I replaced my left front bearings last night. I had a very hard time=20
separating the bearing/hub assembly from the steering knuckle. The bearings=
=20
where pressed very tightly into the knuckle. I tried the slide hammer=20
approach as shown in the service manual but there is no way a slide hammer=
=20
would even budge them. I ended up using a wheel puller to press them out of=
=20
the knuckle. When I installed the new bearings, they where very tight going=
=20
in too. So tight in fact that when I pressed the new bearings in there=20
where a few tiny shavings, along the edge of the bearing race, where the=20
metal was shaved off of the surface of the inside bore of the steering=20
knuckle. I certainly did not like seeing that. I carefully cleaned out the=
=20
shavings before installing the seal. I am curious to know if anyone else=20
has had this problem. This is the first time I have done the bearings=20
myself so I am not sure what I should expect regarding fit.
When I had the assembly apart I stared at it for a while, trying to figure=
=20
out how to solve this "repack the bearings every 25K miles" problem. I can=
=20
certainly see why its a problem. There is very little room in the bearing=20
assembly for grease. The inner races are pressed tight together on the hub.=
=20
The outer races are separated by a precision spacer (used to set the=20
clearance). The seals are very close to the bearings. There is very little=
=20
room for grease.
What I came up with is as follows. I drilled a 3/32" grease passage in the=
=20
steering knuckle (between the tie-rod end and the upper ball joint)=20
positioned so that the grease will enter the area between the two outer=20
bearing races. I enlarged and tapped the outside end of the passage (1/4-28=
=20
x 3/8" deep) and installed a Zerk (grease) fitting. I drilled a 3/32" hole=
=20
in the spacer that separates the outer bearing races. I ground a flat area,=
=20
about .075" deep, around the hole in the spacer. The flat area is so the=20
two holes (the one in the knuckle and the one in the spacer) do not need to=
=20
be lined up perfectly. The flat space will allow the grease to flow, even=20
if the holes are offset a bit. When I pressed the bearings back into the=20
steering knuckle I was careful to position the spacer so that the hole in=20
the spacer will line up with the grease passage hole in the steering=
knuckle.
With this arrangement I should be able to inject fresh grease between the=20
bearings. The new grease will pass through the new grease passage, through=
=20
the hole in the spacer ring, through the roller cage, around the rollers=20
and seep out the seals. The new seals look like they are soft enough that=20
the old grease will easily seep out when new grease is added.
I am planning on giving it a few shots of Mobile-1 grease each time I=20
change the oil and lube the chassis. I guess only time will tell if this is=
=20
a good enough fix to keep the bearings lubricated properly. Changing the=20
bearings has been enough of a pain that I am willing to be the guinea pig=20
for what I hope is a long-term fix.
While I was making the modification I took some pics. If someone would like=
=20
to post them on their web site, let me know and I will pass them on when=20
get them developed.
By the way, Tom's bearing puller is a fine piece of work. It works great=20
and has been a real life saver. All that is missing from his tool set is a=
=20
good way to press the bearings out of the knuckle. After trying the slide=20
hammer approach for a while I gave up and had to improvise....
Also... For those of you who have bad things to say when you are trying to=
=20
get those three bolts back into the dust cover (between the rotor and the=20
steering knuckle) here is what I came up with. After cussing and suffering=
=20
while trying to get the first bolt inserted, I figured out a very useful=20
trick. Take a drum brake adjusting tool and a round magnet (the kind they=20
sell in bulk at the hardware store). Place the magnet on the brake=20
adjusting tool and the head of the bolt on the magnet. The magnet holds the=
=20
bolt so it is easy to use the tool to position the bolt in the hole and=20
then turn it with a screwdriver from the rear (assuming you have a=20
screwdriver slot cut in the threaded end of the bolt) while putting=20
pressure on the head of the bolt with the brake adjusting tool.
Dave
Ann Arbor, MI.
