Rear Wheel Bearing track life?

[R13]

Barring one time when I needed a "field" repair, I've used new axle nuts. The hub-side mating surface isn't what I'd call a "machined" finish, but I generally do wire brush it and flush with solvent to remove any surface corrosion before putting applying/torquing the nut.

Pardon the 101-level questions:

All mating surfaces the axel nut touches are 100% dry/clean (no oil, grease, paste, dirt, etc on driveshaft threads or flat surface the washer touches) before nut is threaded and torqued?

Can the staking be done in a manor that provides positive retention, where nut cannot reverse as seen?

 

[latzke]

Barring one time when I needed a "field" repair, I've used new axle nuts. The hub-side mating surface isn't what I'd call a "machined" finish, but I generally do wire brush it and flush with solvent to remove any surface corrosion before putting applying/torquing the nut.

And what about staking? Is the nut edge being un-dimpled/un-staked to some degree to allow the nut to back off - or is there opportunity to more-fully stake/dimple to prevent movement? But maybe that's just going off the symptom (nut backing) instead of the cause (???).

 

[R13]

And what about staking? Is the nut edge being un-dimpled/un-staked to some degree to allow the nut to back off - or is there opportunity to more-fully stake/dimple to prevent movement? But maybe that's just going off the symptom (nut backing) instead of the cause (???).

I do need a better staking tool (square punch of the correct width would probably be ideal), but I've managed to do a good job of it at least the majority of the time and it still backs off in-spite of the stake. There is a little bit of of the "chicken or the egg" going on here. Is the bearing wearing out, and that leads to the nut backing off due to wobble/vibration....or is the nut backing off, which leads to wobble/vibration that then wears out the bearing?

At this point I've replaced (for other reasons) nearly everything in that assembly (all ball joints, the upright itself, the bearing numerous times, the toe arm, the CVs were rebuilt a while ago with the DA kit). The only original piece is the actual hub itself....and I'm tempted to do that since I have an extra at this point in case it's somehow out of whack.

 

[R13]

I wanted to update this thread in light of a few recent exchanges on Facebook (so it's hopefully easier to find for anyone looking): Cheapo wheel bearing #7 expired ~September 2018. Given the history I had with the wheel bearing, I had preemptively taken a spare hub I had, got identical ARP studs pressed in, and had a new (same 3rd party brand, Timkin I think) bearing assembly pressed on, so I could swap it at the track without needing a press. So, I swapped the entire assembly in September 2018 just before XPO. It's notable that means I also replaced the only original part previously left in the system: the hub. It's now February 2020, and cheap wheel bearing #8 has now survived: The 6000 mile round trip to NSXPO 2018 (incl 2 days at thunderhill), 2 days at NCM Motorsports park, a Day at NCCAR, a Day at Memphis Intl, NSXPO 2019 (incl 2 days at Summit Main), and two days at The FIRM this year (plus probably 10K+ miles here and there on the road).

So...I'm not calling it fixed, but I'm cautiously optimistic my final theory that the hub could have been out of true somehow may have been correct. The old hub is now my spare assembly. The Right Rear wheel bearing is still going strong.

 

[christhac1978]

I went to swap my spare wheels/tires on the car to go for a drive to see if I could narrow it down and as I went to remove the left rear, I noticed it was wiggling around in my hand when I was loosening the lugs. More investigation led to the bearing discovery. Please note, I'd just run an autocross and part of the standard tech is to shake each corner to check for bad bearings/ball joints. With the weight of the car on it, you just couldn't tell.



Clicker Test

 

[R13]

I went to swap my spare wheels/tires on the car to go for a drive to see if I could narrow it down and as I went to remove the left rear, I noticed it was wiggling around in my hand when I was loosening the lugs. More investigation led to the bearing discovery. Please note, I'd just run an autocross and part of the standard tech is to shake each corner to check for bad bearings/ball joints. With the weight of the car on it, you just couldn't tell.

Yeah ye olde autocross tech shake will catch it if it's literally about to fall off (unlikely to have an on-course incident), but for a bearing that's just starting to go, the only real way is to jack that corner up and shake the wheel with the lugs still tight.

 

[R13]

So...fun update to this. I finally wore out cheapo bearing #8 between Oct 23 and Mar 2024. That's a solid 6 years for those just joining on an aftermarket wheel bearing. In this instance the stake hadn't backed out and match marks were still aligned so I must have just found the limit for these. Still 6 years I can deal with. Additionally, I'd done the same thing as previous and had my original, suspect, hub pressed into another new cheap bearing to use as a spare. Upon discovering #8's fate, I swapped on #9 along with the old hub for a single day event and a ~1000mile round trip. #9 was immediately dead upon return, which somewhat solidifies my suspicion of the old hub being somehow compromised. I may order another new hub so I can have a more robust spare laying around, but in the meantime will swap a fresh bearing onto my "good" hub and go from there.

 

[MexiRicer]

So...fun update to this. I finally wore out cheapo bearing #8 between Oct 23 and Mar 2024. That's a solid 6 years for those just joining on an aftermarket wheel bearing. In this instance the stake hadn't backed out and match marks were still aligned so I must have just found the limit for these. Still 6 years I can deal with. Additionally, I'd done the same thing as previous and had my original, suspect, hub pressed into another new cheap bearing to use as a spare. Upon discovering #8's fate, I swapped on #9 along with the old hub for a single day event and a ~1000mile round trip. #9 was immediately dead upon return, which somewhat solidifies my suspicion of the old hub being somehow compromised. I may order another new hub so I can have a more robust spare laying around, but in the meantime will swap a fresh bearing onto my "good" hub and go from there.

That's wild. I do remember reading about your "out of true" wheel hub. How in the heck does that happen?! Heavy hit?

 

[Honcho]

I love these updates. I'm doing both my rear bearings this year before XPO, hopefully.

 

[R13]

That's wild. I do remember reading about your "out of true" wheel hub. How in the heck does that happen?! Heavy hit?

Honestly, probably me, with a large hammer, removing the hub/bearing assembly the first time at >200k miles circa 2011/2012. any that I've done since have gone back on with a good layer of antiseize between the bearing assembly and the knuckle.

 

[MexiRicer]

Honestly, probably me, with a large hammer, removing the hub/bearing assembly the first time at >200k miles circa 2011/2012. any that I've done since have gone back on with a good layer of antiseize between the bearing assembly and the knuckle.

Oh whoa! Yeah okay that makes sense. I was puzzled as to how that could happen! If you ever need front or rear wheel hubs, I have some on hand!