DIY for replacing front wheel bearings on C230

[MercyBenz]

Any of you Chaps out there have any DIY info on how to change the FWBs on a 98 C230? This old Bloke would really appreciate it.

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

Not to bad too do really.

1:- Remove wheel, Brake Caliper, The caliper retaining bracket and brake disc.

2:- Hammer off the dust cap from the centre of the hub.

3:- Undo 5mm allen key on hub nut, and remove remembering which way it goes.

4:- The complete hub will then be pulled off the stub axle.

5:- Once The hub is off you will be able to remove the outer race and washers, making note of which way they go.

6:- Prise of the rear seal and then remove the inner race.

7:- Then you will need to use a punch and tap out the two tracks from the hub. This can be tough and time consuming!!

8:- Then clean up the stub axle and hub.

9:- Punch in the New race's very carefully as you dont wont to damage them. Use oil to help them in. Make sure you don't mix up which race and track go together as they are machined to each other.

10:- Pack the new Bearings with grease, insert the inner bearing into the back of the hub and replace the seal, with the new one that should be supplied.

11:- place the hub pack on the stub axle, insert outer bearing and replace the washers and nut and tighten finger tight, whilst spinning the hub.

12:- the hub nut is then tightened, so that there is no play in the hub, yet the washer behind the nut can be moved with a screw driver or similar. This is just past finger tight, about 1/4 turn. keep turning the hub all the time to make it all spins and goes together nicely. Then tighten up the 5mm allen key lock bolt on the main nut.

13:- Check by rebuilding, replacing wheel and checking for free play in the wheel top to bottom and left to right. There should be no play, jet spin very freely.


If unsure a slightly under tightened bearing is better than one which has been over tightened, as a small nip up adjustment is easier than a crushed bearing.

Always I good idea to recheck the play after a few mines by jacking up and rechecking.



Hope this helps, its from memory, but should give you a good idea.

 

[Sean Ng]

Problem of placing hub assembly back onto steering knuckle pin

Hi Guys

Re: Problem of placing hub assembly back onto steering knuckle pin

My car is a 1996 E230 Estate. As the off-side front wheel bearing is damaged, I have used genuine Mercedes wheel bearing repair kit for a DIY attempt. I am able to pull the hub assembly out and fit new bearings and oil seal in. However, when I try to put the hub assembly back onto steering knuckle pin, I fail.

I wonder if you guys can give me advices of how to place hub assemly back in. One thing I have not tried is to use a big G-clamp and a large socket to press the assembly in. Will that work?

Any help will be much appreciated.

Regards
Sean

 

[television]

I do have your PM but I have been out most of the day, is the car a 124 or 210 please and I can look it up for you

 

[Sean Ng]

Hi Malcolm

My car is a W210. Thanks for your help.

Sean

 

[Number_Cruncher]

The clearance between the stub axle and the bearing is very small - to refit the hub and bearing, it has to be absolutely square, or else it will lock up as you push.

If available, use a dial gauge to set the bearing end float - (if like W124s and W129s, the spec is quite small). It is impossible to correctly set these bearings without a dial gauge. (That's not to say a satisfactory result cannot be obtained using approximate methods, but such would not be correct to spec)

 

[television]

Hi Sean, 2 Emails sent with instructions, if you need more please ask

 

[Sean Ng]

Hi Malcolm

Thanks for the emails. I have studied the installation and removal diagrams and instructions, but not clear about how to install front wheel hub back onto steering knuckle pin. It looks like there is specific Mercedes tools for installation.

I have attached the photos of my steering knuckle pin and front wheel hub respectively. I wonder if you (or somebody) can point me out if there are anything wrong done by me. Am I ready to rebuild the hub back onto the steering knuckle pin? And how to do it from a DIY viewpoint? Will a G-clamp and a large socket be able do the job?

Your advice will be much appreciated.

Regards
Sean



PS: Thanks Number Cruncher's advice.

 

[television]

As long as the bearing is in the correct way round, and it is the correct one they just slip on, no clamps necessary

 

[Sean Ng]

Hi Malcolm

Looking at my steering knuckle pin, it looks like there is a kind of ring (or called race!?) at the far end. Is the steering knuckle pin clear for installation? Have I missed pulling that ring (or race) out from the pin, and, instead, installing that ring (or race) into the hub?

Your further advice will be much appreciated.

Regards
Sean

 

[roofless]

check the new & the old parts are the same it would not be the first time the wrong part was sold

 

[Number_Cruncher]

>>Have I missed pulling that ring (or race) out from the pin, and, instead, installing that ring (or race) into the hub?

