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Graham Bichard
Member
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Posted: Tuesday November 27th, 2007 06:54 am |
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I confirmed at the weekend that the wheel bearings need changing. I also noticed some play in the swivel pins.
It all seems pretty straight forward, but are there any hints and tips I should be aware of?
Cheers, Graham
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taffy1967
Member
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Posted: Tuesday November 27th, 2007 10:35 am |
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This video is quite helpful for ball-joint replacement: -
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KyDE4oqbZnc
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hawaiianblue
Member
| Joined: | Saturday June 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 214 |
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Posted: Tuesday November 27th, 2007 04:45 pm |
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Well if you're doing bearings AND pins then it's pretty easy, whip the hub off and do it all on a bench.
Obviously you'll need the specific tools, Hub nut socket (draper do an impact one for about £3, also fits subframe tower bolts and earler steering wheel nuts), ball joint socket and a ball joint splitter.
it is all fairly straight forward tbh
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oz
Moderator
| Joined: | Wednesday January 31st, 2007 |
| Location: | Livingston |
| Posts: | 67 |
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Posted: Saturday December 1st, 2007 04:24 pm |
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This was one of those jobs I really used to hate doing.
Over the years I've gotten better at it and now I really actually enjoy it.
The video that Taff posted is great, using grinding paste sounded mental (to me anyway!), but it's logical when you think about it.
As for tips, as HB suggested, remove the hub and do it on a bench. It's getting the required number of shims that's the real issue.
Good luck Graham.
BTW - you were right about the Maths!! 
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hawaiianblue
Member
| Joined: | Saturday June 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 214 |
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Posted: Sunday December 2nd, 2007 12:05 pm |
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I'd also add, ignore the rubbish in the manuals about using feeler gauges and such, makes the job needlessly complicated, ive never done it and never had any problems.
You need to get the joint tight not loose, but not so tight as you cant move it with your hand and a bit of force.
It's also worth hanging on to any spare shims you get with the new joints and any old ones that look like they're in decent nick, they're always handy to store in the spares box.
As for the grinding paste and bedding them in, i've never done that either, personally i think you're just wearing the joint out before you've got it on the car. If you use good quality joints you shouldnt need to do it. I have seen some of the uber cheap joints though and the ball is extremely rough. Buying them from a decent supplier like minispares though, they seem fine.
I think i basically replace one single swivel a year, i could just reshim them and make them last but as they're so cheap i just replace them. Thats with sportspack wheels which are hard on swivels, so i dont think my methods are fine.
It's worthwhile getting new grease nipples too, seeing as you're at it, if they're the originals the springs are probably getting a bit tired now.
Contrary to popular beleif it is possible to replace swivels with the hub on car (although the bottom is obviously more awkward than the top), but as you're doing bearings as well it makes sense to do them on the bench.
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Graham Bichard
Member
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Posted: Monday December 17th, 2007 02:39 pm |
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Right, I've done the wheel bearing (nice & easy that!) and I've just looked at the swivel pins.
My question is - I haven't got a socket big enough, my 12" Adjustable won't open wide enough, so what size are the swivel pins?
Cheers, Graham
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Itsarek
Member
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Posted: Monday December 17th, 2007 03:39 pm |
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Graham Bichard wrote: Right, I've done the wheel bearing (nice & easy that!) and I've just looked at the swivel pins.
My question is - I haven't got a socket big enough, my 12" Adjustable won't open wide enough, so what size are the swivel pins?
Cheers, Graham
Hi! 
If I remember correctly it is 1 1/2" AF, same size as the flywheel bolt
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hawaiianblue
Member
| Joined: | Saturday June 2nd, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 214 |
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Posted: Monday December 17th, 2007 09:00 pm |
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Yes it is 1.5" as i remember too. Halfords do stock them and as an impact socket, impact ones are too fat to fit the flywheel bolt but they are much better for swivel joints as you can hammer them which is ideal for flattening out the old lock tab.
