Rear wheel bearing replacement on a MKIV Polo 1.4 8V

Post Instructions on DIY modifications here - use all information with caution!

Verdict

Top job
11
79%
Average
2
14%
Get your coat I've rung for a taxi
1
7%
 
Total votes: 14

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bstardchild
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Rear wheel bearing replacement on a MKIV Polo 1.4 8V

Post by bstardchild »

OK so here we start – MOT Passed last week but I got an advice note to let me know I had a bit of play in the rear wheel bearings and they were slightly noisy….. The guy who MOT’d it reckoned I should strip it down re-grease the bearings and then tighten it all back up again… My logic is if I’ve got to strip it down I might as well fit new bearings!!

So armed with new bearings £15 for both sides from my local parts place.

Bearing kit was

Inner larger bearing
Outer smaller bearing
Split pin
Grease pack
Inner grease seal

Basically all you need to do the job apart from tools

So what tools do you need

- 1lb hammer (essential)

- Screwdriver (to prise the hub cover off and the grease seal out)

- 3mm - 4mm pin punch (to knock the bearings out)

- 17mm socket and bar for the wheel bolts (or you can use the std wheel brace)

- long nose pliers (to get the plastic covers off the wheel bolts and undo the old split pin)

- 22mm Socket and breaker bar (for the Hub bolt)

- 2 bricks (safety first)

- Car jack (or you can use a trolley jack if you have one)

- Axle stand (or you can use the wheel you have removed)

- Some clean rag (to clean the old grease out of the drum)

Safety First – Chock both the front wheels and leave the car in first or reverse because to do the rear wheel bearings you are going to need to have the handbrake off.

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Next we are ready to tackle the job

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Remove plastic wheel bolt covers if fitted and while the wheel is on the ground – slightly loosen the wheel bolts (half a turn is plenty)

Next position a jack under an appropriate jacking point – you can use the jack supplied with the car but I had this one handy

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Jack the car up and once jacked provide additional support by either an axle stand or use the wheel removed and push it under the car to provide a positive stop if the jack failed.

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So now we have the wheel off we can start stripping down – remove the hub nut cover – gentle persuasion all the way round with a screwdriver should prise it out

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Remove the split pin – bend the legs straight and then pull it out – DO NOT REUSE You get a new one in the bearing kit if you buy a decent make. Once the Split pin is removed you can remove the castilated nut cover and have free access to the hub nut.



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Undo the nut and place in a safe place

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Remove the washer and again place in a safe place – the whole Drum and bearings with it will now pull off…. If it doesn’t check you handbrake isn’t on (I did tell you not to leave it on!) Leaving just the stub and the inner workings of the drum brakes

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Quick inspection of the brake shoes – should be lots of meat on them and no scoring – these were fine.

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Check the drum for scoring on the inside where the pads work on the drum – these were fine and so we can get on with it…… Note the seal fitted to stop the brake dust contaminating the bearings and vica versa.

Prise the seal out with a screwdriver – just work your way round the edge

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Remove the bearings from both sides of the drum….. they should fall out. This then presents you with the outer races still left in the hub.

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OK so if you are thinking of a short cut at this point and just putting new inner races into the hub – greasing it up and slapping it back together – DO NOT DO THIS it is a false economy and the new bearings will only last a very short time.

Use a couple of bricks to lay the drum onto and using a pin punch and a nice large hammer knock the outer races out of the drum

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Hammer not shown cos I only have two hands and one is holding the camera the other the pin punch

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The hub is machined with some nice cut outs at 3 places round the edge of the race – this means it’s easy to get a good tap on a ncie wide area of the bearing race – work progressively round – bit at each position at a time and it should gradually drop down until it falls out. Drum with outer race removed.

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Repeat this with the other outer race and then once cleaned up – all the old grease removed we can start putting it back together.

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The old outer races are ideal for knocking in the new ones as they are a perfect fit

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Once one side is fitted turn over and repeat the process with the other side

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Once fitted it should look like this

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Fit the new inner race – with copius quantities of grease (good kits come with exactly the right amount of grease so use a ¼ of the sachet to do a bearing)

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Fit the new grease seal behind the bearing – tap it in gently

Invert the hub and using ½ the greased supplied in the sachet to fill the void between the two bearings and the remaining grease to cover the outer bearing then place the drum back on the stub axle

Replace the washer and nut back onto the stub axle and tighten up – A good tip is here to tighten the nut up until the drum will not turn and leave for a min – if you haven’t knocked the outer races in properly this will seat them properly.

Loosen again until the drum spins again without any effort to turn it.

