Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site masscomp.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!masscomp!hank
From: hank@masscomp.UUCP (Hank Cohen)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: wheel bearings
Message-ID: <817@masscomp.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 4-Nov-85 12:09:07 EST
Article-I.D.: masscomp.817
Posted: Mon Nov  4 12:09:07 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Nov-85 22:40:26 EST
References: <2427@sunybcs.UUCP> <204@ucdavis.UUCP> <2180@amdahl.UUCP>
Reply-To: hank@masscomp.UUCP (Hank Cohen)
Distribution: net
Organization: Masscomp - Westford, MA
Lines: 22
Summary: 

In article <2180@amdahl.UUCP> ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) writes:
>> >       2)  The bearings in the rear end have started to hum.  How much damage
>> >           can I expect if I wait a few months to replace them?
>> 
>
>One thing to watch out for is *front* bearings.  (I know the original
>was about rear bearings, but this is important).  My sister had a small
>Ford that had the front bearings go dry (grease 'evaporated').  The
>result was a noisy front bearing.  This first manifested itself in Los
>Angeles.  As home was north of San Francisco, she decided to just
>drive it home before getting the bearing fixed.  After several hours
>on the freeway noise was worse and the performance was off.
>She stopped at the request of a friendly Highway Patrolman ...  The
>wheel then fell off.  A *VERY* overheated bearing had softened the spindle
>it rides on enough for it to break.  It was a dull red at the time...
>
Another issue with overheated front wheel bearings is that they become
VERY difficult to replace.  The inner bearing race can freze to the spindle
making what should be a rather simple repair into a real monster.
Why risk it, bearings are cheap compared to new spindles.
		Iligitimi non carborundum
			Hank Cohen