Yikes, check your wheel bearings, Here's what I found Options

[ArtechnikA]

QUOTE (scruz914 @ Jul 14 2005, 02:44 AM)

Could you expand on this? I take it you do not want to wash out the grease with solvent and then blow dry the bearings leaving residue from the solvent.

no, that's not quite what i was saying, sorry i wasn't clear...

solvent wash good -- carb cleaner to cut through the grease followed by brake cleaner works.

air dry good.

the key word of what to avoid is "spin."

it's tempting (and kinda fun - try it with a failed bearing sometime...) to hit the rollers with the compressed air stream and watch 'em spin around. high-speed, spinning, *unlubricated* rollers. not good.

brake cleaner dries quickly and leaves no residue. wash 'em with that, leave them to air-dry in a shop towel for a few minutes, repack, and be good to go.

[DNHunt]

I installed the wreaked bearings over the winter of 2003-4. They had a trip to WCC about a dozen AX and probably 12,000 miles total.

When I said tighten, I meant adjust the slop out. I did tighten the clamping nut.

I do run some extra offset to the outside (Empi's I'm afraid). I was aware of the extra loading of the outside bearings.

Dave

[URY914]

I never try to clean and repack my existing bearings. I just by new, packem' and install them. Thier so cheap, just get new. Cleaning old ones is a PITA.

Paul

[ArtechnikA]

QUOTE (URY914 @ Jul 14 2005, 09:56 AM)

I never try to clean and repack my existing bearings. I just by new, packem' and install them.

you still have the OEM 4-bolt front brake disks, yes?

i do try to limit how many times i R&R bearings from aluminum hubs; the bearings are a press fit, and the hub does wear over time... some day i'll get those tricko billet hubs, but it'll be a while...

[rhodyguy]

i'll tell ya. if i'm going through the hassle of taking the front end apart, it's new bearings and races. even trade dave. i spray oil on your car, but tell you your wheel shimmy is because of the wobbling left front tire that i saw when we were tearing up skate creek road. oh, no leaks!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif) . you get my pm?

k

[DNHunt]

I drove it into work this morning. smooth as glass with the new bearings. Kevin, the left front was the worst bearing.

Dave

[maf914]

QUOTE (DNHunt @ Jul 14 2005, 05:36 AM)

I installed the wreaked bearings over the winter of 2003-4. They had a trip to WCC about a dozen AX and probably 12,000 miles total. When I said tighten, I meant adjust the slop out. I did tighten the clamping nut. I do run some extra offset to the outside (Empi's I'm afraid). I was aware of the extra loading of the outside bearings. Dave

I rebuilt my front end, including new front bearings, at around 95,000 miles. The old ones still looked fine although I had never repacked them, only checked free-play. This included 40,000 miles with ATS wheels which had a little more positive offset (to the outside).

Any idea why your's went out at only 12,000 miles, Dave?

I've often wondered about the effects on bearing wear and steering effort of using wider wheels and spacers for flared fenders?

[DNHunt]

I suspect they were poorly adjusted for a good portion of the time. As I said I had a front end shimmy for quite a while. I wrote that off to tire balance and didn't check it out cause, it wasn't too bad until recently. I think the adjustment prior to the last drive really did them in. It's all speculation. I will say this, I won't ignore a shimmy next time.

Dave

[bondo]

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Jul 14 2005, 03:35 AM)

it's tempting (and kinda fun - try it with a failed bearing sometime...) to hit the rollers with the compressed air stream and watch 'em spin around. high-speed, spinning, *unlubricated* rollers. not good.

I have heard of people getting killed doing this. Bearing spins up to unbelievable speed, cage shatters, "bullets" fly.

YOU WILL DIE!!!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)