, I made my own. It's a bit ugly but it does the job.

Any chance of a photo?
I'm currently trying to get a couple of "specisl" tools made by a local engineering shop including a tappet shim bucket depresser/ retaining tool all for my own use.
Sorry for butting in with nothing useful by way of advice to add to the OP's questions but as I'm still gearing myself up for this job for both my cars, it was a post I couldn't ignore.
Thamks

[MattNoVAT]

Will post up a picture tomorrow.

[peteracs]

The retaining ring removal tool are hard to come by, I made my own. It's a bit ugly but it does the job.

Any chance of a photo?
I'm currently trying to get a couple of "specisl" tools made by a local engineering shop including a tappet shim bucket depresser/ retaining tool all for my own use.
Sorry for butting in with nothing useful by way of advice to add to the OP's questions but as I'm still gearing myself up for this job for both my cars, it was a post I couldn't ignore.
Thamks

I would be interested in the tappet bucket tool as they do not appear to be available anymore, so if you do get a price etc, let me know.

Peter

[MattNoVAT]

I'd be interested in the tappet tool too, had one, lent it out and never saw it again :-(

[HFStuart]

I think Guy Croft has the tappet tools at the moment.

[MattNoVAT]

Here's the retaining ring removal tool I knocked together, it ain't pretty but it works.

[droptop]

That tool is a lot simpler than the one Ihave sort of planned which is basically a modified 1/2" drive socket with a castleated end cut and re-hardened.
I must look ath basing a machinned design on your plan.
As soon as I have answers re. prices, i'll post them as a new thread and you can decide from there.
By the way, did GC change from that dreadful and unreadable red font on black background yet?
After looking on his site a couple of years ago, i simply gave up as I found it unreadable with my eyesight.

[MattNoVAT]

I needed it in a hurry so knocked this up, if I made another I'd use thicker square rod, I just used what I had laying about on the garage. 

I cut down a large bolt and used a spare retaining ring to hold the shape while spot welding the fingers in place, then just weld everything up good n proper.

[droptop]

I needed it in a hurry so knocked this up, if I made another I'd use thicker square rod, I just used what I had laying about on the garage. 

I cut down a large bolt and used a spare retaining ring to hold the shape while spot welding the fingers in place, then just weld everything up good n proper.

Obviously did the job so good thinking out of you!
I made a tool to hold the bottom pulley of my HiAce when I was doing the timing belt and with a couple of mods, it's done the same job on my Trafic and locked the front hub on my lexus while still retaining all other functions.
maybe I should patant it and spend the "winnings" on my dream car-Gp. 4 Stratos, genuine or Hawk kit, I don't really care!

[Hawk]

I have one you're welcome to borrow.

PM me the address

Stuart

Thanks Stuart

PM on way

[Hawk]

After a few false starts (wrong bearing being sent and cancelled days off work) I finally got round to spendng some quality time alone with the Spyder.

All i will say is thank feck there are folk on here kind enough to lend out tools because without the tool to release the locking ring it woudl have been impossible - or ended up with some serious damage being done!  It was hard enough even with the right tool!!

But that done and it was a fairly simple job.  Even had time to give the calipers a going over.

All back on te road now and ready for BetaMeta 14