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Wheel Bearing Install

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Old 04-07-2017, 06:08 PM
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jimmers
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Default Wheel Bearing Install

This may be a really dumb question, but what type of grease do I use when I attach the wheel bearing to the steering knuckle? When I took it apart it had red grease. Is it just regular high heat bearing grease? How much grease do I need?

Thanks!
Old 04-07-2017, 07:31 PM
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ex-x-fire
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Someone smeared it with grease so it wouldn't seize in the knuckle.
Old 04-07-2017, 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by ex-x-fire
Someone smeared it with grease so it wouldn't seize in the knuckle.
Is it supposed to be like that? Should I do the same? Just use regular grease?
I looked in the FSM and I couldn't find any mention of greasing it, that's why I figured I'd ask here.

Did it come from the factory like that?

Last edited by jimmers; 04-07-2017 at 09:01 PM.
Old 04-07-2017, 09:50 PM
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Originally Posted by jimmers
This may be a really dumb question, but what type of grease do I use when I attach the wheel bearing to the steering knuckle? When I took it apart it had red grease. Is it just regular high heat bearing grease? How much grease do I need?

Thanks!
I'm assuming you're referring to the bolts that hold the front hub assembly to the knuckle. If anything, I'd assume that was Loctite rather than grease. Red is the harder to remove except with heat and is used to keep something from coming loose.
Old 04-07-2017, 10:19 PM
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Originally Posted by hcbph
I'm assuming you're referring to the bolts that hold the front hub assembly to the knuckle. If anything, I'd assume that was Loctite rather than grease. Red is the harder to remove except with heat and is used to keep something from coming loose.
No, I'm meaning the hole were the wheel bearing fits into the knuckle. You can see it from this picture.
Old 04-08-2017, 05:42 AM
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From the looks of that knuckle, you have ABS. For whatever reason it was done in the first place, all it would do is potentially contaminate the abs sensor and sensor wheel on the hub assembly. Clean it up and don't do it on reassembly.

On the tie-rod end, wouldn't hurt to put a 'light coat' of antiseize on the taper along with a little Loctite on the threads, but nothing inside the knuckle.

Last edited by hcbph; 04-08-2017 at 05:43 AM.
Old 04-08-2017, 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by hcbph
From the looks of that knuckle, you have ABS. For whatever reason it was done in the first place, all it would do is potentially contaminate the abs sensor and sensor wheel on the hub assembly. Clean it up and don't do it on reassembly.

On the tie-rod end, wouldn't hurt to put a 'light coat' of antiseize on the taper along with a little Loctite on the threads, but nothing inside the knuckle.
Thanks. I was a little confused when I removed it and found grease there. You guys rock!
Old 04-14-2017, 10:47 PM
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Don't mean t bring this thread back from the dead, but I'm ready to install my new wheel bearings and noticed it came with a new seal. Whats the point of the seal if I don't add grease inside the knuckle? The instructions it came with also says to add grease to the seal and inside the knuckle. It's a Timkin bearing.

Last edited by jimmers; 04-14-2017 at 10:51 PM.
Old 04-15-2017, 05:30 AM
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Originally Posted by jimmers
Don't mean t bring this thread back from the dead, but I'm ready to install my new wheel bearings and noticed it came with a new seal. Whats the point of the seal if I don't add grease inside the knuckle? The instructions it came with also says to add grease to the seal and inside the knuckle. It's a Timkin bearing.
Depends on a lot of things. Most aftermarket hubs have multiple uses and have to have all the parts for all those options. I replaced a hub on mine last year, the replacement had parts I didn't need to use in my situation.

wouldn't hurt to show what you had and what you have and what you're referring to. Mine weren't Timkin so unsure of what you have so can't say either way. Mine had a seal that fit between the hub and the knuckle that fit around the abs wheel. To present contamination of the abs sensor if the hub ever leaked grease is my assumption. I also had another seal that wasn't used, it wasn't present on my old one and no provisions on my car for it so no apparent usage of it as far as I could tell.
Old 04-15-2017, 07:50 AM
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Generally when I am replacing a wheel bearing I will put anti-seize on the surface where the bearing seats, contacts the knuckle. If there's an area that is greased and exposed to the elements it will attract dirt. I would leave that exposed area clean.

Gary
Old 04-15-2017, 09:05 AM
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Hopefully these pictures make it easier to understand. I apologize if I'm over complicating this.

The first pic shows the old steering knuckle which has grease inside.
The second pic shows the old and new bearings. Grease is all over the old bearing.
The third pic shows the bearing with seal.

Am I just supposed to use regular wheel bearing grease and apply some on the seal and inside the knuckle?





Old 04-15-2017, 09:42 AM
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The last guy don't know what he was doing.
The only grease needed is inside the wheel bearing.

If it were my car, I would clean everything up, check the knuckle flange for flatness, and dress it down with a file as needed.
I would put a very thin smear of antisieze on the bearing flange, and the 'nub' that touches the inside of the bore.
Torque the bolts, and call it done.
Old 04-15-2017, 10:31 AM
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That grease isn't going to hurt anything or cause bad abs readings. Hell, all the recent chevy trucks have front wheel bearings that have the tone ring inside with all that grease.
Old 04-15-2017, 11:41 AM
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Clean all of that red grease out of the knuckle. It's not necessary. Check the o-ring on the new hub and apply a very light coat of lubricant of the face of the o-ring. In the pic, it looks like there is a small amount of lubricant on the o-ring already.

Clean up the hub mounting face on the knuckle, install the hub and torque to spec. I like to use a small amount of anti-sieze on the bolt threads after cleaning them.
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Old 04-15-2017, 04:03 PM
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Thanks for the reply everyone. I'll clean up the grease and leave it as is.
​​​​​​
Out of curiousity what's the point of the o ring then? To keep debris from getting in?
Old 04-16-2017, 08:55 AM
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Originally Posted by jimmers
Thanks for the reply everyone. I'll clean up the grease and leave it as is.
​​​​​​
Out of curiousity what's the point of the o ring then? To keep debris from getting in?
Hi

The yellow plastic looks lust like the ones my Timken 513019 front wheels bearing hubs came in? that i fitted yesterday

One of my old bearing hub had some grease leak into the knucle also, the other was spotless.

Old 04-16-2017, 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by gerardvg
Hi

The yellow plastic looks lust like the ones my Timken 513019 front wheels bearing hubs came in? that i fitted yesterday

Yep same ones!

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