42 replies to this topic

[HLF]

After doing my 4 wheel brake job, I noticed that my front left wheel does not spin near as a well as the front right. 

 

It's not binding with brake components, it just feels and sounds like there is no lube in the hub. 

 

What can I do here? on a budget...

 

T.I.A.

[Jim Drago]

Have you taken apart the hub and rebuilt it?

 

If you put the wheel/tiire back on, grab the top and bottom and see if you can wiggle it ( bad hub)

 

Otherwise rebuild your hubs. Good test is to spin with no brake pads in the calipers so you know it is not your caliper

[Alberto]

If testing procedure above reveals that there is play or that it isn't spinning well, highly recommend getting a good unit built by a trusted vendor like so:

http://mazdaracers.c...ted-front-hubs/

 

Keep the old one for a spare or to learn how to rebuild on your own time.

[Bench Racer]

Should you care to inspect/repack front wheel bearings below is a link with pictures and step by step process. The outer races of the front whel bearings are machined into the hub and then induction hardened. If you take a hub apart look at the outer races very careful to see if this inductioned hardened outer race is rough or pealing away. This proces is documented by a sit ergular Tom Hampton.

 

http://mazdaracers.c...packing-hubsdoc

[AW33COM]

It's not binding with brake components, it just feels and sounds like there is no lube in the hub.

Did you bleed the brakes already or not, and define binding.  Brand new pads with everything straight, and bled properly have to sit right against the rotor. 

 

One more thing, check all four wheels the way Jim describes above plus right to left (9 - 3 on the clock).  It's not uncommon for the wheel to spin "a lot" and still have a bad bearing in there.   You can not have any play in the wheels.   

 

Looks like you have car skills, you may as well rebuild all 4 hubs.   Timken fronts and SKF rears will easily last for thousands of miles if you get it right.  Use these studs: ARP 100-7719 .507'' Knurl Wheel Studs.  Do not cut them.  Press them in. 

[Bench Racer]

  Timken fronts and SKF rears will easily last for thousands of miles if you get it right. 

Help me out a bit here with Timken fronts lasting thousands of miles. This is something most are not aware of including me.

[HLF]

TImken, the ones at Autozone? $72 seems like a good deal. 

 

I'll take the pads off this weekend and check the spin again before ordering. 

[TEAM MEDICARE]

Help me out a bit here with Timken fronts lasting thousands of miles. This is something most are not aware of including me.

plus 1

 

The seals don't last very well.  If you run in the rain plan on re-packing the bearings.  You'll know it's time when the grease turns white from the water mixed in.

[HoneyBadger - BrianW]

TImken, the ones at Autozone? $72 seems like a good deal. 

 

I'll take the pads off this weekend and check the spin again before ordering. 

Yes, those are the ones. Most of the guys are using those instead of the Mazda ones.

[Jim Drago]

I have had bad luck using Timkens as has Dave Weeler if I rememeber correctly? I don't think Timken bearings have been "timken" in a long time. Most or all of the bearings are now made in China, from almost all manufactures. The timkens now may be doing better than a few years ago? No hubs are making thousands of miles on a race car, maybe a street car or a race car driven like a street car

[Ron Alan]

So funny how all have their preferences...like Chevy vs. Ford, Mazda vs. Honda vs Toyota    If Timkin is good enough for the front, why not the rear? If SKS is good enough for the rear, why not the front?? If someone has a SPECIFIC reason for one manufacturer over another...would love to read this...SAUL?

 

Another note...If a hub has the smallest amount of play when checked(assuming nut is torqued)no way is this re-packable correct? Am I wrong in thinking once a bearing/hub becomes loose/wobbly its done??

 

What about re-packing oem stock hubs that have been on a street car? Cant speak for any reason other than i'm frugal...but have only had to replace one front in 4 years...and replaced the rears after 3 years just for drill(but there was no issue)

[davew]

I have had better luck with the SKF front bearings over the Timken. But no matter what brand, you must repack the new bearing before using on the track.

 

Dave

[davew]

I can not tell you why they fail. I can only give my anecdotal experience. Please take into account that the one racer, working on one car may have great luck with any particular part he uses of the course of his 6 race season. I will do over 25 weekends this year, averaging over 10 cars per weekend, with most cars doing double duty of some kind. It is not because I (or any other large team) are smarter than the single car owner/mechanic/driver. It simple math that I see a lot more of every failure out there.

 

I experimented with the white box, ebay $35 hubs. One was good for a season and 10 would be bad in a weekend. Timken was a 50% falure rate on fronts and about a 90% on rears. I have now switched to only SKF for front and rears. Yes they are expensive. But I don't have the time between sessions to be changing multiple wheel bearings every day.

 

Take my experience for what it is worth, and ask the engineers why the fail.

Dave

[DCP]

I have had bad luck using Timkens as has Dave Weeler if I rememeber correctly? I don't think Timken bearings have been "timken" in a long time. Most or all of the bearings are now made in China, from almost all manufactures. The timkens now may be doing better than a few years ago? No hubs are making thousands of miles on a race car, maybe a street car or a race car driven like a street car

Anyone wish to comment on Mazdaspeed's "heavy duty" front hubs.  The write up claims that the stock ball bearings are replaced with "more precise, more round" ones. http://www.mazdamoto...10001&langId=-1 They replace the grease as well but then say "But really it’s the ball bearings that really improve the durability of that front hub."

[HLF]

nice find DCP. I am interested in that comparison as well. You could get 2 Timken hubs for the price of one of those however.

[DCP]

nice find DCP. I am interested in that comparison as well. You could get 2 Timken hubs for the price of one of those however.

What may be better, perhaps, is finding a source for these superior ball bearings and replacing the ones in the stock hubs. I have no idea how to accomplish that task.

[Jim Drago]

[Jim Drago]

We replace the balls in our hubs with much higher grade. IMO it helps with rolling and makes a more efficient and "better" hub, but ultimately it is my opinion the failures are 90% race failures. The race is the weak link, not the balls.
Jim

[davew]

We replace the balls in our hubs with much higher grade. IMO it helps with rolling and makes a more efficient and "better" hub, but ultimately it is my opinion the failures are 90% race failures. The race is the weak link, not the balls.
Jim

 

Jim, there are sooooo many comments I could make that I can not decide which to use. But after that qualifying lap, I KNOW the problem is not your balls

 

Dave

[dfuser]

I have great luck with the timkens, I just replace them every year in the front.  Repack before installation with better quality Grease like VC-2.