You'll also want a long breaker bar to go with it, the 2ft long draper/laser ones are better than the smaller 18" Halfords ones, the extra 6" makes a vast difference, and they have replaceable ends.
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Itsarek
Member
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Posted: Monday December 17th, 2007 10:27 pm |
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hawaiianblue wrote: Yes it is 1.5" as i remember too. Halfords do stock them and as an impact socket, impact ones are too fat to fit the flywheel bolt but they are much better for swivel joints as you can hammer them which is ideal for flattening out the old lock tab.
You'll also want a long breaker bar to go with it, the 2ft long draper/laser ones are better than the smaller 18" Halfords ones, the extra 6" makes a vast difference, and they have replaceable ends.
The churchill tool is also reduced to fit the flywheel! Dont forget you will have to get a hex socket not bi hex (because the ball joints have got the corners machined off).
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hawaiianblue
Member
| Joined: | Saturday June 2nd, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 214 |
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Posted: Tuesday December 18th, 2007 08:04 pm |
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indeed, hence buying a ball joint socket not a generic socket.
The churchill ones do as you say fit the flywheel, but they're a bit difficult to come by in comparison to a ball joint socket. And you do ball joints a lot more often than you removed the flywheel
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Graham Bichard
Member
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Posted: Thursday January 10th, 2008 02:44 pm |
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Got the wheel bearing changed that needed changing (and eventually got the swivel bearings done on that side (FL) when I got the socket!) but now I'm left with the FR to do.
It's not as bad (no rumbling, a little play but not too much) but when I tried to undo the hub nut I almost put my back out trying to loosen it!
With a friend standing on the brake pedal I was still able to turn the disc/hub, rather than the nut!
My next thoughts are to, with the car on axle stands, start the engine and see if the servo assistance will provide enough extra braking power when the pedal is pressed to enable me to undo the nut.
Anyone else come across this? What was your solution?
(The cars in for its MOT this month, and on the off chance that it might fail on the wheel bearing I'm trying to get the answers so I don't miss out on a free re-test, otherwise if it passes it'll get done when I service the car later in the year!)
Cheers
Graham
Last edited on Thursday January 10th, 2008 02:46 pm by Graham Bichard |
hawaiianblue
Member
| Joined: | Saturday June 2nd, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 214 |
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Posted: Thursday January 10th, 2008 04:23 pm |
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Yes starting the engine (in neutral obviously!) gives the brakes a lot more bite and magnifies the pedal effort a lot.
Another option is a long metal bar wedged between two wheel studs and the ground, idealy you want to have a couple of wheel nuts on to protect the stud threads though.
Also dont mess about with those 18" breaker bars that halfords do, they're not long enough to be of any real use. You want a 24" one, Draper do one, as do Laser tools these ones also have replaceable ends, its only another 6" but as any girl will tell you 6" can make a big difference...
Another alternative is an impact wrench.
Any for those with old 10" steel wheels you can undo the nut with the wheel fitted and on the ground and chocked.
Last edited on Thursday January 10th, 2008 04:24 pm by hawaiianblue |
JamesH
Member
| Joined: | Tuesday March 28th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 7 |
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Posted: Thursday January 10th, 2008 05:18 pm |
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Hi
When I did mine in summer I had the same experiance about undoing the main drive nut I decided that the socket I had would fit through the wheel cap hole, so I took out the split pin put the wheel back on, then set the car back on the ground. With the car in gear and trusty mate with foot on brake i managed to undo the nut.
I used the same procedure to retighten the nut being careful to note the location of the split pin hole whilst tightening up by chalking the socket
Hope it helps JimT
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DaveShreeve
Administrator
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Posted: Thursday January 10th, 2008 10:08 pm |
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I didn't have any brakes fitted when I wanted to remove/refit mine but I did have a 1 metre length of 25*6mm steel bar. Cutting this in 2, drilling 4 holes, and bolting together gave a 750mm bar which could be bolted to the hub and jammed into the floor. **CAUTION** Use only with the socket bar acting towards the floor, if you don't you can easily lift the car off any support before you break the joint!
