Wheel bearing hell!

[widebody911]

I toasted my right front wheel bearing at my last DE; so bad that I think I barely made it home. I had 1/4" to 1/2" slop at the road wheel! The outer bearing has pits and flat spots on the rollers.

I distintly recall seeing smoke out of the brakes after one session; I had a passenger, and he wanted to be let out. I'd pulled into the hot pits, let him out, and then the checkered came out and the steward wouldn't let me back on the track, so I had no chance to cool down. There was smoke coming out of the FR, but I didn't check the other side.

I re-packed the bearings just before I left. I'd noticed that the RF had some wear, but didn't think it was that bad. I don't know if my re-packing did them in; I've done this many times before. I'm using Swepco grease.


I replaced the fronts about a year ago, when they were showing signficant wear. One was really bad, the other so-so, but now I can't remember which was which.

So, I ordered new bits from Pelican, and set to work tonight. Other than the disgust when I took the old bearings out, everything was going fine...

...until I tried to remove the races.

Now, I've done this 3x before on a 911, and many times on VW's. I like to think I know what I'm doing. But no matter how hard I pound or cuss at it, I cannot get the races out.

So now I'm on the verge of taking them to the local Porsche shop to have them do the honors, but for the life of me I can't figure out why I can't remove the races. Does roasting the bearings like this somehow weld the races in?

I lost my digicam somewhere, so I can't take pix

I know there's a lot of other 911s out there with turbo brakes, who track their cars harder and more often than I do, and I've not heard of wheel bearing problems. What could be going wrong?

[don911]

When you repacked the bearings, did you drive it a couple of days before the track event? I usually re-adjust after a repack. May have been a combination of worn bearing and grease squeezing out causing your very loose bearing. ??

I've been fighting a RF bearing problem for about a year now. I could never get the bearings to stay tight. I was beginning to think my spindle or hub was toast. I talked to the owner of a local race shop about it and he told me that he does not use Swepco because he finds the grease everywhere except in the bearing. He uses a marine grease of some sort in his race cars. I repacked my bearings before the last track event with Redline CV grease. I did an all day track event last Wed. and my RF didn't loosen at all.

I'd try a new grease and see if that helps. As far as getting the races out. I assume you've tried heating the hub before pounding on the races. After that, maybe a bigger hammer.

[widebody911]

Originally posted by don911
I talked to the owner of a local race shop about it and he told me that he does not use Swepco because he finds the grease everywhere except in the bearing.

Hmm. That's pretty much what I found. It had even made it's way past the seal in the back, and had soiled the brake cooling duct.

And yes, I heated the hub.

[beepbeep]

Not connected, but did you roast the spindles? I found one of my spindles toast when i changed my front bearings, had to change strut.

[widebody911]

My spindle looks fine.

Originally posted by beepbeep
Not connected, but did you roast the spindles? I found one of my spindles toast when i changed my front bearings, had to change strut.

[alibaba]

Is it possible to fit arms of a puller around the hub, put a socket in the middle and push it out. I've always found squeezing things out easier than banging. Perhaps it might work?

[91C2wrencher]

Sounds like you "spun" the race on the spindle when it siezed. It takes only a few spins to really lock a race onto a spindle. I've had to carefully cut/hack/chisel spun races to free them up. Not to worry though, usually the integrity of the spindle is ok and the bearing race shoulder can be sanded/filed/massaged back to good as new. Bearings are old technology and like old technology lube, I use standard high temp lithium(brownish sticky goo) to pack bearings. If it can stand the duty of my high speed mower blade(blades are never balanced)spindles and little trailer wheel bearings then it should work on any bearing.

[Jdub]

It must have been around '79 when the hubs were modified with small half-moon cutouts to facilitate punching out the races from the backside of the race. My '78 does not have any access to the backside of the race and thus it is a heat operation. Last time out I just took them to a shop locally where they heat-tanked them.

John

[Early_S_Man]

Thom,

If heating the hub doesn't free the race ... it may be time for a carbide bit in a die grinder??? That aluminum hub won't be able to take as much force and abuse as the hardened race!

I don't think your grease choice had ANYHING do do with this particular bearing failure! Using a 'rough-feeling' wheel bearing is a gamble ... even on a street-driven VW Beetle! I have been using hi-temp-rated moly grease from Quaker State, Swepco, and Valvoline for over 30 years on wheel bearings, and never had a problem with either 'smooth' used, or new bearings!

My current choice and favorite all time grease for CV-joints or wheel bearings is Valvoline SynPower Synthetic Grease with Moly, #985 or #986! But, that doesn't imply that other high-quality greases like SWEPCO 101 ... would be any less satisfactory.

[mr.bch]

I use Amsoil Marine grease, just replaced my front bearings a month ago. This choice comes from lots of autocrossing and VW home-shop repairing and lots of snowmobiling (trailers in snow). Just my opinion.

Did you try and throw it in your deep freezer for about an hour or two and then press it out?? This always makes the install easier. If not, I have taken a carbide burr and sliced a line in the race and 'peeled' it out before. Make sure you check the I.D. before pressing in a new one.

As for the reason why they keep cooking... I'll stay tuned to this post and see what others say. All I can say is inspect and measure everything. (?)

[Chuck Moreland]

Die grinder. Just cut a slit, not quite all the way through. Then hammer and chisel. Once slit, it will likely break apart when you hit it.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by mr.bch

I use Amsoil Marine grease, .
Just my opinion.
I'll stay tuned to this post and see what others say. (?)

hey mister, I use Amsoil air compressor syn. oil on a 2-stage 5hp and it's great in the cold winter air..

and I use this Mobil grease flavor for big big rigs that can keep a strand between your thumb and index for a long time.. like in the 1in range and sometimes 1 1/2in range when only a "water thin" amount is used . and this ME took notice of it when he saw it.

so do you think you might be able to do the grease finger tip act?
I'll stay tuned......Ron