What is a wheel bearing and why is it needed?
The bearing consists of outer and inner rings, a cage and rolling elements.
The structure of all rolling bearings is the same, with the exception of the rolling elements, the type of which depends on the design of the vehicle.
Most often, single-row tapered roller bearings are installed on driven axles. This is due to the fact that they are small in size and durable.
However, they require careful installation and periodic adjustment, otherwise they quickly fail.
Double-row tapered roller bearings are installed on the drive axles, which can withstand a load twice as large as single-row bearings.
In addition, they have a closed design, so they can be used until they are completely worn out without maintenance.
The operating conditions of these bearings can be confidently classified as severe. And if you add frequent acceleration and braking, road surface defects and bad weather, it becomes obvious that you cannot skimp on the quality of this part.
During normal operation, the service life is 100-130 thousand km. Sooner or later on VAZ 2114, 2115, 2110 there is a need to replace the bearing.
Causes and symptoms of malfunction
Original wheel bearings on a classic VAZ can last up to 100 thousand kilometers before they require replacement. But there are several factors that negatively affect it, reducing its service life:
- Overheating associated with wheel rotation, especially in winter. A well-lubricated bearing is less likely to overheat; in addition, it is advisable not to get carried away by driving too fast.
- Condition of the roads. This is the main cause of breakdowns, after which the front wheel wheel bearing needs to be replaced. It is he who takes on the load of a dynamic impact when the wheel falls into a hole or hits a ledge on the surface.
- Aggressive environment. If the bearing protection is damaged, dust and dirt, as well as reagents used to treat roads during the cold season, begin to get into it. This quickly damages the bearing.
Removal and installation procedure
How to determine whether a wheel bearing is faulty?
To do this, you need to drive at least 5 km, and rarely need to brake. After stopping, touch the hub with your hand and if you cannot hold your hand, it means that the bearing has become unusable and requires replacement. Another sure sign of a malfunction is the appearance of extraneous noise from the wheel.
You can cope with replacing the wheel bearing yourself:
- First, we install the wheel chocks. Next, we tear off the nut and loosen it a little, there is no need to unscrew it completely.
- Using a jack, you need to lift the entire front part of the car and place it on supports.
- Next, you need to remove the wheel, to do this, unscrew the wheel bolts.
- Using a 17mm wrench, remove the brake pad guide.
- We remove the caliper, to do this we unclench the brake pads (note that the caliper should not hang on the brake hose, take an ordinary wire and hang it from the body).
- Take a 12mm wrench and unscrew the two guide pins on the brake disc. Now you need to remove the disk itself; for this it is better to use a rubber hammer. We knock down the brake disc with gentle, not strong blows.
- Now you can completely unscrew the hub bearing nut, after which we remove the washer.
- Now you need to pull off the hub. You will need two M12x1.25x130 bolts and a brake disc. We insert the bolts into two holes in the brake disc and screw them into the hub holes to the full depth of the thread. Then, with a sharp movement, pull the brake disc towards you, the hub should pull off
- We find two ball mounting bolts and use a 17mm wrench to unscrew them. We remove the outer hinge from the hole in the hub.
- Carefully knock the hub out of the steering knuckle.
- Then you need to remove the retaining ring.
- To press out the bearing, it is better to use a special puller. (Sometimes there are problems with this point. To make removal easier, you need to preheat the ring. A portable gas torch works well for this.)
Now you have removed the bearing. Next, you need to check the presence of the dirt ring and clean the inner surface of the steering knuckle.
Apply a large amount of lubricant to the outer ring of the bearing. Now you need to place the bearing in the freezer and heat the steering knuckle using the same gas burner.
These operations will greatly simplify pressing the bearing into the steering knuckle.
We carry out further assembly in reverse order.
12.14. Changing the gearbox oil
The frequency of oil changes is every 75,000 km or every 5 years.
Transmission housing capacity:
five-speed - 3.3 l; four-speed - 3.0 l.
The manufacturer recommends using oils of the following brands:
"REXOL-T" (80W-85; GL-4); "OMSKOIL TRANS P" (80W-85; GL-4/5); "VOLNEZ TM4" (80W-90; GL-4).
It is recommended to drain the oil immediately after a trip, while the gearbox is still warm.
Sources
- https://sabla.pp.ua/remont-kpp-21083/
- https://mobiauto.pp.ua/vaz-2108i-remont-korobki-peredach-kpp-mkpp-v-moskve/
- https://automn.ru/vaz-2108/vaz-35552-10.m_id-4604.html
Brief summary of bearing replacement
The process of replacing a wheel bearing is quite simple. If you decide to replace it yourself, remember the most important rules: take your time, carefully read the instructions and carefully follow all the steps.
