I'm not a professional.

I am replacing the Front Wheel Bearing, reason being that I was hearing noise. I redid the front suspension two summers ago (I only drive this car in summer and not much at that) and when I put the front hub back together I just did a "reassembly is the reverse". As a result I didn't know about packing bearings and how to properly tighten the stub axle crown nut. I took the hub off today and there was tiny metal particles in the grease at the end of the stub axle (where the castle nut and cotter pin are) which I recognize as wear. So I need to replace. I looked at the stub axle itself and it looks correct (I'm comparing it against photographs of new from SNG Barrett). So I think the problem was indeed the bearings and not tightening them properly.

There are some important things that need to be done when redoing the bearings that I do not knwo about and I'm hoping people here can give some guidance. Here's the topics.

1) Repacking the Bearings. So I've seen on Youtube the grease in the palm and squish it in method. Is this how you pack Series III bearings?

2) Checking bearing fit to stub axle. Some people have referred to this and clearances and slop and I don't know what any of that means. How do you check the bearings' fit on the Stub Axle? What does slop mean?

3) Tightening the Axle Nut. I read something about tightening, backing off, retightening. I have no idea what these people are saying. The Shop Manual gives a torque spec and that is what I tightened to last time. I think that is wrong. Can anyone take me 1-2-3 through the tightening sequence?

4) Greasing the Hub. I think I overdid this last time. I look in the Hub at what I did last time and it looks like a tunnel of grease. Can;t be right.

5) Any other tips for this work?

 

I have never replaced wheel bearings in my XJ-6 but I replace them all the time in my 1997 Ford minivan which is a notorious wheel bearing "eater". Ford Quality.

packing bearings: put on some latex gloves. Have the correct grease ready.
So basically you put a glob of grease on one hand and you push the bearing into the grease with the other hand, rolling it around until it gets into the bearing case and the grease oozes out through the bearing casing walls. You do this several times to make sure it is fully packed.

tightening the nut: you tighten the nut to the prescribed foot pounds ( Lb. Ft. ), with a torquing wrench that lets you set the maximum torque and clicks when you reach it. There are some Digital torque wrenches now that everybody is raving about. Search youtube for info. on those.

as you tighten the nut to the proper torque, you rotate the brake rotor at the same time to "seat" the bearings.

Once it is torqued to specified tightness, you back out (loosen) the nut one quarter turn or whatever the service manual says.

then you retighten it again but this time in Inch Pounds.
(Lb.In.).

that is why you need a torque wrench with different settings and a correct size socket for the nut.

Once that is done, you place the castellated "nut" over the nut and you push a cotter pin through the hole in the spindle end, bending its legs around the spindle end thread.

If you need the service manual steps, download it from my website at:
Jag Upgrades Home

 

The front bearing design goes back to the 50s. The inner bearing track is a very tight fit on the stub axle, but not so the outer bearing track because you cannot push the hub back onto the stub axles unless it can slide over the stub axle. SO what happens over time is the track wears a groove on the under side of the stub axle. This means even if the bearing play is taken up as per the workshop manual, there will still be play when the road wheel is waggled up and down. So a grooved stub axle needs to be replaced. I did a search on eBay and found that they can be purchased. Whether this is just new-old stock or an aftermarket product I don't know, but the UK price is £50, which I don't think is bad for something like this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361928251617
here's another at nearly double the price
https://www.scparts.co.uk/sc_en/stub...CABEgKpzvD_BwE

 

I'll inject my opinion here and offer additional info and support the previous posts.
1. gives a good visual on hand-packing your bearings....any tapered roller bearing, S3 included.

2. Fraser outlined bearing to stub clearance very well; the inner race should slide over the inner spindle clear to the seal shoulder without using a hammer, but you might have to "hold you mouth just right" to get it to slide on. The outer race should slide over the threaded end of the spindle pretty easily, but with barely noticeable movement (play, slop, wiggle, etc.) between the race and spindle. I have heard that Jaguars are known to spin the front wheel bearings and when I rebuilt mine there was evidence of that, but not bad enough to replace the spindle. If you can see a smeared, dark/black look to either race/spindle position, might need new spindle.The shop manual doesn't say anything about torqueing the bearings (page 62-5), but skips to the last bit of the process and says to leave the end play at .001 to .003. I have never left a tapered roller bearing loose in any application. Look at the setup procedure for differentials. I snug up the wheel bearing with a socket until I feel a drag when turning the rotor, then back off the nut until I feel a little slop (play, movement between parts) then re-tighten the nut as tight as you can get it with your FINGERS. At this point there should not be any play when trying to wiggle the wheel in/out with your hands. If you have to move the castle nut to a cotter pin hole, tighten just enough to push the cotter pin through.

4. A good dollop of grease on the races, grease on the inside of the seal (after installation) including under the lip in the space to the bearing, coat the inside of the hub with just enough grease to prevent rust.

5. My shop manual says to make sure the breather hole in the cap is open. I have never had a vehicle/trailer with holes in the dust covers. I put aluminum tape over mine. Probably not a real issue if you're not fording streams with the car.

Dave

 

On the subject of bearing play and tightness: Using a torque wrench is not advisable in my view. Assuming the inner bearing is in place on the stub axle and greased, and both bearing outers are in the hub, just push the hub onto the stub axle, and then push the outer bearing onto the stub. Place the special washer onto the stub and do up the nut.
Do the nut up carefully, until the bearings and the nut just feel definitely tight and it becomes slightly resistant to turn the hub. You are doing this to settle the bearings properly and ensure no grease is holding them back by a few thou. At this point there should be no play at all if you try to rock the hub. Then, turning the hub all the while, slowly ease the nut undone until you feel the hub turning resistance goes. Try rocking the hub and see if any play. If none you are there, if there is some, tighten the nut a touch; only about an 20th of a turn makes a difference. To be sure, repeat this a couple of times. Then install the special castellated thingy over the nut and the split pin. If the nut castellation does not line up with the hole in the stub axle, slightly adjust the nut.
Then after a driving the car a bit, recheck the nut, it is not unusual to fins it needs a tighten to get the play back to zero.