It looks like that, yes. But, it's difficult to say with all that grease in the way.

Was the old bearing badly damaged?

If the race has stck onto the stub axle, it should not be too difficult to remove. However, if the race has spun, it's entirely possible that it has welded itself to the stub axle.

 

[television]

Yes it does look like the center of the race is still on the spindle, it should come off ok, a stiltson type wrench should move it, or maybe a hammer and punch

 

[Sean Ng]

Hi Malcolm

After the race comes off, should I insert the race into the hub before rejoining the hub to the steering knuckle pin? Or, should I insert the race before the oil seal ring?

Sean

 

[television]

You have the order here
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=717.417&CT=F&cat=44V&SID=33&SGR=030&SGN=01


The details are also on one of the papers place the seal 23 in the link over the bearing and slide the whole thing on

 

[Sean Ng]

>>Have I missed pulling that ring (or race) out from the pin, and, instead, installing that ring (or race) into the hub?

It looks like that, yes. But, it's difficult to say with all that grease in the way.

Was the old bearing badly damaged?

If the race has stck onto the stub axle, it should not be too difficult to remove. However, if the race has spun, it's entirely possible that it has welded itself to the stub axle.

Hi Number Cruncher

Yes, the old bearing was badly damaged. Before I pulled the hub off, I already found some dislocated tappered rings inside the hub. After pulling the hub off, the old seal was still inside the hub but found something like a race (but not very sure) on the knuckle steering pin. But I was not sure. I thought it was part of the steering knuckle pin.

Will remove the grease tomorrow morning and upload a photo for clarification.

It seems that the race does not spin on the pin. So, not welded to the stub axle!? Would try tapping or wrenching it off without damaging it.

After removing the race, what should I do about it. The wheel bearing repair kit does not seem to supply a race like that (the attached photo of GSF shows basically the same items I see from my Mercedes front wheel bearing repair kit). I guess I have to re-use the race. But in what order: "bearing, race and then oil seal"? I wonder if you can help. If the order is: "bearing, oil seal and then race", which seems to be the order as suggested by Malcolm's diagram supplied just now, am I able to press the hub up on the existing race? Or, instead, should I insert the race on top of the old seal before re-joining the hub to the steering knuckle pin!?

Your advice will be much appreciated.

Regards
Sean

 

[television]

I looked at the king pin in the picture, there was no discoloration through heat, so it should be OK, one only replaces the king pin if it has been blued by heat.

The races are supplied with the inner and outer cage, as this is all part of the bearing, and the inner cage of the inner bearing should be there.

I have double checked on the papers that I sent you and they do cover all of it

 

[Sean Ng]

Hi Malcolm

Thanks for your checking and advice.

That would mean:
(1) I am safe to remove the existing race by all means - not to be afraid of damaging it as I should be able to use the cage supplied by the repair kit.
(2) The order should then be "race, bearing and then oil seal".

Please confirm if my thinking is correct.

Regards
Sean

 

[television]

You normally assemble all of the part/ bearings into the hub, lay the cover on and slide it onto the king pin.

Re the bit that is stuck on, a fine jawed bearing puller would pull it off, but not many own such things.


A brass wedge punch would not hurt the king pin used against the rear of the king pin there is a small gap

Also put something solid under the king pin to stop any bounce when you hit it

 

[Number_Cruncher]

If you have a look here;

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/taper_choice.php

There are a few piccies of taper roller bearings.

The old outer races you must have tapped or pressed out of your hub, and pressed the new ones into place.

The inner races are supplied as an assembly complete with the tapered rollers and the bearing cage.

I *think* that in your case, the inner race assembly of your large bearing has failed, and the rollers and cage have broken up. So, you're left with the bare inner raceway itself.

In normal operation, the good fit of the inner diameter of the inner race on the stub axle and the free rolling of the bearing means that the inner raceway does not rotate relative to the stub axle.

However, if the rollers fail, friction and mechanical locking can cause the inner raceway to rotate, rubbing on the stub axle. This can only happen for a short period of time before the metal gets very hot, and a friction weld or seizure is formed between the inner raceway and the stub axle. You *may* be lucky, and the inner raceway will just tap off the stub axle - as Malcolm says, it doesn't look too bad and may not be badly discoloured, but then I'm not that good at seeing through grease!

Yes, once you've got it off (keep it absolutely square to the shaft as you pull it off, or it will sprag or lock up), you can discard the old, damaged, inner raceway, and then check the surface of the stub axle itself hasn't been damaged.

You should then find that with care, your new assembled hub should fit over the stub axle.