Rear wheel bearings

[V-Dubstar 0]

Right, Im having a minor brake overhaul soon, with new discs and pads all round, 288's up front and gettin' some mk4 calipers for the back. Obv fitting new bearings to the rear discs - VW's.

 

However, this isn't being done until next month, and the N/S/R bearing is absolutely HOWLING at me. So im thinking of replacing with a GSF special to tide me over (and keep my sanity :nuts: )

 

My question is: will it be ok to change just the bearings for now, and leave the old races in? (These bearings were replaced last May with GSF bearings so the races are less than a yr old - will NOT be buying GSF bearings again! :lol:)

 

Only reason I ask is for a quick fix and not having to find some decent punches...?

 

TIA :D

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Snap. Mine's been howling for months too, but I really can't be arsed at the moment....

 

I really would not waste your time on fitting a GSF bearing mate. The current ones won't explode or disintigrate, but obviously schedule in some new VW ones as soon as....

 

You don't need punches or anything. I've used the official VW tool for fitting and removing bearing shells and it's crap! I punch them out with a suitable metal implement (the insides of the disc *should* have a chamfered edge to allow access to the underside of the shell) and then whack the new ones in with a socket! Simple as :D

[V-Dubstar 0]

I really would not waste your time on fitting a GSF bearing mate. The current ones won't explode or disintigrate, but obviously schedule in some new VW ones as soon as....

 

Mate, I've heard so much about not buying GSF parts etc, but after this 1st hand experience of them not even lasting a year Im convinced that the 'rado is only getting VW bits from now on (and not so bad after finding a friend with TPS account :D ) The noise is horrific tho and as u say they won't explode or anything, but DAMNNN it's SO loud!! :(

 

Thing is it's only a fiver from TPS and Im about to order some Brembo discs from there, so was thinking might be worth the fiver just to shut it the feck up! :lol:

 

You don't need punches or anything. I've used the official VW tool for fitting and removing bearing shells and it's crap! I punch them out with a suitable metal implement (the insides of the disc *should* have a chamfered edge to allow access to the underside of the shell) and then whack the new ones in with a socket! Simple as :D

 

Ok thanks man - last time my mate pressed em in for me, I 'believe' he may of turned a tool up for it so i'll give him a bell. I just remember doing em on my mk3 and banging the sh1t out of the races to get em in :lol:

[Supercharged 2]

If it's only been in for 6 months I wouldn't be paying for a new bearing - I'd get GSF to give you a free one and ask for a pair of brembo discs too for the hassle.

 

You could just change the bearing for now without the races as it's these that seem to disintegrate (the GSF ones) but change them for genuine asap.

 

Tools needed - socket for one side and a bit of scaffold for the other fits nicely

[V-Dubstar 0]

If it's only been in for 6 months I wouldn't be paying for a new bearing - I'd get GSF to give you a free one and ask for a pair of brembo discs too for the hassle.

 

You could just change the bearing for now without the races as it's these that seem to disintegrate (the GSF ones) but change them for genuine asap.

 

Tools needed - socket for one side and a bit of scaffold for the other fits nicely

 

Thanks man :salute:

 

Yeh, I've got a shedload of genuine parts a'comin' :grin:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Was it the VTECH brand from GSF you used? I tried them a few years ago and they lasted about a month! :lol: Utter garbage!

 

FWIW, my VAG ones last

 

Oh and new tyres quieten rear bearings if you want an expensive fix :D

[V-Dubstar 0]

Yup - VTECH! Never again! (apart from this little fix until next month)

 

:lol: Unfortunately money's a little tight atm being unemployed! :( No expensive fixes for me :)

[Supercharged 2]

Yup - VTECH! Never again! (apart from this little fix until next month)

 

:lol: Unfortunately money's a little tight atm being unemployed! :( No expensive fixes for me :)

 

Like I said mate - get onto GSF - the staff are well aware that the stuff they sell is rubbish and seem to be used to replacing stuff for free and giving away other parts as a form of compensation. To be fair I've had no end of free disks / pads / bearings / starter motors etc out of them becuase of stuff failing or not fitting properly. If you go there on a Saturday there are more people taking stuff back that actually buying bits :lol:

[V-Dubstar 0]

Yup - VTECH! Never again! (apart from this little fix until next month)

 

:lol: Unfortunately money's a little tight atm being unemployed! :( No expensive fixes for me :)

 

Like I said mate - get onto GSF - the staff are well aware that the stuff they sell is rubbish and seem to be used to replacing stuff for free and giving away other parts as a form of compensation. To be fair I've had no end of free disks / pads / bearings / starter motors etc out of them becuase of stuff failing or not fitting properly. If you go there on a Saturday there are more people taking stuff back that actually buying bits :lol:

 

:lol: Just gave the local branch a call, the guy did seem to understand instantly when I mentioned wheel bearings being faulty, but he also said that I need proof of purchase to gain anything back (which he said would be, another 2 bearings :lol: ) so I said why would I want another 2 bearings that're gonna go on me! I said what about the time consumed from me having to take the old ones out/put new ones in and he said there's nothing he could do :( There's absolutely no way I would've kept the receipt for 2 bearings and I paid in cash

 

Oh well, I've budgeted for these new discs so it's not as though I've gotta pay more now than I originally thought :)

[corradophil 3]

GSF ones are pretty rubish. VW supply bearings made by top brand manufacturers, such as SKF, FAG, NTN or Timken. Any of these makes will be fine, and in the past I have bought them from bearing suppliers for around £14 per set including seals etc. I bought one from VW which was NTN and they charged £24 for a set.

 

It may be worth you also chacking to see if you have heel and toe wear on the tyres. Mine has this, and it makes exactly the same sound as a failing wheel bearing.

