Wheel bearing replacement - a few bullet points please

[drj]

My car failed its MOT today - two wheel bearings are noisy and need replacement. Nearside front and offside rear.

I've sourced the parts from Atom and they're being fitted next Wednesday by the local garage where I get my MOTs done - http://www.julianrogersautoservices.co.uk/  - who reckon they can do the work.

I have read through around 5-6 topics concerning wheel bearing replacement from which I could highlight possible issues to the garage, but it would be useful if someone could please list out a few bullet points so I've got a succinct statement to give them.

[AtomMadStew]

Tell them the cost of a new upright & hub complete might discourage them into doing anything less than a good job.

Stew 

[Rocket Man]

Perhaps best to send them to the factory to have them done then you do not have anything to wory about

[drj]

Could I please ask for constructive posts - I'm having it done here not at Ariel.

[bodnet]

I think Stew's post was pretty sensible advice

For the benefit of future people with the same issue, here's my experience which I PM'd to drj:


"I lent the garage my 1/2" hex drive to get the upright off.

He forgot about the 2.5mm grub screw on the bottom rod-end (it locks the bolt which passes vertically through the rod-end, into the upright) and managed to make a bit of a mess of the threads, but Ariel cleaned it up afterwards.

He found the bearing difficult to get out because one end of the circlip had broken off, but I think he managed to get the other end off instead.

I called Ariel to check the torque figures, the list on this site doesn't include the front hub nut (and I've forgotten what Henry told me, D'oh!)


Bod

[drj]

Thank you - I didn't quite understand your posting Bod - I presume you got Ariel to repair it after the grub screw issue - but had that not gone awry could the local garage not have tackled it?

It seems people on here have even gone down the DIY route.

I honestly don't want the hassle of sorting it out by taking either the whole car to Somerset or just sending the parts off to be done (since my garage will still have to disassemble - I'm not doing it myself), and it's not as if wheel bearings are rocket science is it?

I was just hoping that someone could set out a few points that I can advise the garage to get it fixed. Seems not.

Alternatively if someone will make me a decent offer for the car as it is they can have it.

[drj]

[quote="Bod "]
I think Stew's post was pretty sensible advice
[/quote]

Except he didn't state what the problem was, what the resultant cost might be, or link to somewhere I might find out.

[benyeats]

From memory one thing to be careful of is how the garage remove and press in the old / new bearing, the uprights are made from relatively easy to damage material so it is critical they are not loaded in the wrong direction.  A Porsche garage made a right miss of John H's upright by getting it wrong.

I know the above essentially says 'make sure they don't do it wrong' and offers no advice on what is right but hopefully helps a bit......

[AtomMadStew]

Like you said its not rocket science Drj ..i wasnt being facetious or flippant.
using correct installation tools & supports and not putting any pressure on the upright where it fastens to the upper  or lower wishbone, as Ben says they can be easily damaged. 

Use a new circlip (should be supplied with new bearing), clean out the gap it fits in with a small sharp scribe.

a drop of oil on the inside of the hub face wiped round with a finger before the new bearing goes in helps.

above all make sure bearing is square as is the hub/centre & flange & support the new bearing centre when fitting the centre back in from the circlip side or they will push out the centre of the new bearing.....if that makes any sense

can the bearings be fitted either way round ?

Stew


not the best quality video but does give you an idea where to support the hub - which should be as close to the bearing as possible
Pressing out a wheel bearing

[drj]

Sorry - should have mentioned this was all sorted on Wednesday last week. Thank you to all who provided constructive comments. The garage charged 4 hours labour compared to Ariel's 2.5 hours but at a cheaper rate and obviating the nearly 200 mile round trip/day off to get to the factory.