Wheel Bearing Replacement

4818 Views 6 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Simon S, May 30, 2004

robert_groom

Discussion Starter · Apr 23, 2004

Has anyone successfully changed the front (or rear) wheel bearings on their Elise?

I'm having a tough time getting the hub out of the bearing. I have to do this before I can get the bearing out of the ally bearing mounting block.

I've tried soaking the bearing & hub in silicone penetrator for a couple of days and then using a pillar drill (just the vertical rack) to try to push the hub through the bearing, but it won't budge.

Is the best approach a hydraulic press, or a good whack from a hammer, or something else?

I don't want to damage either the hub or the bearing block. The bearing is toast either way.

Also, when fitting a new bearing, is it a good idea to grease the mounting block beforehand to prevent the bearing corroding in the block or the hub in the bearing?

Thanks!

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zvezdah1

· #2 · Apr 23, 2004

HI Robert,
Since this is mainly US centered elise board most of us don't have the car yet.

I might suggest joining www.seloc.org it's UK based, has a huge membership and very active bbs, I'm sure someone there can help>
Cheers
Chris

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MotorCade

· #3 · Apr 23, 2004

With many cars you have to heat the bearing block with an acetylene torch until the bearing is loose enough to be knocked out. It's possibly the same with the Elise.

Cade

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robert_groom

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 23, 2004

Thanks all.

I'll have a look at the other BBS.

If I find a good solution I'll post it here for reference.

Rob.

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Ara

· #5 · May 10, 2004

I second the torch method. It's what we do for Miatas.

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Mister111

· #6 · May 20, 2004

Hi, Robert !
The bearings of the Elise are all the same (by Timken) but there are different hubs.
I Think up to 1999 Elises had all Ally hubs, after that the rear hubs have been changed to steel hubs. With the new Mk2 (Federal Elise or whatever you call it) I don`t actually now.
A hammer should better not be used with the Ally hubs, a hydraulic press with a selfmade stamp (?) would be best.
In a german board was a thread about parts of the topic: http://www.elise-forum.com/view.asp?catID=1&forumID=20&topicID=14034&sessionID={3F0EFBEA-8EBB-4050-AEAB-71A71594239E} , but it's in german.
Befor pressing out the old bearings make sure that the two circlips are out, they fix the bearing in the hub and they only fit in when the bearing is mounted correctly.
Some did bearing changes with an oven and a fridge....
to insert the new bearing put the hub in the oven and the bearing in the fridge, after a day in the fridge the bearing should fit without problems into the hub after some 60 min at 200°C in the oven.
To get out the old bearing put the hole thing into the oven but remove the circlips before and after taking it out try to cool down the bearing pretty fast (with sports spry or dry ice fe).
Hope that helps a bit.
For more detailed information please contact: [email protected] , he did this a few days ago with his Elises.
Matthias

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Simon S

· #7 · May 30, 2004

two distint issues here...

1) - getting the flange out of the bearing - this is a press job, should not take too much load if doen right, but a 5 tonne press is essential.

2) - getting the bearing out of the upright, with the Ali uprights, heat them to ~200C first, then it's way easyer to push it out, same goes for re-fitting, replace on the the C clips, then heat the upright, then drop the bearing in, normally they will fall in, somethings a rubber mallet is needed just to make sure.

the steel uprights on latter cars (S1) just requite brute force with a press, heating helps, but not to the same extent as ali (different expansion rates)

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