If the wear is large enough and there is subsequent play in the bearings of the VAZ 2101-2107 gearbox, vibration may appear in the rear axle of the car when driving in certain modes. Of course, there will not necessarily be a howl or hum of the gearbox, but still such a ride will not be very comfortable. In this case, you will have to change the bearings, and this can only be done after removing the gearbox from the car. Next, we will need the following tools to replace the bearings:
- flat impact screwdriver or chisel
- hammer
- wrenches for 10 and 17, or heads with ratchets
So, first of all, unscrew the nut of the fixing bracket, as is clearly shown in the photo below:
Then we take it out and unscrew two bolts, one on each side, of the bearing cover:
We remove the cover, since nothing else holds it:
Then remove the adjusting nut:
Now access to the bearing is free, but you can’t just remove it. I did this with an impact screwdriver and a hammer, slowly knocking it down from the inside, pointing the screwdriver towards the inner cage:
When it has moved a little out of place, you can use a chisel. An even better option would be a special puller, but I don’t have one yet, so I had to do without it.
After this, we buy new bearings and install them in the reverse order. On the other hand, everything is done in exactly the same way, so there is no point in describing in detail with the second bearing.
Hubs are an important element of a car's front suspension. When the wheel bearings malfunction, the first thing that appears is a hum, and sometimes a grinding sound, in the front wheels of the car. The hub begins to heat up, which can cause problems with the brakes. Play in the front suspension hubs leads to damage to the brake discs. There is an imbalance in the suspension, resulting in increased tire wear.
In order not to bring the suspension components to such a state, it is necessary to periodically carry out technical inspection of the front hubs. If such symptoms appear, it is necessary to replace the wheel bearings on the VAZ-2107 as soon as possible.
Purpose of the rear axle bearing
The axle shaft is the most important part of the drive (in this case, rear) axle of the VAZ 2107. The axle shaft itself rarely fails, but the bearing in which it is attached is the weak point of this design . The purpose of the part is simple: to ensure smooth and uniform rotation of the axle shaft in the rear axle while the car is moving. This part is located inside the bridge, immediately behind the brake drum. To see and change it, you will have to remove the axle shaft, remove the drum and brake pads from it. It is impossible to get to the bearing in any other way.
VAZ 2107 axle shaft bearing with retaining ring
Checking the hub
Set the car to the handbrake and lift it with a jack, grab the top and bottom of the wheel, and rock it in different directions. There should be no backlash or knocking.
Spin the wheel; no extraneous sounds should be heard during free rotation. The wheel should rotate smoothly without difficulty. If play, knocking or irregular rotation accompanied by a crunching sound is detected, it is necessary to replace the bearings.
Before proceeding with the replacement, you need to purchase in advance the spare parts that will be needed during the repair:
- bearings, internal and external;
- stuffing box;
- new lubricant;
Instructions for replacing the wheel bearing on a VAZ-2107 with your own hands
Removal
Put the car on the handbrake. Place a shoe under the wheel to prevent the machine from rolling away. Loosen the front wheel nuts.
Raise the car and place a support under the body. Remove the wheel. Unscrew the caliper mounting bolts located on the inside and remove the caliper. To avoid damaging the brake hose, it is better to tie up the caliper.
Using a screwdriver, pry up and remove the hub cap. Unscrew the hub nut. After removing the nut and washer, pull out the outer separator. Pull the brake disc towards you and remove it together with the hub. After unscrewing the two guide pins, remove the brake disc from the hub.
Using a screwdriver, pull out the oil seal and separator, and then the spacer ring. Now you need to knock out the clips. Using a mandrel of the required diameter or a drift, knock out both clips with a hammer.
Installation
Before assembly, wash all components with any grease-cleaning liquid. Remove the races from the new bearings and, holding them in a vice, press them into place through spacers (it is best to use the old race as a mandrel).
Lubricate the inner bearing cage and install it in place. Insert the spacer ring, press the oil seal through the spacer, being careful not to damage it. We put on and secure the brake disc with studs.
We install the unit in place. Having pre-lubricated, insert the outer bearing separator into place and, having installed the washer, tighten the nut until it stops. We put on the wheel. We turn it several times to ensure complete seating. Then slowly unscrew the nut until a small amount of play appears. Lock the nut in this position.
We clean the hub cap of old grease, fill it with new one and install it in place.
Having examined how the wheel bearing is replaced on a VAZ-2107, we can conclude that this repair is not so complicated. And if desired, almost every car enthusiast can do this.
Timely maintenance and the use of high-quality spare parts will extend the life of your car. It is important not to forget that the serviceability of the car’s front suspension is a guarantee of your safety.
