Front Wheel Bearing Play **Developments!**

[andy 0]

I've got my front suspension in many bits at the moment and I've just noticed the front hubs have noticeable play in them, side to side and endfloat. I've never noticed any real effect of this on the road (apart from deteriorating ride quality!). I'm assuming its new bearings time, I take it there shouldn't be any noticeable slack? You could never feel any play when the hub nut was on, by wobbling a jacked up wheel. . .

[andy 0]

anyone? :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yes, they need replacing.

[davidwort 0]

... You could never feel any play when the hub nut was on, by wobbling a jacked up wheel. . .

 

nope, pretty much impossible to diagnose front bearings without taking the driveshaft out, until they get very, very bad of course.

With the hub free of the driveshaft, brakes etc, you soon see and hear any problem by spinning them.

Driving the car, even when you get loud groaning from the bearings it's very hard to tell which side, best to do both anyway if they are original/same age.

[Supercharged 2]

I reckon this is the best way to check for play - undo the hubnut.

 

A new pair of FAG bearings didn't even last 40k on the front of my TDI. It passed an MOT and then 3 weeks later a brake disc started rubbing on the carrier - the bearing on that side just fell to bits and there was loads of play in the other too.

 

New VAG bearings and it feels great again - I had noticed the steering was getting a bit vague but thought that was due to axle bushes that have done 60k miles - turns out they are fine!

[herisites 0]

Yeah definitely undo the hub nut to check. I had to do one of my front bearing's a while back (I hit a curb at an angle on the n/s front wheel, enough force to buckle the wheel slightly and bulge the tyre, had a bad droning afterwards so assumed it would be the bearing), checking for play with the wheel etc all in place didn't feel like there was any play, I did it anyway and when the hub nut etc was removed it pretty much fell apart it was that loose!

[davidwort 0]

don't move a car without the driveshafts in the hubs though, from what I remember you will destroy the bearings if the weight of the car runs on a hub/bearing alone. So I guess the shaft and hub/hub nut effectively hold a damaged/worn bearing together.

[andy 0]

Cheers Chaps. Hand in pocket time again!

[andy 0]

I got my hubs back from JKM who kindly fitted my new bearings in. One of them is perfect but the other has some play in it still. What could cause this? Its only slight and not nearly as bad as it was but surely there should be none? It narks me as I paid lots for genuine bearings and £60 to press them in for me. Any thoughts?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Hmmm, yeah, should be slack free. The bearings are funny things, they look like they're assembled from 2 halves and they feel a bit loose out of the packet, but pressed in, they should be tight as you say.

 

I do recall a related issue with the hubs actually. I can't remembe the exact details, but they can cause problems when changing bearings sometimes. I'm sure someone will chime in with the details, but last time I did mine, I changed the hubs *aswell* as the bearings and it was all nice and solid.

 

When you say play, I take it you mean you can move the hub a little inside the bearing housing?

[andy 0]

When you say play, I take it you mean you can move the hub a little inside the bearing housing?

Yes, If I lay the hub housing down on the floor, I can rock the Hub (Mating Face for wheel). If you imagine a saucer with a small piece of grit under it, if I grasp each side of it, there is play.

[Supercharged 2]

Yeah that's not right - suprised the garage let them go like that if one is clearly different to the other!

[andy 0]

The thing is, what is wrong here? What has worn? Anyone got an exploded view of one! Surely I don't need a new hub/housing. I thought bearings would take any wear.

[PhatVR6 0]

If you undo the hub nut a brand new bearing would still have play in it...they have a split unner race and only work when fitted. if there is any play at all radially or axial with the hub nut torqued up correctly the bearing is worn out. Sometimes you can get away with just tightening the nut, but that generally only works with the tapered rear bearings.

[andy 0]

Perhaps I didn't need to change them then? Although there was a lot more slack in them before I changed them to be fair! Oh well I'll stick it on and see if there is any play when torqued up, I'm sure there won't be!

[tandino 0]

If you undo the hub nut a brand new bearing would still have play in it...they have a split unner race and only work when fitted. if there is any play at all radially or axial with the hub nut torqued up correctly the bearing is worn out. Sometimes you can get away with just tightening the nut, but that generally only works with the tapered rear bearings.

 

As i thought, you cannot check front bearings for play until the hub nut is tightened to torque spec..

[Jay23Sx 0]

I ended up taking my car back to the garage which did my wheel bearings as the passenger side wheel still had some play in it - turned out it was the hub nut *but* they overcame the problem by tightening the nut as much as possible, rather than to the right spec.

 

Let's just say a few hundred miles later the bolt/shaft sheared off causing me to loose the wheel bearing, wheel bearing housing and driveshaft.

[andy 0]

Let's just say a few hundred miles later the bolt/shaft sheared off causing me to loose the wheel bearing, wheel bearing housing and driveshaft.

Eek! Not good. I should get mine back on today, monsoon permitting, hopefully I won't have any play when she's all torqued up though!

[tandino 0]

I ended up taking my car back to the garage which did my wheel bearings as the passenger side wheel still had some play in it - turned out it was the hub nut *but* they overcame the problem by tightening the nut as much as possible, rather than to the right spec.

 

Let's just say a few hundred miles later the bolt/shaft sheared off causing me to loose the wheel bearing, wheel bearing housing and driveshaft.

 

Think you need to start using a new garage!!