So i was driving home after work late last night and about 2 miles from my place it felt like a tire blew. Did our typical thing, pulled over, inspected, etc. and all seemed fine so i wrote it off as hitting a pothole or something. Well upon inspection this morning this is what i found...


Looks like repacking some wheel bearings today.

Any idea how to get the inner part of the outer wheel bearing off the spindle?

Heat?

The inner part should not be too tight on the spindle. I took mine off with my hand.
Could be that some dirt got its way under. Clean and try some penetrating oil.
If it doesn't help, heat the bearing a bit and help it out with a hummer.
Try to keep the spindle cool.

Had that happen on a 70 LeMans Tempest. Had to carefully grind one side of the inner race till i was able to get it to relax enough to come off. Angle grinder and some patience.

Had it happen once...always carry one full front set in my car now.

bearing puller ....hello //////Cracks me up BIG f hammers and heat ...us the proper tools and things go good..
...just so ya know that didnt happen over nite its was probably in failure mode for many years .....and dont repack that junk get new ones ...thought you would have at least figured that out by now ...there shot dude face it.... thats why it broke ...All jmo...good luck and remember some greases dont mix


I mean no disrespect to anyone i just say what i feel

the inner part

its called ..inner bearing race

Anyone know a cute female mechanic? I sure don't want to be a watchin' the Capn' perform this feat.

Me too. Have a set with a new seal in a plastic bag in the tool bag.

Cause mine was the inner one, and there was no way in hell to get a puller behind it short of pulling the spindle and using a bearing press. Once they spin and weld on the spindle, it's anyone's guess if the spindle will be too trashed to use again till you get it off.

"I dunno what happened. No warning or anything ....................."

Dude, you musta had to turn the radio up farther than it'll go to drown out THAT noise! I have yet to see a failure like that that didn't loudly proclaim its upcoming arrival.

I agree that you're probably gonna need a die grinder with a cutoff wheel and a LOT of patience. Be really careful and go slow. BTW, the "expensive" 3M cutoff wheels are so much better than the HF ones they defy comparison. One 3M wheel has been known to outlast a package of 5 of the HF product. Get yourself a file and a couple of feet of the medium grit sandpaper roll material to finish the job. New washer, new nut if it looks like it got hot. I've seen worse, and you could be lucky and save your spindle/strut.

The Cap'n

Score it good with a die grinder cutting a slot into the race but not thru it then use a big cold chisel and split the race.

clam shell puller will work (rent them)....But appon think n bout it more ..it very well may be trashed ..mite take some midevel labor to get that race off ...and like some one said how did you not feel or hear that ..pretty lucky realy IMO you did wreck or at least loose the wheel completely and do more damage...well good luck ..and check everything when its on jacks and dont skimp on stuff that keeps the car safe to drive

MikeC

I guess being able to drive your 914 for twelve months of the year does come with its complications!

I use to drive my '73, back in the 90's, from Indiana to Brandon, Florida
about four or five times a year, until I moved down with my wife and kids
after transfering jobs.
On one of my trips, I went back out to go to the store about 30 minutes
after driving the thousand mile leg, and when I turned, the passenger
front wheel did a wiggle on a left hander.
When I pulled back into the driveway and jacked it up the front wheel hung
funny. After removing it, I had the same damage that you had found.
Prior to leaving for the trip, I checked my front-end and readjusted the
torque on the spindle nut (WITHOUT CHECKING THE WASHER).
I FRICTION WELDED my spindle and bearings, like you.

I immediately located a used strut and replaced the whole thing.

The most important thing is to double and triple check the pre-load on the
front bearings. The spindle nut has to be snug enough to keep the bearings
in contact with the race, BUT NOT TOO TIGHT. Too tight and the cage fails,
causing way too much friction, metal fragments, spalling and failure, as you
have found.

list:

ALWAYS replace the races supplied with the bearings. They are tapered
roller bearings held in a cage. TOO MUCH torque and NOT ENOUGH cause
failure.

ALWAYS use proper grease for disc brakes.

Thoroughly pregnate the bearings, in the palm of your hand, and slather
a finger's worth on the spindle washer and nut, prior to closing up.
I always tighten it up a skooch more than necessary, while spinning the
wheel, and watch it slow from tightening the spindle nut, then back it off
to acquire proper SNUGGNESS, then checking the washer.

Always check for play in the wheel after SNUGGING the spindle nut.
Grab the top of the tire, pulling it toward you and the bottom, pushing
inward, listening for play, using an inboard and outboard movement,
and listen for smoothness when spinning the wheel, disassemble and check
if it feels gritty or exhibits any unusual sound or feel.

Use a flat-head screwdriver and attempt to displace the washer, ( a skooch ),
behind the spindle nut after tightening it. If you can not move it, the spindle
nut is TOO TIGHT.

After driving about four or five miles, pull over and touch the hub portion of
the disc brake with your fingers. It should be warm, not hot to the touch.
Check it often after adjusting the spindle nut until you get the routine down,
and are satisfied, that it's good to go.

On long trips, check temp on centers of wheels with hand everytime you get
gas as a habit.

I don't profess to know everything, this is just my habit of doing things....

Messix's method of scoring the race with a cutoff tool and smacking the scoring with a cold chisel is the method we would use at the bike shop to get inner bearing races off of steering heads on motorcycles. Works well but don't get to grinder happy.

Well my efforts to free the spindle have been in vain. Ive tried everything and i can only conclude that the race has welded itself to the spindle. Im getting some replacement parts ASAP!

I'd be amazed if you can't get that off... Call Bruce Stone for parts though if you need them.

Don't lose hope

dont appear to be seized ..and theres grease vizable and i would look burnt.jmo..dont think it got that hot or there would`nt be much grease left....think n you fractured your rollers thus takeing the cage out ..prolly damaged from the install (yes they can go along time damaged add a little mosture and failure begins ).....got any close up pix of the inner and outer races they will tell you alot ...again best of luck with your new project.... MikeC

Have you been drinking again?

Andy don't be so hard on Mike he is from Tacoma.

I upgraded from Crown Royal to Pendelton wish i could go help him ...

Thanks for the back up Kurt ...us PNW guys have to stick togather.....its a small group but were TIGHT.....
MikeC

Well did ya get the race off ?How does the spindle look.....

well to be frank, its destroyed. I have replacement parts just need a time slot between work to get her put back together. Pics coming soon.

I'm sure it was as quiet as a library in that car for the last few weeks.
When.....or if you get that race off I'll bet you'll find the spindle is toast. Your new race will both spin and move off center because the diameter of the spindle is reduced and galled.
I hope it ain't, but be prepared.

Let me know if you need a hand Dan. I come home Wednesday early evening for Christmas break and would have no problem swinging by on my way home from Pomona
-Ethan

Well then Frank got your work cut out for ya ....take your time do both sides and have fun.... ....pix cool

Well i finally Found the time to Put the front end back together! Not many issues with getting the strut off.

This is what a ruined spindle and a race that refuses to leave looks like!



As you can see, i had to cut the strut so i could get part of it off the tie rod, that took alot of motivating


All in all it buttoned up very nicely and im a HUGE fan of the orange!


A huge thanks goes out to Ethan('73-914kid) and Bruce(BDStone) for their help in fixing the kraut rod up! Also thanks to all who gave their input on this thread!

Good work ..looks great back on the road