remove front outer wheelbearing

[Jinx]

I have a used set of spindles with disc brakes for my 1.1 kadett B (yes i got the brake booster with it )

I've taken off the hub cap and castelated nut but i have no clue on how to remove the outer bearing so i can lift off the hub! Can it be done without specialist tools? (i have basic household tools)

I'm having a hard time getting the S-shaped piece off of the back of the spindle (the one that hooks up to the steering, technical english is failing me now). I tried some WD40, a good hit on the nut (using a smaller diameter socket in between). Applied heat (butane torch) and tried candle stick trick but it wont budge! Any other (cheap) ways of getting it off, or should i just get it all rustfree with the piece on and paint it again?


thanks already!

[jeff denton]

Assuming the brake caliper was removed, since you have the nut off the spindle, the hub will now come off the spindle. It may be kind of stuck on but it really will come off. Both bearings will come with it, the outer will fall out once it clears the spindle and the inner is contained under the seal.

The steering arm should pop right off once the nuts are removed, you may have a rusty mess there? WD40 (PB-Blaster is MUCH better!) around the bolts, be patient, give it some time to soak in. Tap on it with a hammer some, get it to wiggle and then it should come right off.

[Jinx]

are there any points i can use for leverage? The whole assembly is off the car and giving a good pull at the hubs is rather difficult that way. I thought about jamming something between the disc and the spindle but i dont want to warp the disc.

I'll have a look around for thet pb blaster... dont know if its available here in belgium.


thanks

[Jinx]

i got it off, the inner sleeve was on pretty snug which was holding it all back. My bearings look alot different than the ones i saw on a 'how to use the palm trick to repack your bearings'-picture. Is there an easy way to see if my bearings have worn and will need replacing?


disc ( you call it a rotor, if i'm not mistaken?) is 1.1cm thick so can be turned / derusted


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[guyopel]

You have ball bearings on your axle and the later models have taper bearings maybe you can upgrade to the taper bearings and seals . HTH
John

[guyopel]

The later model bearings are safer and have a lower fail rate . HTH
John

[Jinx]

the guys in the belgian opel forum also pointed that out. But the swap will be for a later date. Any 100€ that i can save now is welcome. My student budget isn't that big and i'm stuck without any proper income at this moment (darn health)

i have a pair of drum brake spindles on my 73 kadett right now, i could see if the bearings from that one will pop onto these spindles...
(i should get a parts catalog to check these kinds of compatibilities)

[guyopel]

These ball bearing designs also need to be repacked more often and with heavy grease ( do not use the light weight grease ) . HTH
John

[jeff denton]

I'll be danged. I have never ever heard of such ball bearings on a front spindle/hub. Amazing what can be learned at gt.com, huh?

[oldopelguy]

Yeah, not on a Kadett B. I thought the ball bearings were phased out before the disc brakes were an option, and that the combination you have wasn't ever available. I never even thought to check the wheel bearings on my '67 though, which is the oldest disc brake Kadett I've ever had. Wonder if the regular wheel bearings will just drop in or if a guy would have to swap the whole works.

[Jinx]

According to my documentation (in this case a recap of changes throughout the years) every kadett other than 1100N had disc brakes. So that begins in '65 with 1100S & 1100SR.

I dont know when they made the switch to taperbearings though.

[opelbits]

The split appears to be what the factory parts book calls a 67 1/2 Kadett. Disc/drum prior to that use the same spindle and bearings (presumably ball type) and 67 1/2 and later disc/drum use the same spindles and bearings (the tapered roller type).
I doubt that early/late stuff can be swapped unless you swap everything.

[Jinx]

i'll have to investigate that... cause you are correct i spend money for nothing

[GTJIM]

Early Chevrolet/Buick/Pontiac/Olds from the 30's and 40's used that ball type wheel bearing - GM must have inflicted them upon Opel too!
Supposed to give less rolling resistance and increase economy - but do wear out quicker than roller bearings.
The pics show that the balls are in good condition though - so if the races are not pitted around the contact area, where the balls roll, then just clean and re-lube them for now.

[Jinx]

they look pretty good so i'm going ahead as planned. derust, fresh paint, grease & rebuild

[Jinx]

i'm putting my spindle assembly back together and want to repack the whole thing with fresh grease. The problem is... i cant get the dust seal off of the hub. I dont want to break it because i dont have a replacement.
If it wasn't for the dirty black grease inside i would leave it the way it is but i think its safer to swap it for some good fresh goo before i bolt it all up again...

how do i remove the dust seal?

[opelwasp]

Your gonna crap, but here is how I learned to do it at the mechanics shop I used to work at:

Put the nut back on the spindle while the hub is off. Slide the hub back on and slide the hub along the spindle fast and hard and catch the bearing on the nut. The bearing will break loose and take the dust seal with it, but neither will be damaged.

I just did this about a month ago when I had to replace my left bearings. I went ahead and did both sides though. I also used Redline grease too.

[Jinx]

i'll give it a shot.
i hope i bought the right grease... i might need some heavier stuff (i got normal bearing grease iirc)

[Jinx]

i gave it a shot but it didn't work. I have the spindles loose so i dont have the weigt nor stability of the car or the rest of the front axle to provide the needed force. Maybe i should wait with this untill i have the front axle back on the car...

the grease i have is "SKF Service" grease "VKG 1/0.2" (which is a NLGI grade 2 grease)

[namba209]

If you have a socket large enuff to cover the outer sleeve of the bearing and not the outer sleeve of the race, you can rap it with a hammer on an extension and the seal and bearing should come right out. The bearing is loose inside the race when the hub is removed from the spindle. HTH.

[Jinx]

the outer bearing sleeve shouldn't come off... i just need to clean the bearing itsself and repack it so its clean again... unless thats the only way to go...

[namba209]

Ooops, you're correct, I was thinking about a sealed bearing, my bad. You should have caged roller bearings, so you can use the socket on the inner race of the bearing with an extension and rap it smartly with a hammer and it will pop out the seal along with the bearing. Chris (opelwasp) is right on how the seals have been removed for years by almost all garages that repack the bearings for customers. Must have done it that way thousands of times.