I'm putting the rotors, bearings, and grease seals together to put the brake rotors back on my car. Is there a specific way to do this? Is there anything I need to look out for? It's not covered in the Haynes manual.

 

The only thing I can think of is to make sure the "cavity" in the center of the rotor (where the axle will be) is filled with grease. Did you buy new bearings or are you using the old ones? If using the old ones, clean them real good (I use gas...parts cleaner just doesn't do it), and then repack them to make sure they are full of grease. I've only done this a couple of times, so I'm sure there are other things to watch for that other people will point out.

Good luck!

Rich

 

Nothing odd that I know of. Pack the bearings put some grease in the hole. tap the seal in and assemble.

 

Thanks guys. All the parts are brand new, so hopefully they'll be good to go. I bought a tub of wheel bearing specific grease, I'm assuming I just force as much in as possible, yes?

 

if you have a bearing packing tool it makes things much more even and neat, but you can always do it the old fashioned way, put some grease in your palm and then work it into the bearing, what you want is the grease to be all the way through the bearing at all points. I assume you know not to over tighten the castle nut, go until it bottoms out then back off a hair, this will make sure its not too tight on the bearing, possibly damaging it.

 

Dont pack the hole in the rotor, you just need some in there.

Do you know how to pack the bearing like 82 is saying?

 

I think I can figure it out, he described it pretty well.

 

Does it matter which side is "up" on the bearing when you install it into the rotor?

 

can you get some pics??? i have to do this in like a week or so, and it would be great if i could see what im supposed to be doing!!! and you do some of the best Write-ups ive seen.

 

The bearing only fits one way.

 

That's not really necessary.

Just pack the bearings, smear a little grease on the races that you pressed into the rotor and on the spindle (making sure to also lubricate the portion of the spindle that the grease seal rides on).

 

yea as the guys said above, you don't need to pack a ton of grease in the rotor cavity, a little goes a long way, and yea smear some on the spindle before you put it all together. Once you take a closer look it will be obvious which way the races/bearings go in, there is only one way it can.

 

That Haynes manual sucks in some parts, I feel bad I haven't gotten my write up posted up yet. I'll try getting it up tommorrow if you still need it by then.

 

My only tip for wheel bearings has to do with the races they sit in.

Since it's really tough to get them in there nice and even, a trick is to take the races out of your old rotors, flip them upside down, and use them with a hammer to gently tap the new races in straight. Go slowly, evenly.

Use lots of grease, but don't completely fill the whole thing, it needs some room to move.

Jon

 

Which side is up? lol Remind me of my first bearing job when I was 17. Put the bearing in backwards, lasted maybe 2 days on the 57 Chevy. Took the bearing back to Mongomery Wards, yes they had a full automotive parts department at one time, and told them the bearing was defective. Guy behind the counter knew I had installed it wrong, gave me new one inspite of my newbness.

 

hmm.... start the math...

Trochoid was 17, working on a '57 chevy...

The question is, how old was the *car* at the time... lol

Jon

 

I don't tell anymore, it's too much fun that way. My youngest sister has been asking me for over 20 years when am I going to grow up. I think all of you can guess my reply.

Fwiw, the car was an adolescent.