[Vwdiesel] Golf eating rear wheel bearings.

[Roger Brown]

George Harris wrote:
> 
> This is so simple I'm embarrassed to ask. I have replaced the left rear
> wheel bearings on a Golf series 3 twice now within six months and they
> have self destructed again.
> 
> When I do a bearing job I clean the axle, blow all the brake dust away
> with compressed air, clean the new bearing with parts cleaner and
> compressed air, then pack the new bearing with grease using a bearing
> packer. I install the bearing, tightening until it gets harder to rotate
> the wheel, then back off a bit. The bearing on the right side is still
> fine from it's first replacement when I did them both at the same time.
> 
> Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Is it possible that something
> is causing the bearing to go? Is it possible the axle is bent and it's
> causing the bearing to destruct prematurely?

Do you check the bearing play after a hundred miles or so of driving?  I find after replacing mine that the bearings tend to wear in and loosen up once or twice, need to tighten up the nut just a bit each time then they last for a long time.  

I suppose the stub axle could be bent, not sure how you could accurately check it without some fancy measuring tools. 

-- 
   Roger