TheSamba.com :: View topic - new rotors and pads-reuse wheel bearings?

Thu Sep 10, 2009 7:20 pm

so I ordered new pads and rotors today. I will pick them up Monday as the shop works Mon-Thur. 4-10 hour days. can I re-use the wheel bearings that I replaced last year? less than 15,000 miles on the wheel bearings.

Thu Sep 10, 2009 7:40 pm

Yes, as long as they don't show any signs of damage. If you use a brass drift to remove the races from the old rotor, you greatly minimize the chances of damage to the race. Drive the races out a little at a time. A little on the right, a little on the left, repeat. You will want to keep the bearings and races together as a matched set and it would be prudent to repack them.

Thu Sep 10, 2009 8:00 pm

loogy wrote: Yes, as long as they don't show any signs of damage. If you use a brass drift to remove the races from the old rotor, you greatly minimize the chances of damage to the race. Drive the races out a little at a time. A little on the right, a little on the left, repeat. You will want to keep the bearings and races together as a matched set and it would be prudent to repack them. thanks Chris,I was hoping you would reply. any idea on the size of the brass drift I should use? what about the ones below? or just go to the FLAPS,Knecht's and NAPA is what I have here.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66478
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66477
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_009465150...s+%26+Awls

Thu Sep 10, 2009 8:22 pm

Get a good set the HF ones ussually chip away as you hit them. Mayhew is a good brand.
Also get a bearing race driver to install them.

Fri Sep 11, 2009 11:03 am

perrib wrote: Get a good set the HF ones ussually chip away as you hit them. Mayhew is a good brand.
Also get a bearing race driver to install them.

I can't remember how I got the olds one out and the new ones in last time. I checked the FLAPS today and they want $20 for one brass drift and $40 for the race driver. don't really want to fork out that kinda money. can't I use a big socket and/or a rubber mallet to put the races back in?

Fri Sep 11, 2009 11:06 am

This may not help you, but when I replace bearings, I use the old bearing race as a sort of crude drift. It's worked for me.

But if you have a socket big enough, it should do the same as my "old bearing" trick.

Fri Sep 11, 2009 11:38 am

Bruce Wayne wrote: can't I use a big socket and/or a rubber mallet to put the races back in?

As long as the socket does not touch the bearing face portion of the seat and stays up on the lip of the race, you will be fine. You just don't want to damage the bearing surface and you want them to go in straight and seat all the way. Other than that, it's whatever works for you.

Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:03 pm

Others might not agree, but since your bearing are fairly new you might just buy new outer races and use them. I would doubt that the cup and cones have done any serious mating in only 15K miles.

Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:08 pm

Wildthings wrote: Others might not agree, but since your bearing are fairly new you might just buy new outer races and use them. I would doubt that the cup and cones have done any serious mating in only 15K miles.
I did buy new seals if that's what you mean.
http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_82_343/wheel_bearing_seal___front.html

Wed Sep 16, 2009 9:46 pm

new PBR pads and Brembo rotors installed today, reused the races and re-packed the wheel bearings. new grease seals and peening nuts. rear brakes next payday.

Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:07 am

I have a similar question, so I thought I'd post it here instead of creating a new topic.

I've got to replace my pads and rotors soon. I bought the rotors, and since I'm going to try to do the job myself but don't have the tools to remove the old races and bearings, I thought it might be cost effective to buy the inexpensive kit from Bus Depot that includes the new bearings. Should I be able to put the new races/bearings into the new rotors without any special tools?

Thanks,
Ed in CT

Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:31 am

I just did front brakes yesterday.

It depends what you consider special tools....drive the races out with a hammer and punch... a good sized shop press and the right size sockets/drivers to install the races in the new rotor make it a quick job.

Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:33 am

erdonline wrote: Should I be able to put the new races/bearings into the new rotors without any special tools?

If you are confident the bearings and races in the current rotors are in good shape, you really don't need any"special" tools to remove and reinstall the races. A stout hammer and a 10" drift punch are all that are needed. If you want to use brass, a brass drift punch would be an investment that would cost considerably less than new bearings and races.

Technique for race removal and reinstallation is simple, but important. You want to work your way around the races with the punch and hammer, being sure to impact upon the outer edges where the tapered bearings don't contact. Keep working the race (in or out) a little at a time, making sure not to let it get cocked in the bore. You can tell when the race is driven home in the bore by the tone of the impact. The sound will change from a "thud" to a "ring" when it has bottomed out. And keep the outer races and cones mated together when transferring from one rotor to another.

Other suitable race driver resources are old hammer handles cut down to fit, scrap Ipe' lumber, or a length of iron pipe with a threaded coupler and a brass plug screwed into the end.

