Bearing race chipped on install (was: Wheel bearing circlips?)

[Fred Munro]

Hi Jonathan;

If the chip isn't in the path of travel of the balls, you won't have an
immediate problem. The chip will form stress risers in the race, which may
or may not lead to problems down the road.

My concern would be how they managed to chip the race. The only way I know
of chipping a hardened steel race is by impact (one method of removing some
stuck bearings is to shatter them with a BFH). I hope they didn't drive the
bearings in with a hammer - a press should be used for this job. They may
have dropped the bearing or their press setup may have slipped - in any case
I would suspect this bearing will have a shorter service life than is
typical. Sounds like your shop may not pay attention to details, but that is
not unusual. If I chipped a bearing I certainly wouldn't use it, but then I
don't make my living at this stuff either. The double ball bearing
configuration on these cars takes a bit of thought and planning to do the
install without damaging the bearings - it's not the usual "whack it out,
whack the new one in" approach that works with North American cars.

It will be interesting to see if the circlips are really there next time you
change bearings.

HTH

Fred Munro
'94 S4


-----Original Message-----
From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:quattro-bounces at audifans.com]On Behalf Of Jonathan Monetti
Sent: October 25, 2004 12:53 AM
To: Quattro at Audifans. Com
Subject: Bearing race chipped on install (was: Wheel bearing circlips?)


Thanks John, and to all who responded.

I made some calls and it turns out there was a false alarm due to bad
communication--they did in fact install circlips for me.  I won't be so
quick to dismiss next time.  And now I have a couple spares to make key
rings out of.

However, they chipped the outer race of one of the bearings, and this did
not make me happy.  The guy said he took a good look at it and determined
that it was well outside the travel of the bearings themselves and "wouldn't
cause any problems."  This is an old race mechanic and machinist and from
what I hear around town, knows his stuff.  However, coming in with foreign
parts generally makes him scoff (there used to be a NASCAR track here).  I
wouldn't say I get the bum's rush, but I don't get any info or chit-chat
other than "it's done" or "it ain't done yet."

That being said, anyone BTDT in terms of chipping the outer race when
installing bearings?  The chip is trangular and about 6mm long and 3mm deep
at the deepest.  Am I screwed?

Thanks
JM

Jonathan Monetti
2002 A4 1.8tq
1987.5 CGT
http://home.earthlink.net/~groovy_monkey/Audi

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Larson [mailto:j.d.larson at verizon.net]
> Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2004 8:57 PM
> To: Jonathan Monetti; :quattro at audifans.com
> Subject: Wheel bearing circlips?
>
>
> Jonathan asked:  "So before I make yet another trip, I'm looking
> for someone
> to validate that I do indeed have to go back, get the hubs
> pressed out, and
> install the clips lest I end up in a ditch somewhere."
> Unwise to run w/o the circlip, though the odds are it'll be OK.  You'll
> lilely need new bearings when you take it apart.  The circlips come in the
> bearing kit.  John
>


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