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Frt wheel bearing - even possible w/o a press?

Liquid_force

CEG'er
Joined
Oct 12, 2007
Messages
148
Location
Lawrence, KS
Hey - I know the usual method is having them pressed in/out at a machine shop, but haynes describes a method using a piece of pipe slightly smaller than the outer race to drive it out.
Anyone tried this successfully? Or is it easier said than done?
 
No it shouldn't be possible with out a press. The last one I did wouldn't even budge with an arbor press - I had two use a very big hydraulic press to press out and back in. I also had a problem pressing the spindle out that it split the bearing in half and left half of it on the spindle. Take it to a good shop and give them their 15 bucks.
 
The cost isn't the problem - actually $15's quite a bit less than I expected.. My problem is arranging transportation while my car's out of service. Just exploring all options.
 
It was actually without my car longer when I did it myself than when I took it to the shop. I've done two at a shop and one my myself. The first time one was changed the shop had the bearing split on them also and they cut if off with a cut off wheel and cut halfway through the spindle. I found this out when it went bad again a year later and I took it to a different shop and they wouldn't reinstall it with a cut up spindle. First time was at some crappy garage (was my brothers car at the time and he took it there) second time was at a small engine machine shop and they did a good job for cheap, but the new spindle from the stealership was like $150 bucks. Oh and the first shop left out a snap ring - wasn't happy about that.
 
Why was this moved to Duratec maintenance? don't zetech's have wheel bearings?

If they're going to be so strict on troubleshooting they should have a general maintenance section that's not engine specific.
 
Why was this moved to Duratec maintenance? don't zetech's have wheel bearings?

If they're going to be so strict on troubleshooting they should have a general maintenance section that's not engine specific.

I was thinking the exact same thing - besides I DO have a Zetec.

I posted a similar general question in "general discussion" a few days ago and IT got moved to "troubleshooting".

:rolleyes:

Who knows?

:shrug:
 
Well, I can move it to Zetec... If it were in the profile of the OP, I would assume it would have been placed correctly.
 
the point was - what was the problem with general troubleshooting. It didn't apply specifically to either motor.

Agreed, the front wheel bearings are similar on both the Zetec and Duratec models of the Contours/Mystiques. The SVT models may be a bit different though, don't they have an upgraded braking system?

Edit : I also was trying to replace a wheel bearing at home, and it took me a good week of trying to get it out, before it took me 15 minutes to drop it off at the shop. ;)
 
my advise to you is just go to the junk yard and rip whole hub assembly and replace it. It will cost you about 30 bucks and about 3 hours of time. I changed mine this year and it was well 30 dollars worth
 
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