8 replies to this topic

[Big_Adam]

Hello once more dear friends.

1st off i would like to thank everyone who have other the month helped me with either problems and solutions. really thanks guys. without you my El Gordo would have gone to the scrappys long agao. *sniff*

anyway onto my problems. wheel bearings. my wheels have been getting hot and binding up. the bearing are failry loose and the mechaic i took it too (ron) after looking at the flexable break hoses (after a thread a while ago......i think it was........mini mad said it might be the lining on the flexible hose was knaked so it turns into a one way valve) and a bit of a prod about he thinks it may be the bearings. now my mini has done i think 50-60,000 odd miles......althought i think its been round the clock. so their probly knacked anyway so i;m going to change them. i have had a look at them before and i have NO IDEA how the hell to take them aparts. i get the break off then there s rubber thing and then the bearings. i don't want to damage the rubber thing so i need someone to exsplanine it very simple and very slowly for me.......and for someone to tell me what bearings to get.

My El Gordo is a 1982 Autsin Mini Mk2 i belive ( i mean the mk2 bit)

Cheers folks.

[pikey7]

daft question first. disks or drums?

[1984mini25]

daft question first. disks or drums?

drums all round on an 82 me thinks.

My El Gordo is a 1982 Autsin Mini Mk2 i belive ( i mean the mk2 bit)

close probably a mk3

[mini-mad-dan]

should be drums all round, all all the brakes binding, or just the rear, if it is the rear ones they may simply need readjusting( although in theroy simple, it never is) im not sure about hte fronts ones wern't they self adjusting?

[pikey7]

If you've got as far as being able to get to the seal, then I'm going to assume that you've taken the drums, shoes and the drive hub off already. If you're not that far, just tell me!

So, first things first, remove the backplate from the upright. It'll be held on with 2 or 3 nuts & bolts if front drums are anything like rears! Get a bungee cord, and tie the backplate to the top damper mount to stop you from stretching the new brake lines you've just had fitted.

Now get youself a ball joint splitter like this:



or



You can pick em up from any good tool shop, or even halfords!

Now remove the 3 nuts that are on each of the upper and lower swivel joints, and the steering tie rod. DO NOT adjust anything on the steering rod or you'll need an alignment. Then using your new ball joint splitter, you need to "break" the taper that hold the joints to the hub. Once you have them loose, you can manouvre the hub off the driveshaft, and so completely off the car.

And onto the tricky bit. removing the seals is easy enough by levering them out with a screwdriver (you'll need to replace them anyway, so be rough if you want! watch you dont damage the hub though!), but it's the bearing removal/re-installation that's the tricky bit. You can get bearing pullers from Halfords too, but honestly, the easy way it to get someone (a garage!) who has a big press to do it for you.

Really then, installation is the reverse (as the HBOL says!). remember to pack the bearing with grease, then you won't have to change it again for a while!, and while you're under there, grease up your suspension joints too!. when you put the backing plate back, make sure you haven't twisted the brake line.

When you put the drive hub back on, remember to torque the hub nut correctly, and use the new split pin that's included in the bearing kit.

Right then, which bearings.... My choice would be THESE they'll be a good quality and will last you a long time. A cheaper alternative is THESE. Not as great a quality, but will do the job. Each kit is per wheel, and includes the seals that you need.

[Big_Adam]

ahhh sods this all sounds difficult now. grrr. i'm not too good at careful twiddly jobs.

ah sod it i'll give it a go. what the worst that can happen.....right?

cheers pikey7. oh and yes. drums all round.

[pikey7]

well I suppose the worst that can happen is the brakes can fail and the wheel fall of at 70mph! but what the hell!

Really, if you don't like the idea of doing that then don't. £50 now is money well spent. Talk to your man Ron and see what he can do them for. You can at least order him the parts now if needs be!

[Big_Adam]

good idea. cheers pikey7 man.

[chairchild]

the only tip I can give you, is dont buy the prong-type balljoint splitter, as this happens when the balljoints are on hard!



I managed to remove a single steering arm joint with that, and then it gave up when I tried to undo a balljoint - spent about an hour doing that, then I bought a scissor type for £16 from Halfrauds, which done each balljoint in less than 3 mins, and that's including getting the nuts off!