LeolaPA Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 I looked at Ebay for wheel bearings, and I saw lots of sellers with lots of deals, but I decided to go with the local dealer because they have a nice discount for online orders, and I figured I'd get the latest most up to date parts for my car. The OEM bearing is supposed to be Koyo from what I read, and that's what I expected to get from the dealer. When I picked up the parts today, the bearing I got was NTN instead. I know they make bearings for the timing belt area, but I was a bit disturbed that I spent the money to go to the dealer when I could have gotten the same thing on Ebay probably cheaper.... This may be more of a rant than a topic of great discussion.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impostor Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 They've been NTN for as long as I can remember. At least with the the dealer you know its a genuine Japanese made bearing. With Ebay it could go either way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 NTN is a fine brand of bearing, you're best off getting them from a reputable supplier. It's a bit more expensive, but you do the job properly and you're good for another 100k+ miles. I've bought bearings off ebay before because I got sucked into the too-good-to-be-true price... which is too good to be true. Chinese bearing manufactures can go and put whatever they want on bearings and other parts and sell them at crazy low prices. You get what you pay for... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 NTN, NSK, and KOYO are the big leaguers in Japanese bearings. Depends on the year of the car, they switched manufacturers a few times. Doesn't really matter if you get one of those three you got a top quality part. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeolaPA Posted January 31, 2018 Author Share Posted January 31, 2018 Thanks guys. After I posted this, I read on another forum that one person's opinion was that the NTN was higher quality than the Koyo, so all the comments are really appreciated. I DID buy a bearing removal/installation tool on Ebay which didn't arrive yet. It allows you to leave the knuckle attached to the car. That should be good if the tool works as it should. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Thanks guys. After I posted this, I read on another forum that one person's opinion was that the NTN was higher quality than the Koyo, so all the comments are really appreciated. I DID buy a bearing removal/installation tool on Ebay which didn't arrive yet. It allows you to leave the knuckle attached to the car. That should be good if the tool works as it should. Doing a front or rear? I've always wanted to try one of those, post pics and a trip report! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike104 Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Thanks guys. After I posted this, I read on another forum that one person's opinion was that the NTN was higher quality than the Koyo, so all the comments are really appreciated. I DID buy a bearing removal/installation tool on Ebay which didn't arrive yet. It allows you to leave the knuckle attached to the car. That should be good if the tool works as it should. Just make sure you push the bearing out in the correct direction. An electric or pneumatic impact makes this job much easier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeolaPA Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 Doing a front or rear? I've always wanted to try one of those, post pics and a trip report! I'm doing the right rear. I bought this on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/23-pcs-Wheel-Bearing-Press-kit-Removal-Adapter-Puller-Pulley-Tool-W-Case-Front/252815242820?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 I found a couple videos on Youtube that seem helpful. One thing that seems to be a big issue is getting the long bolt out. I already checked that bolt last weekend, and mine can be turned and will come out, so I don't have that to worry about. One video I watched was 57 minutes, and half of that was the guy trying to get out the long bolt. I'll look to see if I can post a link to that one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeolaPA Posted February 2, 2018 Author Share Posted February 2, 2018 Doing a front or rear? I've always wanted to try one of those, post pics and a trip report! Here's the video where the bolt is severely rusted: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike104 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Here's the video where the bolt is severely rusted: Yeah that made me buy new stuff to have on hand and I needed it all. I don't have a lift or air compressor so I definitely was glad to have seen how bad it could be. Hand tools were not going to get mine apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impostor Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 That long bolt is known as the Jesus bolt, if you live in the rust belt. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 That long bolt is known as the Jesus bolt, if you live in the rust belt. Gotta think it is because you loose your religion, and start cussing a lot?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Oh in Maine we just call it the BAB -- BigArseBolt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeolaPA Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 Updating the story: I found that the 23 piece tool for removing the bearing did not work. First of all, the disk that was closest to the bearing diameter was 64mm, but 65mm would have been better. The disk got off center and sheared the bearing a little but did not push it out. I ended up removing the entire knuckle. I turned a bigger cylinder of aluminum on a lathe to push out the bearing, and tried on my neighbor's 12 ton press, but that did not move it either. I went to a machine shop and the guy turned me a steel cylinder to push on it, but I wasn't paying attention when he put it in the press, and it got put in backwards. The press destroyed the knuckle. So now I need to buy another knuckle to continue...