Tighten either with a pair of pliers to limit the ammount of torque you can apply

or

tighten to a point where with a small screwdriver you can still move the washer behind the nut from side to side

Refit the castilated nut cover and then use the new split pin to stop it all coming loose.

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Re-fit the wheel and double check that you can’t feel any play in the hub bearing by grabbing the wheel on two opposite sides and trying to push with one hand and pull with the other and quickly reversing the push and pull – this rocking action will show up any play in the bearing – if there is then sorry but strip it back down again and tighten it up a bit more.

Drop the car back down – torque the wheel bolst up to the correct torque and refit the wheel bolt covers.

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Job done – just the other side to do now.
Last edited by bstardchild on Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Si_GTi
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Post by Si_GTi »

Top job!

If I had drums on the rear I would feel pretty confident having a bash at that meself - have the axle stands sitting unused in the garage since I sold the Mini :roll:

The wheels are looking good in the daylight - and your car is retina-searingly clean - nice :wink:
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bstardchild
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Post by bstardchild »

Si_GTi wrote:Top job!

If I had drums on the rear I would feel pretty confident having a bash at that meself - have the axle stands sitting unused in the garage since I sold the Mini :roll:

The wheels are looking good in the daylight - and your car is retina-searingly clean - nice :wink:
Thanks for that.....

Wheels look better now they are cleaned - It was filthy - I've washed now though...... :lol:
Si_GTi
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Post by Si_GTi »

bstardchild wrote:Wheels look better now they are cleaned - It was filthy - I've washed now though...... :lol:
You wouldn't want to see my car then... I've found a cheap way of getting black centres on my RX2s though... :cry: :cry: tomorrow is jetwash Sunday :P
mikegti
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Post by mikegti »

good tips!

thats the sort of job that should make people think:

"hey thats not so bad, why am i paying vw an arm and a leg for that!"

just one thing, why is there brake dust on the floor before you've taken the wheel off? :D
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bstardchild
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Post by bstardchild »

mikegti wrote:good tips!

thats the sort of job that should make people think:

"hey thats not so bad, why am i paying vw an arm and a leg for that!"
Exactly.......
mikegti wrote:just one thing, why is there brake dust on the floor before you've taken the wheel off? :D
Confession time - who had already done one rear wheel bearing and turn the car round ready to do the other side before he remembered to take a camera out with him :roll:
nuttinnew
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Post by nuttinnew »

Excellent job, a very well written and informative guide there 8)
jon_poloV
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springs

Post by jon_poloV »

top job you have done there, whil on the subject of rear drums, on mine, they are squeeking. when you relese the brake pedel after braking and when you pull up the hand break. what can i do? grease the springs??
jon
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bstardchild
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Re: springs

Post by bstardchild »

jon_poloV wrote:top job you have done there, whil on the subject of rear drums, on mine, they are squeeking. when you relese the brake pedel after braking and when you pull up the hand break. what can i do? grease the springs??
jon
Mine did that got right on my nerves - Its the lever system that was squeaking or squeaks - I lubed up the bits I could see without getting any on the shoes and it's been nice and quiet since
nuttinnew
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Post by nuttinnew »

Ah, the sweet sound of silence...finally got round to having both mine done at the weekend; amazing how noisey they were.
jon_poloV
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brakes

Post by jon_poloV »

i may have a go myself, what did you use to lube them up. how long you recon itl last for once fixed? if i replaced the sprigs would that help, where a bouts is the lever system?
jon
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bstardchild
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Re: brakes

Post by bstardchild »

jon_poloV wrote:i may have a go myself, what did you use to lube them up. how long you recon itl last for once fixed? if i replaced the sprigs would that help, where a bouts is the lever system?
jon
I just got SWMBO to work the handbrake while I used some spray grease (push bike chain lube or white grease) and I just hit any thing that moved as the handbrake was worked on and off...

Don't touch the footbrake or you'll not get the drums back on!!!
hayesey
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Post by hayesey »

spot-on 8)

Just remember though people, the hub nut shouldn't be much more than hand tight. Can't fault that guide though.
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bstardchild
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Post by bstardchild »

hayesey wrote:spot-on 8)

Just remember though people, the hub nut shouldn't be much more than hand tight. Can't fault that guide though.
Yeah I was still wondering how best to put that as a description or advice - Lindsay and Porter manual helped out and I've edited to clarify.....
GroovyCarrot
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Post by GroovyCarrot »

The MoT testers gave me an advisory saying that both my rear wheel bearings were on their way out (..and then failed the car on the headlamp pattern and lack of fog light telltale..), so I'll be testing out your guide shortly ;) I'll let you know how easy it is to follow, looks good though :)
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