On Mon, 18 Dec 2006 23:18:46 -0000, "Billy H" <changedh (AT) sforxmas (DOT) com>
wrote:

No I don't. I wouldn't mind having a go but I never seem to have the
right tools even for simple jobs !

Strange, I would imagine that most of the grease is squeezed out
within a few revolutions.

Crossposted to uk.rec.cars.maintenance &
rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled as it's a '89 VW Golf -

How long are bearings meant to last ? Is ~11,000 miles reasonable ?

Daytona

Daytona wrote:
-

I've never had to change one once. You should be adding a 0 to that
mileage.

"Daytona" <me (AT) privacy (DOT) net> wrote

No.

Steve

I had a front one go on the 307 at 90k, which I thought was a bit premature.

Out of half a dozen vehicles of all kinds, I've had one front and one
rear bearing fail, at around 80K. I've always replaced my own bearings,
and they've never failed again in 50-100K miles ... vehicles sold or
rusted out first. If the grease seals are intact, and the hub is
completely cleaned of old grease and repacked properly ... and always
replace both the inner & outer bearings ... they should last a very
long time. Either water is getting past the seal, or the hub wasn't
cleaned properly, or a damaged companion bearing was left in place, or
something very odd is going on (tilted race pocket or something wierd).

Billy H is right, you fill every void in the bearing cone with grease
before putting it into place, and fill most of the inter-bearing space
in the hub ... you want grease totally surrounding the bearing so that
grease gets "sucked" back into the bearing behind the rollers/balls
after being squeezed out in rotation. Not hard, but yeah very messy LOL.

I had cause to change a front wheelbearing that gave up the ghost at 86K the
wheel was hit by a car turning into me at around 75k so I assumed it was
upset by that.

The replacement bearing failed at around 100k and the garage replaced it
free as they thought that it must have either have been faulty or something
had gone awry with the fitting. Sure enough the bearing that was refitted is
still going strong now 50k later.


**touches wood*


Tom

Daytona wrote:

The ones on our '87 Westie are just fine after 325,000 miles +/-. The
engine has been changed, and the transmission. But the bearings are
original. They were re-packed in September and looked (and worked)
fine.

Having written this, I will pay extra-special attention to them...
retribution for bragging and all that.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

Here's to right leggy sheds.... It would be nice if they all went at least
120,000 miles. It seems like my passenger one wears out faster then the
drivers. And the VW sealed ones vary widely. 11,000 is really wrong.
Something bad happened. Huge chuck hole, crash damage , or you misprinted
your post. I do have a Sealed VW bearing in a golf has 40,000 and a little
play, but its not getting worse. I used to flog that car , though .
Airborne over railroad tracks and such.
"Huge" <Huge (AT) nowhere (DOT) much.invalid> wrote

In article <301go2peal9pld34bho1cm0r261cf4eqlo (AT) 4ax (DOT) com>, me (AT) privacy (DOT) net
says...
or not, and if they are, if they are kept adjusted.

Also, if they were slapped in with a hammer instead of a press and not
straight they wear faster.
--
Carl Robson
Audio stream: http://www.bouncing-czechs.com:8000/samtest
Homepage: http://www.bouncing-czechs.com
Now Playing at home:The Cruxshadows-Dragonfly

Elder wrote:
I must have had the worlds fastest bearing wear rate. In the early
eighties I took my Alfa 2000GTV for an MOT. "Come back in half an
hour" he said, on return I was presented with a fail notice and advised
that both sides front wheel bearings were excessivly worn, replacement
costs and fitting would be 75 pounds plus vat (long time ago, was
substantial money then) and car would be ready tomorrow.

I produced the dated receipt from the glove box for the wheel bearings
I had bought and fitted that morning immediatley prior to the test, and
was told "Take your car away and don't come back". Luckily I hadn't
paid for the MOT. the 'worn' wheel bearings lasted the next two MOT's
and were still going when I sold the car.