Do you need to pack new wheel bearings?
Properly greased bearings dissipate heat, alleviate the friction and weight on your wheels, and enable smooth motion over thousands of miles. But that grease eventually breaks down or dries up — and does so faster in dry or dirty conditions — so it’s necessary to repack your bearings every so often.
How do you know if your wheel bearing needs grease?
If it feels sticky or you can hear grinding noise (really bad) it is very likely that the bearings are in need of grease (minimally) and maybe damaged and in need of replacement. If it passes the free-roll test, check for excess play (in and out and side to side movement) by grabbing the tire at the 9 and 3 position.
Why do you need to pack wheel bearings?
Wheel bearings allow your car’s wheels to spin freely. Every now and then a procedure known as “packing the bearings” needs to be done. This forces the old grease out and pushes new grease in.
How to repack wheel bearings for drum brakes?
Follow these steps to repack the wheel bearings for drum brakes: 1 Jack up the car and remove a wheel. Use jack stands for safety! 2 If you have a hubbed drum, pry the grease cap off the end of the hub, remove the cotter pin, and slide the castellated nut or nut-lock-and-nut combination off the spindle. Skip this step if you have a floating drum.
How do you change wheel bearings and races?
If you find these conditions, replace the bearings and races. Next, wiggle the bearing around and check for looseness between the rollers and cages. If excessive (you’ll recognize it), replace them. Thread the spindle nut back onto the spindle a few threads.
How do you pack grease into wheel bearings?
Pack grease into the bearings Push the grease into the bearings, working from the wide side of the bearing. Keep pushing the grease into the roller until the cage and rollers are filled.