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike104 Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 Updating the story: I found that the 23 piece tool for removing the bearing did not work. First of all, the disk that was closest to the bearing diameter was 64mm, but 65mm would have been better. The disk got off center and sheared the bearing a little but did not push it out. I ended up removing the entire knuckle. I turned a bigger cylinder of aluminum on a lathe to push out the bearing, and tried on my neighbor's 12 ton press, but that did not move it either. I went to a machine shop and the guy turned me a steel cylinder to push on it, but I wasn't paying attention when he put it in the press, and it got put in backwards. The press destroyed the knuckle. So now I need to buy another knuckle to continue...... Yep learned that one the hard way too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 Car-part.com, search by distance Sometimes even the biggest press won't even get these bearings out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeolaPA Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 OK, well another update. The press should push on the CENTER race. There is NO WAY to push on the outer race. There is a shoulder inside the knuckle that the outer race butts against. Believe it or not, I got a second one, and we destroyed the shoulder thinking we were pushing on the outer race! I was thinking that I could still use the knuckle, but then I realized that I would not be able to torque the big axle nut properly. It would just push the bearing back. So I'm back to looking for a 3rd one.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike104 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 OK, well another update. The press should push on the CENTER race. There is NO WAY to push on the outer race. There is a shoulder inside the knuckle that the outer race butts against. Believe it or not, I got a second one, and we destroyed the shoulder thinking we were pushing on the outer race! I was thinking that I could still use the knuckle, but then I realized that I would not be able to torque the big axle nut properly. It would just push the bearing back. So I'm back to looking for a 3rd one.... I learned that one the hard way too! Reference my comment above about pushing the bearing out in the correct direction 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniberp Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Oh in Maine we just call it the BAB -- BigArseBolt Here's how you extract the longbolt. Sorry, but you have to cut the head off, and the bolt is a special manufacturer's size, but I think I paid $16. 1. remove strut pinch-bolts, caliper, axle nut, etc. 2. Remove the nut from the "longbolt". 3. HAMMER the longbolt out of the FRONT arm and knuckle. 4. At this point you are kinda stuck, if the bolt is rusted to the inner bushing of the rear arm, and no amount of twisting or hammering will free it. 5. One way is to remove the entire arm, but that inner suspension bolt may be rusted even more badly, and the longbolt is still stuck in the arm. 5a. There just is no way to get between the bushing end and the bolt head. 6. Cut off the bolt head. Sawzall. 7. With that arrangement shown, a washer that just fits the bolt, an open end wrench, and a pitman arm puller. 8. This method saves the rubber bushing. With a new bolt you can just bolt it up and go. 9. Cutting the head off a hardened 16mm(?) bolt takes some doing. Sawzall 10 minutes, or a couple cutoff wheels and that nast smell. 10. It is not pretty, but it is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Here's how you extract the longbolt. Sorry, but you have to cut the head off, and the bolt is a special manufacturer's size, but I think I paid $16. 1. remove strut pinch-bolts, caliper, axle nut, etc. 2. Remove the nut from the "longbolt". 3. HAMMER the longbolt out of the FRONT arm and knuckle. 4. At this point you are kinda stuck, if the bolt is rusted to the inner bushing of the rear arm, and no amount of twisting or hammering will free it. 5. One way is to remove the entire arm, but that inner suspension bolt may be rusted even more badly, and the longbolt is still stuck in the arm. 5a. There just is no way to get between the bushing end and the bolt head. 6. Cut off the bolt head. Sawzall. 7. With that arrangement shown, a washer that just fits the bolt, an open end wrench, and a pitman arm puller. 8. This method saves the rubber bushing. With a new bolt you can just bolt it up and go. 9. Cutting the head off a hardened 16mm(?) bolt takes some doing. Sawzall 10 minutes, or a couple cutoff wheels and that nast smell. 10. It is not pretty, but it is done. Oh getting it out of the bushing isn't a big deal, worst case you just replace the bushing. The hard part is removing it from the knuckle since a long section is exposed and rusts up. I've literally had them so rusty you couldn't tell the difference between the bolt and the knuckle. The position that picture shows is 99% done. When they won't come out of the knuckle you have to needle scale them as clean as possible, then heat stuff red hot with a torch and assault it with a BFH, being careful not to bend the now superheated knuckle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeolaPA Posted March 8, 2018 Author Share Posted March 8, 2018 I learned that one the hard way too! Reference my comment above about pushing the bearing out in the correct direction Yes, except that we did it the correct direction the second time. We just pushed on the wrong area. We pushed on what we thought was the outer race of the bearing, but it wasn't. It was the little step in the casting that stops the bearing when you push it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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