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taffy1967
Member
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Posted: Thursday January 10th, 2008 11:41 pm |
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With a friend standing on the brake pedal I was still able to turn the disc/hub, rather than the nut!
Isn't it a right hand (or left hand?) thread on one side?
So you actually turn it clockwise to undo it instead?Last edited on Thursday January 10th, 2008 11:42 pm by taffy1967 |
Graham Bichard
Member
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Posted: Friday January 11th, 2008 08:27 am |
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Lefty loosey, righty tighty - not in this case Taffy. I have taken it off in the not too distant past (2 years-ish ago) to change the discs.
I'm guessing the heat may have caused it to get REALLY tight when I've tested these new discs out!
Thanks for all the tips though, I might put the car in for the MoT today if I have time (its not due til 26th). At least then I'll know where I stand and if I have to do it now!
(Dave, can you expand on your method a bit please? I've got the long bar, on the socket placed against the floor, but what/how did you apply the turning effort if the bar is wedged against the floor?)
Last edited on Friday January 11th, 2008 08:31 am by Graham Bichard |
hawaiianblue
Member
| Joined: | Saturday June 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 214 |
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Posted: Friday January 11th, 2008 03:48 pm |
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JamesH wrote:
I used the same procedure to retighten the nut being careful to note the location of the split pin hole whilst tightening up by chalking the socket
Hope it helps JimT
Not really sure i under stand what you mean by that?
The nut is castelated so has several holes for the pin. the drive shaft only has one hole, but marking the socket wont make any difference as it turns with the nut?
Also you cant use the position of the split pin as a reference of where to tighten the nut to, it should be redone to the correct torque then if need be tightened further to allow the pin to fit.
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hawaiianblue
Member
| Joined: | Saturday June 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 214 |
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Posted: Friday January 11th, 2008 03:50 pm |
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Graham Bichard wrote:
Thanks for all the tips though, I might put the car in for the MoT today if I have time (its not due til 26th). At least then I'll know where I stand and if I have to do it now!
You know they can date on the new certificate up to 14 days if you produce the old certificate...
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DaveShreeve
Administrator
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Posted: Friday January 11th, 2008 11:32 pm |
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Graham Bichard wrote: (Dave, can you expand on your method a bit please? I've got the long bar, on the socket placed against the floor, but what/how did you apply the turning effort if the bar is wedged against the floor?)
Graham, your socket, and largest breaker bar you've got, go on hub nut as usual. You're making up a Y shaped tool from the steel bar which picks up on 2 wheel studs. It gives the same effect as the 'put a bar through the wheelstuds' method suggested in some publications but is safer and much less likely to wreck the stud threads. Bear in mind you're shins are in direct line of fire of any bar which slips and there's a lot of energy at the torques involved. It's nearly 30 years since I last used the jammed bar method and I can assure you if it slips, it hurts!! I had difficulty walking for nearly a week.
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oz
Moderator
| Joined: | Wednesday January 31st, 2007 |
| Location: | Livingston |
| Posts: | 67 |
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Posted: Sunday January 13th, 2008 07:48 pm |
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DaveShreeve wrote: Graham Bichard wrote: (Dave, can you expand on your method a bit please? I've got the long bar, on the socket placed against the floor, but what/how did you apply the turning effort if the bar is wedged against the floor?)
Graham, your socket, and largest breaker bar you've got, go on hub nut as usual. You're making up a Y shaped tool from the steel bar which picks up on 2 wheel studs. It gives the same effect as the 'put a bar through the wheelstuds' method suggested in some publications but is safer and much less likely to wreck the stud threads. Bear in mind you're shins are in direct line of fire of any bar which slips and there's a lot of energy at the torques involved. It's nearly 30 years since I last used the jammed bar method and I can assure you if it slips, it hurts!! I had difficulty walking for nearly a week.
The tool that Dave is talking about is excellent. I've found it saved me a lot of grief. I've scanned a picture of it from my Haynes book.
Real simple to make up (even I managed!!)
Saves wrecking wheel studs.
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