Wheel Bearing Problems
Hi guys
I'm new to this forum and I've got an strange problem with my VN.
When I first got it, it had stuffed wheel bearings on the front left wheel that caused a godawful humming noise while driving, which I changed.
Three months later, once again I hear that humming noise from the wheels, and pulling it apart again, I find that the bearings are stuffed again.
I change them again, and thinking it was perhaps the result of inaligned wheels, I get a wheel alignment at the same time.
Another few months down the track and the bearings are stuffed again.
What could the problem be? Any feedback would be appreciated. (BTW its only the larger inner bearing thats getting stuffed. The smaller one on the front of the disc is fine.)
I had this same problem on my old VN, it was caused by the rubber seal was just crap quality and didnt seal it properly and i washed my car alot and the water got into the bearing and stuffed it, so it might be the same thing here maybe. Try getting a better quality bearing and seal or get a different brand might help.
~ VN POWER ~ Click the scales
I have tried a number of brands already, doesnt seem to make a difference, and the seal was changed each time I changed the bearing.
I dont think its water leaking in as I changed the other front wheel's bearing at the same time with the same brand, and it has been perfect.
When I take the bearings out to have a look, they are always worn down hard, with tiny metal shavings all over it.
Could it be that the shaft that the bearings sit on is slightly bent or something and causing the bearings to eventually wear down?
Yep and most likely the problem (= new strut/stub axle).Originally Posted by Tibokan
A couple of other things though:
Were both the cups = the part of the bearing that sits in the disc/hub and the cones = the bits that fall out replaced together or just the cones?
Are the cones sitting all the way in the hubs? It only takes a small piece of stray metal (like machining swarf from disc resurfacing) or very slight damage to the bore for the cup in the hub to cause misalignment and kill the bearings.
Not sure if the stub axle would be bent, I'm trying to remember if they're case hardened or not, if they are, you will find they'll crack and fail catastrophically. Look for cracks in the radiuses. I think it could have been incorrect bearing installation, 80% of bearing failures stem from poor installation.
yeah man the cups are the likley problam.
Take a old bearing into the shop and look at the chart that tells you what the fault is.
I changed over everything with all new parts for the first couple of times, but now i have given up and just change the larger bearing, which gets rid of the noise for a couple of months.
I am willing to repair it properly by replacing the strut assembly, as i am now pretty sure it is a bent stub axle.
How much is a second hand strut assembly (without the spring) from a wreckers, and is it much of a hassle to put on?
i was going to suggest to you about being a bent stub axle. i have heaps of front strut assemblies laying around i usually ask $40-$50 but you know what wreckers are likei leave the springs on mine...means more work for me taking them off...lol
mate if you are up for the hunt then try the local dump.
I live in a little town and get heaps of vn/p parts for cheap and a couple years ago in rockhampton the scrap metal bin at the dump was a gold mine of bits.
wouldn't be today
The last one I bought was $50, < 12 months ago but it depends. That was with the spring but no disc. I suspect that the price would not have been different with the disc.
It's straightforward to swap (if you can change wheel bearings, you can change the strut) but ideally you should swap the old strut insert into the new housing to ensure, at the least, that both sides match. That requires the use of a spring compressor to disassemble/assemble the strut.
haha yeh one dump here had a complete vn they wrecked and then crushed (heaps of good parts still on it) then they had a vs there WITH engin and diff etc ,,was in a roll over but still they crushed the whole thig cause they were too stingy to sell it off a little cheply. Would have got more sellng parts a little cheaper then they were asking then what they gotin scrap!!
i got a whole front end here for about $10.
Both struts complete k frame and steering rack.
there are atleast 1 more vn's in the pile, but i got my eyes on the burnt out vt.
lol...thats why they didn't sell it,it's worth more to them crushed ready for recycling,they are paying big dollars now apparently,i'm in the proccess of stripping 2 VN's and selling just the shells,they reckon they will give me $200 each shell....i'll believe it when i see the $$$ in my hands.but thats my take on it,the price of steel today and why they are paying big $$'s for car bodies
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