Repacked front bearings

[lotusespritse]

Manual says to repack the front bearings at 36k, but I am on a maintenance tear, so I decided to do it at the current 27k.

Inside the hub, it was packed with thick honey-colored grease that looked fresh, but the bearings had turned their share of that grease into runny black stuff from the last 14 yrs of use. So I feel good about doing it sooner instead of later.

I am quickly running out of things to do on this car, but there's still a few more to keep me busy over the next month or two. At least I can say that I have changed every possible fluid, gas, and grease on the car in the last few months, and I know that makes Esprits happy.

[QuadCam]

I still need to do the front wheel bearings on mine. I only have 10k on the odometer, but the car is now 20 years old and I don't know if it's been done.

This is the first car I've owned where you have to repack bearings......this will be a new one for me.

[wilkrod]

Hi all,
I just happen to be servicing my front wheel bearings also on an 86.
Just curious how much grease does everyone put into the cups/caps?
Regards
Jeff

[lotusespritse]

Just put as much grease as you see when you disassemble it. Unless you have a leaky seal, the grease doesn't go anywhere.

FYI, I did not risk prying out the inboard seal to repack the inboard bearing. Unless you have replacements on hand, you might end up having to wait to get a new one if it gets damaged.

So I spent some serious quality time pressing the new grease through the in-situ bearing from the inside out and then wiping off the old stuff as it got pushed out. Takes forever. But it's much more effective to push it from the inside than to push it down from the outside.

The outboard bearing pops out easily so I used one of those cone presses to flush the old stuff out.


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[wilkrod]

Decided while I have everything apart to replace inner/outer bearings/races, grease seal. New Timken parts on the bench.
Project creep, as usual for me.
Jeff

[Sanj]

I can't imagine taking it that far apart and not replacing the bearings and seals.

[lotusespritse]

Originally Posted by Sanj

I can't imagine taking it that far apart and not replacing the bearings and seals.

After taking the wheel off, it's 4 bolts to take out the hub.

Is that a lot for you?


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[Glen]

Originally Posted by Sanj

I can't imagine taking it that far apart and not replacing the bearings and seals.

I can't imagine well-maintained bearings that would only last 27,000 miles.

Glen


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[Sburke]

I think I will be doing this in the next few weeks as well

[jtrealty]

If you stop playing with the car and drive it you will find a LOT to do! If you want to really sort out the car drive it and all kinds of things will go wrong! You do, of course. know what L O T U S stands for? Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious! If you think you have run out of things to do you can always clean it to death!
David Teitelbaum

[Vulcan Grey]

The critical part is tightening the hub to the proper drag spec per the manual.

Too loose and you ruin the bearings and potentially the spindle/upright... Too tight, and you ruin the bearings, and potentially the spindle/upright...

[lotusespritse]

Originally Posted by jtrealty

If you stop playing with the car and drive it you will find a LOT to do! If you want to really sort out the car drive it and all kinds of things will go wrong! You do, of course. know what L O T U S stands for? Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious! If you think you have run out of things to do you can always clean it to death!
David Teitelbaum

If I never hear that stupid Lotus thing again, it will be too soon.

I am driving my car almost every day because I break my projects down into 1 or maybe 2 day chunks.

Cosmetics are included in my projects and I've got it looking almost showroom new now. At least that's what everyone that see's it says. It does help that it was in very good condition from my start, both cosmetically and mechanically.

[lotusespritse]

Originally Posted by QuadCam

This is the first car I've owned where you have to repack bearings......this will be a new one for me.

You must be a young man.

[sleekgt]

Originally Posted by Sanj

I can't imagine taking it that far apart and not replacing the bearings and seals.

I agree- while the mileage may be low, the price of the (Toyota-based) bearings and seals isn't that high - may as well replace them and be good for another 20 years

I bought the bearings/seals from Summit (along with EBC brake pads) for my 88 with the intention me doing the replacement myself (42K miles now). But haven't had time yet to do it (daily driver). Maybe this Thanksgiving weekend

[QuadCam]

Originally Posted by lotusespritse

You must be a young man.

40. Maybe it's just that I never had to replace a wheel bearing on any car of mine in the past.

[lotusespritse]

Originally Posted by QuadCam

40. Maybe it's just that I never had to replace a wheel bearing on any car of mine in the past.

I'm 44. You shouldn't have needed to replace them, but repack them. But maybe you had other things on your mind as a teenager, and you didn't bother to notice that part of the maintenance on your cars

[Sanj]

Originally Posted by lotusespritse

After taking the wheel off, it's 4 bolts to take out the hub.

Is that a lot for you?


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Yeah, I'd rather "take forever" to repack a 14 year old bearing without removing it.

[lotusespritse]

Originally Posted by Sanj

Yeah, I'd rather "take forever" to repack a 14 year old bearing without removing it.

Where the flip-the-bird emoticon when you need it?

Have a nice Lotus day :-)