73 Sequoia (26'/455/EFI/HEI/160=B0)
separating the bearing/hub assembly from the steering knuckle. The bearings=
=20
where pressed very tightly into the knuckle. I tried the slide hammer=20
approach as shown in the service manual but there is no way a slide hammer=
=20
would even budge them. I ended up using a wheel puller to press them out of=
=20
the knuckle. When I installed the new bearings, they where very tight going=
=20
in too. So tight in fact that when I pressed the new bearings in there=20
where a few tiny shavings, along the edge of the bearing race, where the=20
metal was shaved off of the surface of the inside bore of the steering=20
knuckle. I certainly did not like seeing that. I carefully cleaned out the=
=20
shavings before installing the seal. I am curious to know if anyone else=20
has had this problem. This is the first time I have done the bearings=20
myself so I am not sure what I should expect regarding fit.
When I had the assembly apart I stared at it for a while, trying to figure=
=20
out how to solve this "repack the bearings every 25K miles" problem. I can=
=20
certainly see why its a problem. There is very little room in the bearing=20
assembly for grease. The inner races are pressed tight together on the hub.=
=20
The outer races are separated by a precision spacer (used to set the=20
clearance). The seals are very close to the bearings. There is very little=
=20
room for grease.
What I came up with is as follows. I drilled a 3/32" grease passage in the=
=20
steering knuckle (between the tie-rod end and the upper ball joint)=20
positioned so that the grease will enter the area between the two outer=20
bearing races. I enlarged and tapped the outside end of the passage (1/4-28=
=20
x 3/8" deep) and installed a Zerk (grease) fitting. I drilled a 3/32" hole=
=20
in the spacer that separates the outer bearing races. I ground a flat area,=
=20
about .075" deep, around the hole in the spacer. The flat area is so the=20
two holes (the one in the knuckle and the one in the spacer) do not need to=
=20
be lined up perfectly. The flat space will allow the grease to flow, even=20
if the holes are offset a bit. When I pressed the bearings back into the=20
steering knuckle I was careful to position the spacer so that the hole in=20
the spacer will line up with the grease passage hole in the steering=
knuckle.
With this arrangement I should be able to inject fresh grease between the=20
bearings. The new grease will pass through the new grease passage, through=
=20
the hole in the spacer ring, through the roller cage, around the rollers=20
and seep out the seals. The new seals look like they are soft enough that=20
the old grease will easily seep out when new grease is added.
I am planning on giving it a few shots of Mobile-1 grease each time I=20
change the oil and lube the chassis. I guess only time will tell if this is=
=20
a good enough fix to keep the bearings lubricated properly. Changing the=20
bearings has been enough of a pain that I am willing to be the guinea pig=20
for what I hope is a long-term fix.
While I was making the modification I took some pics. If someone would like=
=20
to post them on their web site, let me know and I will pass them on when=20
get them developed.
By the way, Tom's bearing puller is a fine piece of work. It works great=20
and has been a real life saver. All that is missing from his tool set is a=
=20
good way to press the bearings out of the knuckle. After trying the slide=20
hammer approach for a while I gave up and had to improvise....
Also... For those of you who have bad things to say when you are trying to=
=20
get those three bolts back into the dust cover (between the rotor and the=20
steering knuckle) here is what I came up with. After cussing and suffering=
=20
while trying to get the first bolt inserted, I figured out a very useful=20
trick. Take a drum brake adjusting tool and a round magnet (the kind they=20
sell in bulk at the hardware store). Place the magnet on the brake=20
adjusting tool and the head of the bolt on the magnet. The magnet holds the=
=20
bolt so it is easy to use the tool to position the bolt in the hole and=20
then turn it with a screwdriver from the rear (assuming you have a=20
screwdriver slot cut in the threaded end of the bolt) while putting=20
pressure on the head of the bolt with the brake adjusting tool.
Dave
Ann Arbor, MI.
73 Sequoia (26'/455/EFI/HEI/160=B0)