 

I have seen a rear bearing fail spectactularly on a mates Mk1 Jetta. It melted and welded itself to the stub axle, which then broke in two and the rear wheel came away. :gag:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Did the rear bearings last night as I could stand the droning no more and it's all smooth and quiet back there again :D Dealer SKFs liberally coated with Silkolene's finest RG2 synthetic grease :salute:

 

The cause of the drone? The offside bearing cover (the metal cap you hammer into the disc) wasn't quite water tight, so the outer bearing was basically spinning in rusty water instead of grease.

 

Basically my fault as I'd reused the existing caps as the new ones in the bearing kits never seem to fit, so this time I made sure I used them.

 

So all in all, an :epicfail: on my part :lol:

[corradophil 3]

Some of those caps are a nightmare aren't they. Hopefully the new SKF one will last a few years.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Indeed they are! Even just getting a new one started in the disc seems virtually impossible, so I knocked the edges over with a hammer and that got it in the disc far enough to then clump it fully home :D

 

I've been using a 32mm socket up till now to knock the cap on, which stops it deforming, but I need to find a bit of tube big enough to go over the cap and sit on the ridge instead as I hate dented centre caps, they look a right state!

 

Yeah I've never had any problems with SKF bearings. The ones that came out were FAG (Korean) which were looking a bit tired for 2 years old tbh....

[Supercharged 2]

Yep - only use SKF

 

The VW caps are reassureingly difficult to get on but obviously create a good seal, I use the scaffold that I use to get the big race in - it doesn't quite fit over / round them but as it's ally it doesn't make a mess of them either - The VW tool for this is actually just like a large pair of pliers.

[davidwort 0]

those caps just aren't made to fit, I had some febi ones and just assumed they were made incorrectly, reused the old ones (very old GSF supplied ones) and they were fine.

I've always used a rubber mallet to tap them on, or when I can't find that a plain old metal hammer (tap very lightly around the edges of the dome) never any problems :shrug:

[Jay23Sx 0]

I really would not waste your time on fitting a GSF bearing mate. The current ones won't explode or disintigrate, but obviously schedule in some new VW ones as soon as....

 

Sure about that? :) A couple of months ago I had an AVS wheel bearing (can't remember brand) collapse on me with no warning what so ever, and that was without months of howling. Took the wheel bearing housing and driveshaft with it.

[Supercharged 2]

Yep - AVS sell the same rubbish as GSF etc... VAG only for Drivetrain and Suspension parts - especially on a Corrado!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

those caps just aren't made to fit, I had some febi ones and just assumed they were made incorrectly, reused the old ones (very old GSF supplied ones) and they were fine.

I've always used a rubber mallet to tap them on, or when I can't find that a plain old metal hammer (tap very lightly around the edges of the dome) never any problems :shrug:

 

If you're using VAG discs, then the caps may go in a little better, but my rear discs are the 280mm Eurospec ones, and new caps in those are monumentally tight!

Although having said that, when I did Pat McCrotch's rear disc and bearing change, I couldn't get the VAG cap into his VAG disc either. But I have the technique sussed now anyway :D

 

I really would not waste your time on fitting a GSF bearing mate. The current ones won't explode or disintigrate, but obviously schedule in some new VW ones as soon as....

 

Sure about that? :) A couple of months ago I had an AVS wheel bearing (can't remember brand) collapse on me with no warning what so ever, and that was without months of howling. Took the wheel bearing housing and driveshaft with it.

 

Oh dear!! Obviously there are a few exceptions then, but you're talking about the front bearings surely? They can and do collapse. It's very rare for the rears to let go catastrophically.

Mine had been spinning in rusty water for god knows how long, sanding itself to death, but it still span perfectly freely with no signs of welding itself together.

[davidwort 0]

I've had both front and rear bearings howl like crazy on VW's in the past and yet all they have is a tiny bit of pitting on the bearings and races when you dismantle them. Recently I did both of my fronts and although the hubs roared when spun when I took them off the car they still had no play in them.

I'm not saying any bearing can't have a fault that makes them suddenly break, but I've a feeling that especially with the rear ones I've seen go in a big way on some peoples cars, that they were adjusted incorrectly when fitted, far too easy to overtighten them if you don't realise how they should be fitted.

[V-Dubstar 0]

I've had both front and rear bearings howl like crazy on VW's in the past and yet all they have is a tiny bit of pitting on the bearings and races when you dismantle them. Recently I did both of my fronts and although the hubs roared when spun when I took them off the car they still had no play in them.

I'm not saying any bearing can't have a fault that makes them suddenly break, but I've a feeling that especially with the rear ones I've seen go in a big way on some peoples cars, that they were adjusted incorrectly when fitted, far too easy to overtighten them if you don't realise how they should be fitted.

 

What is the correct way of tightening? I've always done em up quite tight to get everything to 'join together properly', then loosened the nut off, then nipped it up..?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

What is the correct way of tightening? I've always done em up quite tight to get everything to 'join together properly', then loosened the nut off, then nipped it up..?

 

Yep. The way I do it is assemble the disc and bearing onto the stub axle, cable tie the caliper out of the way (carrier not fitted at this stage), put the washer and nut onto the stub axle loosely, then put a wheel on. Spin the wheel several times as fast as I can to get the grease worked through the bearings as much as poss. Then with the 24mm socket and wrench and with the wheel still spinning, I gradually tighten the nut to the point where the wheel starts to slow down from the resistance, then I back the nut off, maybe 1/8th turn and that's it. Works every time :D When correct, you should have a very slight amount of play in the wheel when rocked. If there's loads of play, it's clearly wrong and you'll hear the rear pads rubbing on the disc when you go round corners.

[Supercharged 2]

That's the other thing with VAG bearings - set them up correctly once and you never need to adjust, pattern ones just seem to go loose after a few hundred miles regardless.