Classic Mini, Part 1 Replacing the front bearings

[@mangaben]

Hi Steve your video was invaluable, throughly detailed, but not overloaded. The section on bearing types was informative, and allowed me to make the right choice on what I had available in my garage. I ordered a 60mm dia Nylon bar online, and it assisted me with the job perfectly.

[@anandarochisha]

I don't know why anyone would give this a negative comment. I suspect they weren't raised right. I would not have done anything different. Instead of Delrin i got a nice piece of wood, bearings i pack in a sandwich baggie, really no different. Your method is fool proof and as smart as it needs to be.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments Dan, I guess they expected something else... I don't care to much about those thumbs down,,, I get a few every so often... I asked once to have a reason so that I can consider change... But never get an answer, its a bit like Boooo in a crowed...

[@jaythomas7736]

Great video. In a world that is moving to 30-second videos, keep up with your format. You do a great job with explaining, camera angles, etc. Great job. I feel confident I can do this project and will have what I need before I start.

[@D3Sshooter]

TXS for the comments

[@ChileExpatFamily]

TIMKIN is really big in my old home town in Gaffney South Carolina. I had lots of friends who worked for TIMKEN. A good company. Jim

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments, good to know

[@NORTHERNROVER1]

Thank you, this is a very good video on this subject. Your instructions are quite clear and easy to follow, much better than several others out there. I was a professional mechanic for 25 years(many decades ago) and one tip to pack taper roller bearings like these is with a wad of grease in the palm of one hand and hold the bearing with the other forcing the grease in the larger end by using a scraping motion until it comes out the smaller end, works great. Cheers!

[@sonyhk3824]

Great job , you doing well like a professional. Thanks Steve 👍

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks 👍

[@fiatp-gr4pv]

For packing the bearings, I get a blob of grease in the palm of one hand and use the other hand to run the bearing through the grease. However your method worked just fine. Keep up the good work.

[@D3Sshooter]

Great tip!

[@chrissometimes7473]

For inserting the bearing cups (races) I used to take the old race and grind a little off the outer diameter (you don't need to remove much) and use that as a drift to put the new cup in. Now I have a machine shop so I can make a tool out of a material like Delrin even if it isn't a standard size. I also use a piece of brass bar to remove the cups. It will get dinged up and need cleaning up occasionally, but not a big deal. Keep up the good work - that's going to be a nice Mini.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments Chris, very good tips

[@andyaherne9024]

This just made my day, as I embark on my first bearing job

[@johnbaker4915]

Such a great video and you are a pleasure to listen to.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thank you so much!

[@Darryl603]

The spindle looks rough and should, at the very least, be polished. Excellent quality video! Thanks for sharing...

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments, but that spindle is not the new one. That is the old one and you will see in part 3 that I will replace it with a new

[@Spawnx91]

Thank you for thoses tutorials ! Best since a long time. Hope you will do more in the future for the minis

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks, will do!

[@robharper4404]

Thank you extremely helpful & gave me the confidence to take the task on myself again much appreciated

[@D3Sshooter]

Thank you for the comments.

[@stevewuertz3598]

I ran into you D3Shooter's series on Weber rebuilding and was hooked. I only wish your next project was a 105 Series Alfa mechanical restoration. You have a great clear logical approach to instruction. Well done here as well.

[@D3Sshooter]

Maybe one day! Thanks for the comments

[@terrygrimes8519]

its a pleasure to watch you . you make it look so simple well done

[@gerin1946]

Hi dear friend Steve, This MINI Cooper (Austin - Morris) My first car Austin 850 great and fun "toy" those were in full competition with the SIMCA 1000 (engine in the back) Now the top fun was the mini Cooper with engine 1250 cc -- better be a good driver !!!

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for sharing, ha the Simca , The green ralley 2 , used to have one

[@truevi]

Hi, Steve Thanks for sharing the videos. I also own a Mini Cooper and a Lotus Exige. Great to see you working on both vehicles. It has helped me a lot to maintain my vehicles myself. Keep up the good work, I look forward to the next vidoes from you.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks, will do! Thanks for the comments

[@milk4]

Great video! The only thing I suggest is to use a bearing packer tool. You will waste less grease and you will get 100% coverage. For example Ellient Tools makes one that is available in Europe (tool number AT8043). It's about 30€ where I live.

[@D3Sshooter]

Great tip!

[@amcleod3d]

Helpful video thanks replaced front wheel bearings successfully.. that Teflon 60mm block would have been handy.. the ball joint breakers are essential . Thanks

[@D3Sshooter]

Glad it helped

[@melvinalfredo20]

As usual, a very detailed info... Thanks sir

[@D3Sshooter]

My pleasure

[@swojto2598]

Hi, I think the easiest way to pack bearings is to put the grease in the palm of your hand and push the bearing into the grease at a slight angle and move the bearing around. Stefan.

[@D3Sshooter]

Great tip!

[@micion]

Great Job, i'm going to change to my mini, and this video give me all the ideas i need

[@D3Sshooter]

Glad I could help

[@garyhudson-in1sb]

Brilliant video, really well done, shows you how to do exactly what you need to do 😁

[@D3Sshooter]

TXS

[@AKWoland]

There is a easiest way to install bearing race or ball bearing: you may to heat a little bit a up-right and put race or bearing in a freezer for one hour at least. In this case you will be able to install race just by bare hands. I've done like this many times and it works pretty fine. I don't think that your way is bad, but just wanna share one more option)

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments , indeed that is another way of doing it.. I did that before ( check my Lotus series) , but now banded from the fridge by the girlfriend..

