Hub flange failure - diagnosis, engineering chums?

A run of weld is an old trick I`ve often employed for getting inner races out of hubs (not done it on automtive hubs though).

Simply run the weld from one edge to the other, and wait...

As it cools and contracts it`ll split with a `pop`, then you can easily knock it off/out with a suitable drift.

Chris; I`ve just fitted some GSF bought `OMG` wishbones to the Mk1 Cab...had a little chuckle to myself.

 

Wheels don't fall off, because the CV Joint bolts hold them on!

 

Just apply heat and lever it off with a big screw driver.

Puller and welders, pffft, some of you lot really like to make a big drama out of some jobs......

 

Says the man who spent 100+ on some fancy-dan spring compressors...

 

A word of caution when breaking bearing races...with them being so brittle, they can sometimes shatter quite explosively and I've heard of people needing bits of bearing in their torso!

Also, not something everyone has access to but apparently if you cool the hub with liquid nitrogen the race will just drop off.

 

I use special magic hands ....................

 

Trade secret reveal time is it?

I stare at them harder than Chuck Norris and the wheel bearings heal, eliminating the need for replacement.

 

Chris -I saw the photo and guess what ? 24th June Cadwell exactly the same problem - happened under braking into Park - three differences:
1. It was nearside front
2. The CV Splines had spun inside and wrecked all the flange splines (i guess this was after the event - wrecked a new CV as well!)
3. The flange was brand spanking new
(after my bearing failure at Oulton decided to replace everything on the hub both sides bearings/flanges/cvs)
Could it be that it was a bad batch ?
John

 

Wow, is the car ok?

Any chance of any macro pictures for our engineers to get stuck into? Via email if easier for me to host.

 

Fortunately slowed enough to stop any damage to the car - havnt got any photos yet but it looks like an almost identical break - all seemed very odd especially as everything was new !
Working away from home at the mo so will try and get some photos over next week

 

Ok great. I guess it will be difficult to get to the bottom of how they were fitted and whether they were pushed fully into the bearing?

I'd pressed my own bearings, so could say straight off that I wasn't sure if they were fully pressed home, as I was trying to avoid pressing them too far.

 

If the wheel bearing was fitted to the hub and the circlip fitted that is fine. Even if you did not press the drive flange fully home with the press, the action of torquing up the outer cv joint nut pulls it all together. There is easily enough force when the nut is tightened to do this.
Just try slackening the nut half a turn and you can feel movement in the wheel bearing as the two inner races are not being clamped together.

 

Hmmm, the Right Hon daved made this point earlier in the thread

Box on fellas!

 

Lots of interesting stuff here but I have 2 points as a non techhi!!
1. Mine were fitted in a race prep operation so have to guess a punk job was done
2. Two cars exactly the same problem a few weeks apart and no other topic on the forum highlighting the problemin how
any years. ???
To much of a coincidence ?

 

Sorry finger trouble with my I phone
punk = pukka.

 

OK took some photos but came out poorly - basically the same as Chris's problem however the marks on the flange were : topran 102695
are these OEM or some cheap rubbish ??

 

I don't recognise that one myself.

 

This is the driver's side hub from my Audi 100.
It is a text book example of the corrosion fretting. A circular row of tiny rust pits where the edge of the bearing sits on the hub. It is some way from the start of the radius on the hub. The point where the radius actually starts on the hub is the stress raiser where normal fatigue failure would propagate.



This is the bearing inner race. You will note the point where the corrosion pitting has been generated. Also note the rest of the inner diameter. This is fretting due to tiny movement between the two parts. The hub looked the same before I polished it.



This is the housing. A large number of grooves were evident in both housing and bearing outer race. Bad fitting on a bearing.



Looking at the condition of the head on the hub/cv bolt, it was mangled, hence had been reused, I am convinced that the bearing was not the original. This was the completely knackered bearing side. The wheel was moving by very large angles when pulled and pushed.

The nearside bolt, hub, bearing and housing were in perfect condition.

 

Interesting insight as to why age and use can promote this, even if the bearing is not removed at all from original?

fasteddimini's situ interestingly was on new flanges, but presumably old hubs.

 

why not just do what I did? (admitadly my hub was shot but that was another issue).. when even replacing bearing just fit a new hub? they are only 20 or so from GSF, and I know they might not be the worlds top all singing all dancing ones, BUT if they are installed properly ie pressed in witha proper press and checked before install for any marks, high edges etc, and fitted with lube... then wheres the problem?

there should be no damage from chisels etc where bearings have been removed to start stress fractures, and chances are any marks that are present from where they are made wont cause and fractures before the life of the bearing is up... at which time junk the whole lot and start again (install time is alot quicker too)