Crappy Wheel Bearings

Bruzilla · Jan 25, 2017

My 74 Roadrunner picked up a shimmy recently, and I started looking at the suspension for a cause. I thought one of my wheels felt a little loose, and I took a look at the wheel bearings. I replaced these about four years ago, but the car has been driven well less than 1,000 miles since then due to it getting an engine swap.

When I pulled the outer wheel bearing from the driver's side front wheel, it looked like a dog had been chewing on it. There were gouges on all the rollers! When I cleaned out the grease, it was full of metal flakes. I replaced the races when I did the bearings, and the races were smooth as a baby's ***, so it looks like just simple wear, over a very short time, was causing those bearings to fail, which tells me they were made of very poor quality steel.

These were sold under the National brand, but came from China and those parts get relabeled by everyone over here.

moparnation74 · Jan 25, 2017

I only use timkens.......no problems

bee71 · Jan 25, 2017

Timken.

ckessel · Jan 25, 2017

Also if you use a wheel with a lot of positive offset, i.e. deep dish to the outside, this puts a tremendous load on the bearings.

Yatzee · Jan 25, 2017

Use Timken or SKF but be sure to change both the cup and cone, inner and outer - their a matched set. Don't over grease, it's not necessary and to much grease will ruin the bearings because it allows the rollers to slide in the cup rather than roll. It's a huge mistake most people make and a place where less is more. Torque according to the bearing manufacturers specs, not the car manual.

Darthomas · Jan 25, 2017

I had an awful stretch of bad luck with outer wheel 9 inch bearings for a while.
Always put in a old Timken until I bought another new piece of crap that would go noisy in 3 months. Then...fine....
I miss the old stringy wheel bearing grease....

YY1 · Jan 25, 2017

Interestingly, I've been able to swap just the actual bearing carrier (used, old stock) from car to car with no ill effects whatsoever, in over 30 years of Mopar ownership.

In fact, I never replaced the race unless it was galled enough to catch a fingernail, or burnt enough to discolor.

Most people also either get the adjustment too loose or too tight.

It's almost an art to get no play, but no drag.

747mopar · Jan 25, 2017

Yes adjustment is key, to tight... they get hot and eat themselves up, to loose they rattle around and eat themselves up. I've always adjusted mine by feel and never had a failure. My method is torque them down fairly tight initially to ensure they get fully seated, back all the way loose then remove all play and turn to the next spot a cotter pin will line up. It's worked for 20 years now.

Cranky · Jan 25, 2017

Yatzee said:
Use Timken or SKF but be sure to change both the cup and cone, inner and outer - their a matched set. Don't over grease, it's not necessary and to much grease will ruin the bearings because it allows the rollers to slide in the cup rather than roll. It's a huge mistake most people make and a place where less is more. Torque according to the bearing manufacturers specs, not the car manual.

Read this.... http://www.skf.com/us/products/bear...r-bearings/tapered-roller-bearings/index.html
I too have been mixing cups and cones for many years. However, I do not mix brands and NO China crap bearings will ever go into any of my cars. Just because they usually come in a box together for cars doesn't mean they are matched. You can also buy them in separate boxes. That said, they do make matched sets but usually not single row bearings.

PurpleBeeper · Jan 25, 2017

If it only took 1000 miles to go bad, I'm guessing too loose/too tight.

Mike Z · Jun 20, 2019

I just put a brand new national wheel inner and outer bearings and races in my 72 Duster with disc brakes. No matter how much I tighten them under a good 6 and 12 pull push they are pretty loose even clunks. but you have to use decent force. I was getting a clunk sometimes so the only looseness I have was the wheel bearings so I replaced them the new ones are the same way and still have that clunk when braking at low speeds. I triple checked everything. Maybee brand?

RJRENTON · Jun 20, 2019

Gentlemen,
I also vote for TIMKEN bearings.
It is also important to replace both the cup and cone as a matched set. The wheel bearing GREASE is extremely important and to pack the bearing correctly using the FSM methods and procedures using grease specified for wheel bearings, NLG #2, USING EITHER SYNTHETIC OR PETROLEUM BASED LUBRICANT. Also remember to clean out the old lubricant in the hub. REMEMBER: IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NOT TO SET THE BEARING PRELOAD TIGHT. The bearings must be set 0.002" - 0.003" loose (end play) to allow for thermal expansion. Also use a new seal to keep crud out of the bearings.
Be aware of some bearing suppliers on eBay. Someone is selling old NDH (Delco New Departure Hyatt) replacement bearings but NDH hearings do not have the same reputation as Timken.....and for my money, I'll stay with Timken.
As I noted in a older thread, be aware that large diameter wheels (16"-18"-20"-22"+) and tires CAN overload the wheel bearings' axial and radial load capabilities resulting in premature wear and ultimately bearing failure. Others will likely disagree. Its not just the static forces involved but the dynamic forces as well.
Bob Renton

khryslerkid · Jun 20, 2019

Mike Z said:
I just put a brand new national wheel inner and outer bearings and races in my 72 Duster with disc brakes. No matter how much I tighten them under a good 6 and 12 pull push they are pretty loose even clunks. but you have to use decent force. I was getting a clunk sometimes so the only looseness I have was the wheel bearings so I replaced them the new ones are the same way and still have that clunk when braking at low speeds. I triple checked everything. Maybee brand?

Do you have the nut lock with the carter key installed?

RJRENTON · Jun 20, 2019

If the fellow did not install the lock nut, nut retainer and COTTER PIN (aka "key") I'm sure that he would be looking for the wheel/tire in the weeds or along side the road somewhere.
Bob Renton

khryslerkid · Jun 20, 2019

RJRENTON said:
If the fellow did not install the lock nut, nut retainer and COTTER PIN (aka "key") I'm sure that he would be looking for the wheel/tire in the weeds or along side the road somewhere.
Bob Renton

I've heard worse things on here with the "do it yourselfers".

Maybe his "clunk at low speeds" is his caliper or pads?

After market rotor hubs with the wrong bearings. Not too long ago on here, someone had mismatched bearings and races in their conversion kit. Gotta ask questions.

Bill76 · Jun 20, 2019

Timkem allways made a fine bearing --BUT check the box they come in some say made in USA and some say assembled in USA . Which would you rather have

Mike Z · Jun 21, 2019

khryslerkid said:
Do you have the nut lock with the carter key installed?

For surely do.

Paul_G · Jun 29, 2019

I have found that even brand new bearings have dirt in them. I always wash the bearing out in brake cleaner, blow dry and then pack with grease. You would be surprised at the small crud that comes out of a brand new bearing.

Crappy Wheel Bearings

Bruzilla

Well-Known Member

moparnation74

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bee71

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ckessel

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Yatzee

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Darthomas

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YY1

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747mopar

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Cranky

Banned Henchman #27

PurpleBeeper

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Mike Z

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RJRENTON

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khryslerkid

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RJRENTON

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khryslerkid

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Bill76

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Mike Z

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Paul_G

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