Replacing front wheel bearring.What do I need?
 

I'm getting ready to do this job for the first time. I have the outer bearring, the inner bearring and the seal (all bought from here quite a while ago). Is there any other part(s) I need to do this job correctly? Special grease? Voodoo love beads?

I have the Haynes manual which says that I'll need to bleed the brake lines after doing this, but I'm thinking that isn't really the case. (Please tell me that I don't have to bleed the brakes and can just remove the calipers and put them back on as is after I get the bearrings replaced).


As always, thanks for the help!

-Robert

If you have to unplug the caliper from the brake lines, then you would want to bleed them. If not, I can't see where you would introduce air into the system.

Plan on bleeding the brakes
 

I replaced the bearings, rotors, and calipers on another car I owned so have some idea what is involved. One wheel is off my 914 and I just took a close look. From the caliper there is a short piece of metal brake line that connects to the flexible rubber piece at a bracket off the lower part of the strut. You might be able to pry the metal brake line off the bracket and then hang the caliper up with some wire, but you may kink it or make it leak. You are better off undoing the fitting at the caliper. Then when you have the rotor back on replace the copper gasket and flexible hose.

Copper gasket?

Robert, if you get someone to help push the pedal, bleeding is no big deal. Now is a good time to replace that old moisture laden brake fluid anyways. Before you go to DE or something and find out what old brake fluid can or cannot do.

All you need to remember, is that brake fliud can strip paint!

I just hung my caliper out of the way with some coat-hanger wire. I did not open up the system, so no bleeding was required. I did flush the fluid a few months later; that should be done every other year anyway.

I used a variety of sockets and such to pound the bearing races on and off. The correct application of heat makes it easier, though.

Just use wheel bearing grease. There are special greases that are supposed to work better and last longer--it might be worth trying them if you race the car or otherwise load up the bearings heavily.

--DD

Appreciate all of the input, I did a search before posting and couldn't find anything on this topic- however that's only because I was spelling the word 'bearing' wrong! After reading the other postings on this topic it sounds like there maybe a chance that I'll just need to tighten -something- rather than replace the bearing- hoopefully that will be the case.

RE: bleeding the brakes. I've read that it's a huge pain in the ass on these cars so I've been shying away from it, but maybe now's the time to learn as I know it hasn't been done for at least 2 years.