Hello guys,

I was taking a look at my bearings and noticed that a lot of grease has left the bearings and is on the axle. I'm wanting to take the wheel off and repack the bearings with grease. Now comes the questions. I'm quite handly with a few set of tools and mechanically inclined so I will attempt to do this myself.

Questions:
Do I need/have to replace the bearings once removed?
Is there anything specifically that I need to look for?
Do I need to rent the bearing removal tool?
Is there possibily a youtube video that goes thru the steps?

I can change the brakes out pretty easily. Just dont want to be going down the street and see one of my tires pass me.

THANKs in advance!

here is a pretty good one..using everyday tools..

1. no, If the bearings and races are in good shape, just repack and reinstall. But always replace the inner grease seal.

2. Look for corrosion/discoloration/scratches on the bearings and races. If you find it, replace 'em. Look for discoloration on the spindle, especially up on the shoulder where the seal rides. Use emory cloth to buff it out, take care not to remove too much material.

3. No, the bearings will fall out. It's the races that are a problem. I used a masonry chisel that just fit thru the hub to drive the races out. Don't ask me how to press 'em back in, that I never figured out, even with the rented tool -- I just replaced the hub. I've heard people say that a socket that fits the I.D. of the hub just right is perfect for pressing in races.

Use a screwdriver or similar tool to pry the seal out. Throw it away -- never try to reuse a seal.

4. see kingdad's link.

jtexas..yes the races can cause you some problems..the easiest way I have found is, put the new race in the hub, like the video, hammer it in, THEN take the OLD race..place it on top of the new one,,NOW IT HAS TO GO IN THE SAME WAY as the new one.
(stacked on top of each other)..use the old race and hammer the new one to seat..now you just flip the hub over and you can use your masonry chisel,place it on the lip of the old race,it will be out in the hole, right above the new one.. and knock the old one back out and the new one is home..
easy..I think...

For putting new races in i saved one of the old ones that I had taken out with a chisel or a punch is what I have been using and ground the outside of it down so it will just fall into and out of the hub.

To put the new one it put hub on work bench and set race on start with a 2x4, after it is flush start using the old ground down race.

matt

Thanks for the tips, guys, I'm going to work on that. Be nice to have a spare hub in the truck. Good idea shaving down the O.D.

My trouble is, keeping it straight. Got one in there pretty cockeyed and the damn thing shattered, no kidding, the race shattered. Got hit in the face with a shard. And I used to think real men didn't wear safety goggles.......

I just buy a new hub with the race installed. $15 a shot and up at Southwest Wheel in Dallas. New bearings are just $2,etc. It's easier to just buy new stuff and know it's all new in there. Less messy,too.

Installing races.
I'm no expert at wheel bearings, but when I worked in the machine shop and we had tolerance fits like races into hubs, we used mother nature to help.
I would suggest putting the new race in the freezer over night. Get it as cold as possible. Then, about 30 minutes before you want to put it in the hub, put the hub in the oven and heat it up to about 300 degrees or so.
That should make the race fit in there pretty good.
Don't mess around though, cause the window of opportunity starts to close the second the freezer door is open.

Put the races in the freezer for about an hour and heat the hub slightly with a torch(a small mapp gas used by plumbers) and they will drop right in. As hot as it is now you probably just leave hub on driveway and it will heat up enough. Be careful when you take the races out of the freezer they will stick to bare skin. You still may have to tap them a little to get them in position but no big deal