 

I am about to tackle replacing the bearings in the front hubs of my 1983 xj6 series 3. I’ve purchased a replacement bearing kit from Moss, but it’s not obvious to me how I safely remove the old outer races 2(ct) and the seal... nor is it clear to me how is reinstall new outer races and the seal.

Would anyone have a clear set of steps they can share? I’d really appreciate any guidance so I don’t inadvertently damage the hub, new bearings or seal. Thank you!

note: I have a wheel bearing tool kit on order.

 

Assuming you have the hub off the car:
The oil seal on the inner side of the hub is just prized out with a screwdriver or some such tool. I must be replaced with the new one.
Pull both inner races out of the hub, and/or the inside bearing race off the stub axle if it stays on it.
If the stub axle has a wear indentation you can feel the edge of with a finger nail under the place where either of the inner races were seated, replace the stub.
Replacing the stub can be easy or can be difficult. To replace the stub there is a big nut holding it to the upright, this must be undone. The stub, which is in a tapered hole in the upright, may come out with a few whacks, but probably not. If not the the upright may have to be removed, and to do this the spring has to be removed. If this is necessary, post again about how to do it, but do NOT try to remove the spring without getting advice. This is dangerous otherwise.
Assuming the stub is OK then proceed as follows:
Clean out the grease from the hub inside. Once done you will see (looking down the inside of the hub at the back of the outer bearing races) a semi-circular notch in the hub casting each side of the back of the bearing outer, in the surface that the outer is pressed up to in the hub.
Take a drift (ie a punch about 10mm in diameter) and placing the drift alternately in each notch whack the bearing outer and get it free of the hub. It WILL come out a mm or two at a time. remove both old bearing outers.
You now need a bearing insert tool(a sort of thick metal disc) that is JUST smaller than the diameter of the hub, but bigger than the new bearing's outer race. Using this, whack in the new bearing's outer race THICK edge of the outer race INWARDS. You can also press in the bearing outer, or wind it in, depending upon what tools you have. In extremis, you can grind down the diameter of the old outer race, and use this is a tool to whack the new one in with.
Once both outers are in the hub, grease then up, grease up the inner bearing inner race, and shove it on the stub, then push the hub on.
Then insert the outer bearing inner race, and then the special washer etc, and proceed as in post 5 above.

 

Actually, it is not necessary to remove the spring because I replaced my stub axles leaving them in situ, with the hub carriers removed. However to do this, you must take the weight of the car on the lower wishbone so the spring remains compressed. Only then can you undo top and bottom bolts and nuts securing the two ball joints. Actually, to replace the two ball joints you also do the same thing, (take the car's weight on the lower wishbone). Make sure you keep something on the jacking points too as a back-up.

Removing the stub axle is reasonably straight forward, but you need a "talking hammer". I used a sledge hammer on the rear of the old stub axle and still have that hammer in my garden shed from when I did the job in about 1990! Mount the hubcarrier horizantally between two baulks of timber, stub axle pointing downwards and give it a good clout. It should come out easily. The stub axle wears on the underside and a lot of people don't realise this. The put on new bearings and are then puzzled why they can't take up the play to the recommended setting, so tighten the axle nut too much and wreck the new bearings !

 

the worst part is packing the bearings. If ypu don't know what that is, or how it is done, take the rotors to a shop to have it done by someone who knows, otherwise you will FRY the new bearings in no time.

 

Greg in France, thank you VERY much for the detailed yet extremely clear instructions. I was sincerely unsure about how to do this correctly, but your explanation left no stone unturned, so I'm prepared. Fraser and Jose, thank you for the complementary instructions. I am hopeful the stub is in good shape, but if not, I now know what to do. I feel quite confident I can pack the bearings. That said, do you all prefer a specific grease for these bearings?

I look forward to working on these hubs this weekend and will keep you posted! Might have to come back for equally helpful rear bearings... but one step at a time.

 

I use Valvoline Ford-Lincoln-Mercury moly fortified multi-purpose grease for disk brake wheel bearings. steering linkage, chassis, suspension, universal joints.

there is also a purple color grease which I have seen used in car restoration work but I have never used it.

 

You are very welcome, and thank you for your kind note.
Also, apologies, I forgot to say push or if necessary tap in the grease seal into the inner end of the hub, after you have fitted the bearing outer, before replacing the hub! The flat side of the seal outwards.

 

I've done a few since way back. My boss at my college job taught me his way. Circa 50! Except for a very few cars with ball bearings in the front hubs, most are the tapered ones. In my T ford, the outter bearing screwed on to the spindle. A means of adjusting out slop/. Slop AKA "too loose".

Massage the bearings as described to get the grease in to the cage, not merely coating the cage. The cage is the part that retains the rollers.

When assembled, tighten the wheel nut all the way. That insures the bearings iare s seated in the races. Then, I back off just a tad for clearance. usually a notch in the castellated nut. Check for wobble and free turning. If OK, put in the cotter pin. The head of thre pin fits the notch in the nut best one way, with a leg across the end of the axle . Split it, bend it bdown to lock. Slip off the other leg snug. Replace the cap. done.

Soe colunsel fil;ling the space in the hub between the bearings with grease. Not, I. boss said it merely wasted material and might even leak.

Wheel bearing grease for cars with disc breaks. aka high temp lube....

A satisfying DIY job...

Carl