S1 Wheel Bearing Replacement

[Daveb99]

Recently had the MOT & Service and, as I suspected, one of my front wheel bearings in on the way out.

 

I was planning to let Jon at LegacyStorm do this for me (and I may still do) but I'm also considering doing it myself.  It's not so much the cost, but I actually fancy getting my hands dirty on something other than house DIY jobs....

 

I've found a decent guide on SELOC (http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Change_a_front_wheel_bearing) and my father in law has a LOT of tools and know how, so I reckon it wouldn't be that difficult.

 

Anyone on here done it?   I think the hardest bit would be pressing the old bearing out of the upright, I don't suppose anyone has access to a suitable press?   I guess it's too big for a large bench vice, with the appropriate sized socket (or whatever) to press it out?

[Dr H]

Dave - you defo need a press. Also you need to be VERY careful that you get it dead square when pressing it back in or it can damage the bearing and the upright.

[danwebster]

It's pretty easy, unfortunately just as easy to ruin your uprights. Put your new wheel bearing in the freezer overnight before you do it.

 

Get the upright off the car - unbolt the steering arm and bottom ball joint plinth to remove it.

 

Then you'll need to press the drive flange out of the bearing with an appropriately sized tool.

 

With the flange out you need to remove the circlips either side of the bearing and get something slightly smaller than the aperture in the upright to push the bearing out, so that its pushing squarely on the outer race. Before pushing the bearing out get the upright nice and warm, a big blow torch is what I use and I generally get them up to about 60 degrees, feels pretty hot to touch!

 

Then you can push the bearing out, it'll either slide out easily or it'll take loads of pressure and let go with a Big Bang, there seems to be nothing in between with them.

 

With the bearing out give the upright a clean and another blast with the blow torch if it's cooled down.

 

Put a circlip in the outer groove and drop the bearing in from the inside. It'll fall halfway in before the heat of the upright grabs the cold bearing. From there it'll take minimal pressure to press it home. Then put the rear circlip in.

 

Now you can press the drive flange back in. You need to support the INNER race of the bearing from the back of the upright and preaa the flange in from the top. If you don't support the inner race you might destroy the bearing.

 

Once the flange is in your done.

 

Or I'll do it for an hours labour

[Daveb99]

All done......thanks Dan (for doing the job that is!!)

 

I chickened out and watching how easy it was for Dan, it was the right decision