[@Darryl603]

@@D3Sshooter Hey, being banned from the kitchen ain't bad as long as she brings the food out to the garage! : )

[@ShainAndrews]

That was a fancy intro. Very professional yet not over the top.

[@D3Sshooter]

Glad you liked it!

[@user-ck5sn9fw1r]

Thanks for this great video! I do this before using mini spare bearing(cheap one). And i have too much bearing preload. Finally i need to put some very thin shim in order to get the correct preload.

[@andymiddleditch3855]

Excellent and covered all the queries I had.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thank you for the comments

[@jamesanderson83]

Enjoy all your videos 👍!

[@D3Sshooter]

Glad you like them!

[@scattkiwiman]

nice work. When I am hammering a bearing I do listen very careful to the sound of the hammering. When the bearing reaches its end you can hear change the sound of the hammering. Btw nice shirt :-)

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the info!

[@Steve-le3jq]

Great video ! your very prescise and methodical , great filming as well, i like that a lot !

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments

[@Steve-le3jq]

@@D3SshooterGreetings from England ! Your very welcome ! happy New Year

[@simonwebster6855]

Very carefully explained thank you

[@IXxJORDANxXI]

another perfect video

[@MrGadgetMotorCo]

Dear Mr, I experience a looseness in the front end of my mini and the wheel alignment also doesn't last longer when done. I suspect that my front end wheel bearings are bad, but before removing how can i confirm that my bearings has gone bad? And eventhough wheel alignments are done regularly, my steering wheel jerks in highspeeds and the car slowly drifts to the right when the steering is released from the hands.. please advice me

[@D3Sshooter]

Well to begin call me steve. Worn bearings make typical a grinding sound. An easy way is to drive the car and take sharp left turn, if the bearings at the right are gone you will hear an increased grinding - singing sound. Do the opposite for the other bearing. That is one method, the second method is to jack up the car and hold the wheel at 180 opposite sites and see if you can feel play buy puling and pushing on that wheel. In most cases warn bearings do not always cause the symptoms you describe, but they can.

[@MrGadgetMotorCo]

@@D3Sshooter Thanks a lot steve..

[@superduty4556]

Groovy intro, I like it.

[@D3Sshooter]

Glad you like it!

[@finitevolume]

Isnt like the faster the bearing turns the more the bearing load decreases since its more likely that the rollers gonna float on the lubricating oil film which is more stable at higher speeds? and low speeds are more critical when the oil cannot lift the bearing and its harder to avoid direct contact. I think its more about the side forces in this case. great video again btw

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments, great explanation

[@453421abcdefg12345]

An excellent job with attention to detail, not a job that would be done like this by a "professional" I am afraid, they want to see maximum profit, so many short cuts have to be taken, a very good idea of detaching the drag link from the hub ! That saves breaking another taper joint, using only best quality bearing is important, some of the cheap Chinese copies do not last very long, even on a trailer wheel. The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten, (B, Franklin). Stay safe! Chris B.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments, indeed

[@aaronthomas2302]

Great help, thanks!

[@D3Sshooter]

You're welcome!

[@maccmike8]

Great help thank you.

[@D3Sshooter]

Glad it helped

[@merlijniboy]

Another great video! If I may ask, what did you/do you do for a living?

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments, I am a full time network architect .. one that designs / develops communication networks. But did many jobs as a kid to pay for my study

[@christhjian9923]

I was just thinking about asking the same thing. :) Great video too and looking forward to the next one.

[@vayabroder729]

Definitely a man of many talents; we are all kindred spirits. I really like how clean and meticulous Steve is in his work; just the same way I like to do it too.

[@JoeRocket-sf6qs]

I Dig the new intro bro.😉

[@D3Sshooter]

Glad you like it

[@yardspeed13]

very good video, thank-you.

[@D3Sshooter]

Glad you liked it!

[@alexanderbogander2671]

excellent videos! Bedankt!

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks

[@RomfordGuy]

👍👍

[@freddieleethompson3536]

D3Sshooter is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.

[@NOONE-hp8bw]

Always something good

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments, I try

[@D3Sshooter]

I try, txs

[@freddieleethompson3536]

D3Sshooter I am a builder here in the UK so I enjoy your renovation work.

[@davidgibson5756]

We do know that we always get a professional, clearly described, and well presented demonstration. For which I am grateful.

[@pippynicky]

I think you installed the outer seal too far in. It should be level with the outer rim of the upright. Also you should make a point of inspecting that inner ridge just incase it was damaged when knocking the outer races out. I usually assemble the bearings and spacer with a thin oil without the seals and then using an old CV joint and a drive flange torque the nut up and check for correct movement of the bearings. No free play and no tightness on rotation. I have had tightness and looseness cured by changing the upright, bearings and or spacer. When I'm happy, I'll of course reassemble on the car with grease and the seals.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the tips and comments

[@hambon2k10]

How wide should that center spacer be ?? Thanks on advance ..

[@kerrygleeson4409]

👍🇦🇺👀

[@eddiebear8370]

What is a gator?

[@D3Sshooter]

a booth ?

[@eddiebear8370]

@@D3Sshooter A boot? Maybe.

[@JoeRocket-sf6qs]

That bearing was on backwards lol😂

[@D3Sshooter]

That was to drive backwards .... lol