Re: Wheel Bearing Failure

["Tom Nestor" <tnestor1@fcgnetworks.net>]

John -
    If, after installing the new bearings, you had rolled the car around
without the drive axles installed and torqued, you would have damaged them.
The stub on the outer end of the axles that passes through the bearing along
with the wheel/rotor hub actually make up the inner race of the bearing, and
both must be installed and torqed to hold the bearing together. A common
mistake is to press the hub into the bearing, then install the strut, mount
the wheel and roll the car to another corner of the driveway/ garage before
installing the axles. Of course, we are assuming the bearings were carefully
pressed in by the outer race in the first place.

Tom Nestor


>Around a year and a half ago shortly after I purchased my 87 5KTQ I
replaced
>both front wheel bearings. Yesterday, when removing my rotors in order to
>change them, I found that BOTH of them were shot. Both have excessive play.
I
>have not finished pulling the struts yet so I have not taken a close look
at
>them. I purchased the bearing from Blau and had my local NAPA store
>machinist/owner press them into the struts. What could possibly have gone
>wrong? My wife did most of the driving and she is very cautious and does
not
>throw the beast around. Any insight would be appreciated.
>
>John Katos
>87 5ktq
>many Alfas
>