Driving in Wheel Bearing Seals

[SchwarzeEwigkt]

I know, I know. I haven't finished that wheel bearing job I started around Christmas yet. It's nice when you're got an extra car and can't be bothered to go out and fix it.

 

Lately, I haven't been working on it much because every time I run into a problem, I get frustrated and don't want to be near the thing anymore. Having trouble even going out to the garage lately.

 

I need to get the damned thing done, though.

 

 

SO. Here's the latest thing keeping me from finishing it. I'm having trouble driving in the intermediate rear wheel bearing seal. It doesn't want to go in.

 

I have a seal driver, but it sucks and there's no room to swing a hammer.

 

I tried using a bolt and some washers to drive it in from the other side — think ghetto mini FWD bearing kit. Just goes in crooked.

 

It's occurred to me that I've never really installed many seals and that it never seems like I do it right. Any words of wisdom?

 

GD especially! You say you do this all the time. What's your secret?

[ShawnW]

Did you ask a parts store if they have the seal install kit as a loan a tool?

 

I push them in by hand myself. Make sure there isn't a ton of corrosion that is holding you up. Maybe use the old seal and tap the new seal in with it as a cushion. Frankly, risk it...if you mess up the seal get another. Pretty cheap anyway.

[GeneralDisorder]

Often you can make a seal tool with some carefully selected PVC or ABS pipe bits from Home Depot, etc.

 

The FWD bearing adaptors from Harbor Freight generally do handle seals also. I've used it for that a time or two.

 

If all else fails - carefully work your way around the seal using a hammer and a punch with a large flat end on it to spread the load out as much as you can. I also often use a large socket that fits the seal or the drive end of a slightly smaller socket held out against the edge of the seal and struck with a hammer on the same side.... it definitely takes a steady eye though when you aren't using the right tool. I have thought about making a stepped seal driver for that intermediate seal because it's so small and easily deformed. A stepped driver would take out the guesswork by shouldering itself on the outside of the bearing housing and being exactly the right diameter to mate with the seal.

 

I recently upgraded to a Hub Grappler from OTC so I'm living large now. I did plenty of bearing jobs with the harbor freight unit but mine started to disintegrate and I was leaving a lot of metal shavings behind from the tool eating itself. Mind you it's got several dozen wheel bearings on it now so I got my $89 out of it. $420 shipped for the Hub Grappler kit. Worth it for me.

 

GD

[hohieu]

What kind of seals do you have? I once tried using Timken for the front knuckle and they were slightly too big.

[doc526]

I have had the same problem as hohieu. Make sure that it is the correct seal.

 

When I did my front bearings, I messed up 2 seals thinking that it was something that I was doing wrong. Turns out that Timken part did not work. Wound up getting one from the dealership.

[heartless]

little tip that may help - put the seal in a baggie and throw it in the freezer over night. the cold will cause it to contract slightly, making it a teensy bit smaller, and just a little bit easier to seat in the hub.

 

warming the hub before trying to drive the seal in will also help, as heat causes expansion.

 

the 2 together should make it just a bit easier to get the seal into place.

[SchwarzeEwigkt]

I have had the same problem as hohieu. Make sure that it is the correct seal.

 

When I did my front bearings, I messed up 2 seals thinking that it was something that I was doing wrong. Turns out that Timken part did not work. Wound up getting one from the dealership.

 

Funny you mention that. I've two sets of Timken seals and a couple sets of OEM seals. I found the outer Timken one was fine, am not able to get the intermediate seal in right, and the inner seal is too small.

 

I have a set of National seals too. Don't know about the intermediate one, but the inner one was too small too. I think whatever person transcribed the seal specs from the original factory specs and gave it to the aftermarket people (or whoever reverse engineered it) screwed up and missed by several thousandths.

 

It would explain why nothing but OEM works.

[hohieu]

Timken and National Bearing Companies have historically been suppliers to the domestic market, hence much of their stuff has been and may still be produced using machinery set up for standard measurements. Sometimes the conversions to their metric equivalents aren't quite precise enough.

 

Beck and Arnley seals would also work. B/A specializes in aftermarket parts for foreign cars and sometimes source their parts from OEM suppliers.

 

I've used the freezer method for seating bearings, but this shouldn't be necessary as the seals for the rear knuckle should go in rather easily.

 

Oh, and pack only about 1/3 of the bearing free space with a decent grease. Overpacking risks overheating the bearing and blowing out the seals.

[unibrook]

Hi Hieu, I thought all these new bearings came pre-packed with grease?

[ivans imports]

i have a kent moore wheel bering kitt is made just for rear and front wheel berrings on ej cars comes with the seal drivers make shure the outer hub is pressed in before you install iner seals the iner bering must be suported when you press hub in or berring damage may result try useing a length of redy rod with nuts and big washers to press the seal in washer being the size of seal

[Ricearu]

they do come prepacked. some people prefer to pack more grease in there. I have never packed one myself and never have had a problem from it.