Another trick to facilitate easier installation is to put the races in a deep freeze for an hour or two, and pull them out one at a time immediately prior to reinsertion. Dry ice would probably work equally well to shrink the metal.

Good luck!

Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:06 am

erdonline wrote: I ...but don't have the tools to remove the old races and bearings, I thought it might be cost effective to buy the inexpensive kit from Bus Depot that includes the new bearings. Should I be able to put the new races/bearings into the new rotors without any special tools?

Assuming that you own a hammer, the bearing race driver kit should be able to be rented for very little money at one of your local parts stores or you can buy one for about $30.00. A brass drift can be purchased for around $10-20.

An alternative to either of the above is to hit the pawn shops. For some reason pawn shops tend to have a good selection of large sockets that are usually very inexpensive. Choose one the is ever so slightly smaller than both of the bearing races (one large, one smaller). Use them just like you would a bearing driver. Who knows, you may end up finding a brass drift and/or a proper bearing driver there too.

Whatever bearing driver you choose, DO NOT EVER strike the bearing races on the surface where the bearings ride...EVER! Brass drifts and aluminum bearing drivers are made from the materials that they are just in case you slip, not so that you can blatantly use them to strike the bearing surfaces.

Oh, and if you end up purchasing a cheap brass drift, make sure that you wear eye protection when using it. Although it is a good idea anyway, the cheaper brass drifts tend to chip off (as perrib mentioned) instead of compressing/curling like the better quality ones do.

Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:07 am

Thanks for the info. I was thinking that since the race/bearing kits are so cheap, and I'm not positive about the condition of the old ones, it would save a step to use new races and bearings with the new rotors.

Ed in CT

Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:13 am

You can also use a brass rod from the local hardware store. They wanted 40$ for the official drift set but the rod cost 4$. The set might be cheaper if you have time but I needed it now and it worked fine for me.

Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:13 am

Tossing the race into the freezer is an excellent way to get this done real simple--and with half the effort.

They'll almost fall into the hub by themselves.

You most certainly can reuse the bearings & races if your careful removing the races, wash out, clean, blow out, & repack the bearings real good.

Get some seals on the inside of the hubs and your good to go.

Don't use cheap grease.

Use some no wash out, high temp red sticky grease.

Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:33 am

well I just used a punch and slowly worked my way around and got out the races to use in my new rotors. did the same installing them in the new rotors. cleaned up the bearings real good and re-packed with fresh grease.

this is where things went wacky. went to put the new rotors on and they would not go on all the way. tried and tried with no luck. took out the bearings to make sure I had the races pounded in all the way,looked like they were in all the way. put the bearings back in and tried again,no go. called the shop were I bought them to see if there was some trick to it. he says no,they should slide right on. while I was talking to him on the phone I grabbed one of the old rotors to compare to the new,not the same. the new rotors were for the late model vanagons! when I first picked up the parts (got pads and rotors for the kids Jetta too) they were super busy at the shop,so I just grabbed my stuff,threw it in the van and off I went.

what I needed

what I got

While I still had him on the phone he checked to see if he had a set of rotors on the shelf,luckily he did. I brought everything down to the shop and he took out my old races and installed them in the correct rotors. took about 30 minutes for him to do it as he has no secretary and answers all phone calls himself,and there were quite a few calls. the other two mechanics were busy with a BMW. the rotors that were ordered were OP Parts brand at $46 each,the ones he gave me off the shelf were Brembos at $58.50 each. he did not charge me anymore for the Brembos or for labor. he did not make excuses about getting the wrong parts,he just made things right. he also loaned me a "special tool" I need to do the rear brakes on the kids Jetta tomorrow. I didn't ask,he offered it to me when I ordered all the pads and rotors a few days before,this was before the rotor situation on the van. morale of the story:if you are a bozo like me,double check your parts before you try to put them on.

Mon Apr 22, 2013 12:44 pm

Reviving this as I'm changing out my rotors and pads too. I noticed the Bentley states to "Alwas replace" the front Axel Nuts (the kind that get peened). I did not order these new when i made my parts order though.
Funny thing is I've read a few different posts and no one seems to mention it, they just put it back on I guess.
Is it possible to reuse these nuts? I dont think it is and so will have to wait to finish the job for those nuts....NUTS!

Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:12 pm

I did not use new preened nuts for the front rotor either. I carefully inserted a screwdriver in the slots to get them to unscrew. I carefully peened then back on with my handy dandy flat faced flat pick body hammer.

Autozone, oreillys and countless other flaps rent or loan out those tools to remove/install bearings and races.