mk5 wheel bearing question

[boohoo]

Hi Simon, no offence taken at all Im really grateful for any advice. Im new to forum too and have found it hugely helpfull. In fact have just taken van to garage and thanks to info received here was able to stop them ordering wrong part, charging for parts not needed and having an idea how long job takes meant they couldnt take the proverbial about labour costs So thanks everyone, I love you all And thanks for kind thoughts Simon. Im sure it wont be long before Im back to pick your transit type brains again forum - folk

[Kedishen]

I don''t claim to have read anything but your 1st post here...

However...

The bearing went in my Mk4 camper whilst in france and it made a god awful screeching and the damage caused by continuing to drive it (to get it fixed) broke the brake pads literally in half and caused one side of the control arm to break away.

Or maybe it was the control arm that broke away, which scrwed the bearings and broke the brakes. Or maybe the brakes broke and screwed the bearing and caused control armt to brake away.

Anyway, needless to say.. It was BAD!

[GSXR]

I know its a bit late for the original poster but still good for anyone else needing help or an idea of what they going to confront......

My first post and as I have just replaced my front bearings I will go through the procedure...Hope this helps - I will be doing the rear bearings as well in the next couple of days....

You will need:

New Bearings/Races. Grease(usually in new bearings box)
Good long punch or good screwdriver with sharp square edges, (needed to knock bearing shells out of hub by hammering out by the edges)

Put new bearings and shells in the freezer couple of hours before or overnight (keep them in the little plastic bags) this makes them fractionally smaller and easier to insert.

Loosen wheel nuts, jack van up remove the wheels (I used axle stands so did both at same time)
Remove dust caps from the two torx bolts (inside of caliper) on calipers Undo the two different sized torx bolts remove the caliper hang by bungee etc out of the way. Remove the brake pads keep clean and put somewhere safe if not replacing them.
Remove the two Bolts (15mm spanner) that secure the caliper bracket to the leg remove and put aside.

We need to remove the hub now.

Remove the split pin from the hub center remove the crown locking washer.
Undo and remove the nut and splined washer, if you can't don't worry, as you pull disk/hub assembly off the axle these will fall out of the front so don't lose them.
The larger bearing race is on the inside of the hub usually there is a dust cover, remove the dust cover (covering larger race) by levering it up by inserting screwdriver etc on the inside of the dust seal with chisel/screwdriver etc and then remove the larger bearing race.

NOW comes the harder part - you will need to remove the bearing shells that are still in the hub.
You have to knock each one out with a square edged screwdriver or a flat ended punch, you tap from the opposite side(from inside the hub) and slowly working round the shell knock it out. Then turn the hub over and do the other shell...Take your time its not easy but it can be done with patience and a few choice words.
Once they are both out clean the inside of the hub of all the gritty grease etc.

Now I put the hub on top of the garage heater and went and had a cup of tea.

Get the bearings from the freezer - take the larger bearing shell and place in the hub (the same way you took the old one out obviously), these have to be knocked in gradually working your way round gently tapping it home, as you froze the shell and warmed the hub the bearing should be a slightly easier fit...If you have a very large socket(must only go on edge of shell) use that or I used the old bearing shell opposite way round and knocked the new shell home. Turn hub over and knock the smaller bearing shell home in the same careful manner.
Take your time and don't hit the shell too hard it will distort it and cause bearing failure. If you just work your way round easing it in equally gently ALL the way round...
Hopefully this has worked nicely. You now have to pack the bearings with the grease provided, really work it into the rollers and the roller cages. put grease onto the shells and place large bearing into the shell and pack with grease. Place the dust cover onto the hub and tap home using a large diameter socket or block of wood etc.

Put grease on shaft etc then put hub onto axle shaft sliding it fully home. put small race onto shaft followed by the splined washer then the nut then the locking crown washer followed by the split pin after tightening nut (N/S is anti-clockwise to tighten) tighten the nut till there is no play but not so tight as the wheel cannot rotate freely. Replace the caliper support and then the pads then the caliper then the road wheel. repeat other side and do not forget to tighten wheelnuts after lowering the van....

Repeat the procedure on the opposite side.

It is suggested that the bearings be checked after a few miles, as in recheck the center nut and the fee play of the wheel bearings, sometimes they loosen after a few miles.