Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (June 1996)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Thu, 27 Jun 1996 21:30:23 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         cmoran@cswnet.com (Colin A Moran)
Subject:      '86 Syncro wheel bearings(kinda long)

Howdy Listies, I finaly pulled the wheel bearing out of the passanger side front wheel. If you'll remember it had developed an excessive amount of play. Just to be on the safe side I replaced it. The bearing looked good, no problems, other than the extra play. Most of the disassembly was easy. 1. Remove tire and rim. 2 Remove brake line from back of wheel bearing housing. 3. Remove upper ball joint from the upper control arm 4. Remove brake caliper from wheel bearing housing, and suspend it with a piece of heavy wire. Do not disconnect break line. 5. Disconnect tie rod end. 6. Remove nut and spacer from stub axle. Press axle shaft out of the wheel hub. 7. Remove bolts from lower control arm and radius rod end. pull wheel bearing housing and lower ball joint out of lower control arm. 8. Remove 8mm flat heat allen bolt from disc brake rotor. Seperate brake rotor from wheel hub. This is one place I had problems. The allen slot stripped out, I had to weld a 5/16 bolt to it to remove it. Be careful, I am having trouble finding a bolt to replace it with.

The following steps require a press of some type. 9. Press wheel hub out of bearing. This will destroy the bearing. This is the point of no return. 10. Pry out the bearing seals with a screw driver or similar device. 11. Remove the snap ring (Circlip) from the wheel bearing housing. 12. Press the wheel bearing out of the bearing housing. 13. Remove the inner race of the wheel bearing from the wheel hub. This is difficult, Bentely showed a clamp type puller. I did'nt have one that would fit into the narrow recesses of the wheel hub. I used a die grinder and a very thin cutting wheel to remove the race. I cut two slots in the race, 180 deg apart, not down to the hub but within about .010". I then used a cold chisle and a hammer to remove the race.

Installation is the reverse of the above steps. Remember to clean the axle splines and use lock tight on the Axle splines. I don't recommend this job if you don't have access to a hydraulic press.

I purchased the bearing from an industrial bearing supplier. Bearing cost $55.00 seals where about $4.50 each. FLAPS wanted $65.00 to $70.00 for the bearing. I did'nt check the dealer;-)

Part Numbers Seals CR #25140 2 required Bearing CR # FW161 or FKS # 305988

Hope this helps some one. I appriciate all the information this list provides, and I apologize for any ill informed comments I have made, ie aircraft engine operating rpms.

Thanks. Colin A Moran

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull sh*t.

'86 Syncro GL


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.