TheSamba.com :: View topic - Vanagon Rear Wheel bearing repacking Help!

Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:19 pm

Hi everyone,

I keep having my rear outer wheel bearings fail after a few hundred to few thousand kilometres.

I assume I have not packed the outer needle bearing properly? I have looked through discussion of this but no one seems to have good instruction on how to do so. The grease in the palm of hand method will not work because of the design of the needle bearing with the only exposed bearing being in the middle where the inner race sits. the ends are completely close off. Thus bearing is different than a typical needle bearing.

Has anyone done this successfully?

Thanks!

Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:32 pm

Use a wheel bearing packer.

Fri Nov 06, 2015 3:26 am

I added grease fittings to my rear hubs,

With the hub off and clamped in a vise, I slip in an Impact socket to fill the axle shaft cavity and pump the unit full of grease. It oozes through the bearings chasing out the old grease.
Or just use the axle itself.

Honestly? It's a horrid mess but the end result is fully lubed bearings.

Dave

Fri Nov 06, 2015 4:45 am

djkeev wrote: a horrid mess

I like my Snappy 18v grease gun, 30" hose whip and grease needle.
Very civilized and the grease goes where you want it.
The greaser pulling the trigger determines the mess factor.

Pictures of the setup can be found in the Luxury Tool thread.

Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:13 am

No matter what tools you use to insert grease, grease is grease, it's a slimy mess.

But, my Dad always said that using grease is the cleanest way to get dirty.

Yes, the grease is a slimy mess but it has amazing soil removing properties as well. Just look at your hands after handling grease, as clean as clean can be! All of that ground in soil is extracted by the grease.

Dave

Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:18 am

Two words Dave...nitrile gloves :wink:

Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:22 am

insyncro wrote: Two words Dave...nitrile gloves :wink:

That,s modern technology.

Back in the "Day" there were no gloves. What ever was touched was touched with skin unless it was hot or caustic.

All of us old farts will surely perish from various cancers leached into our body through the skin. :shock:

You younguns........ :roll: bicycle helmets, elbow pads, gloves, goggles, protective this, protective that....... :wink:

I guess we loved all of you kids too much and desired to protect you!

Dave

Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:25 am

No glove, no love :!:

Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:57 am

insyncro wrote: No glove, no love :!:

Ok guys, get a room.... :wink: :lol:

Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:58 am

Another vote for the 18v grease gun. Love my Milwaukee! Throw a needle fitting on the tip and you can squirt till your hearts content wherever you see fit. Small rag to clean up excess and your good to go.

Fri Nov 06, 2015 8:05 am

snwbrdr435 wrote: squirt till your hearts content wherever you see fit

Ahh yes, a core human need. Perhaps not wherever you see fit though. ;)

Are you saying that with a needle extension you can get fresh grease into the bearings without disassembly? Can you get the inner bearing too?

Fri Nov 06, 2015 8:30 am

Maybe, Maybe not with a grease gun & a needle.

But I do know that this zerk most certainly will get grease to both bearings pretty easy.

Fri Nov 06, 2015 12:15 pm

I like that method. A guy could grease that every 100,000 and you'dbe golden. Greasing the bearings every 30 or 50 or even 100 without disassembly is very interesting though.

Mine have 175,000, never greased. It would content my heart to squirt without disassembling (much). A worthy goal I think.

Fri Nov 06, 2015 1:54 pm

snwbrdr435 wrote: Another vote for the 18v grease gun. Love my Milwaukee! Throw a needle fitting on the tip and you can squirt till your hearts content wherever you see fit. Small rag to clean up excess and your good to go.

Yup.
I zerk when I replace the bearings, but most of my vans still have the originals going strong as I maintain them with a needle.
New are a crap shoot.

Fri Nov 06, 2015 1:57 pm

Another possibility it worn out bearing housings, no? I've seen quite a few cores where the bearing will drop/fall into the housing, as opposed to needing some force.

Fri Nov 06, 2015 4:23 pm

djkeev wrote: insyncro wrote: Two words Dave...nitrile gloves :wink:

That,s modern technology.

Back in the "Day" there were no gloves. What ever was touched was touched with skin unless it was hot or caustic.

All of us old farts will surely perish from various cancers leached into our body through the skin. :shock:

You younguns........ :roll: bicycle helmets, elbow pads, gloves, goggles, condoms, protective this, protective that....... :wink:

I guess we loved all of you kids too much and desired to protect you!

Dave

Fri Nov 06, 2015 5:02 pm

I grease the outer bearing using a needle every time I do rear brake work. Remove the seal, squirt some grease into each space in the bearing, wipe off any old grease that has been forced out and then install a new seal.

Fri Nov 06, 2015 8:05 pm

I picked up my new bearing today and found there is a design difference between the new bearing and the previous one that failed. They are both needle bearings, however; the failed bearing has no way that I can see of actually packing it due to the housing covering all the way around the outer, top, and bottom of the bearing. This left only the inside rollers exposed for greasing.

The new bearing has the ability to be packed from top or bottom. I assume the two previous failed bearings were because of a design flaw.

I will try to post a photo for comparison. Is there a way to upload photos onto this forum? or can you only post from URLs?

Fri Nov 06, 2015 8:11 pm

Sounds like your were sold bearing with either seals or shields on one side, instead of being open on both sides.

To learn to post photos: Look at the top of any The Samba page and hover your mouse over the word "Gallery" which will open a drop down box, click the "Help/FAQs" button and you will find the info you desire

Fri Nov 06, 2015 8:24 pm

Wildthings wrote: I grease the outer bearing using a needle every time I do rear brake work. Remove the seal, squirt some grease into each space....

Is there a way to needlegrease the inner bearing?