How to inspect and repack wheel bearings

This video shows everything you need to know to be able to inspect and repack the grease into your vehicles wheel bearings! This is the same exact job for trailers, cars, and trucks that have the thrust style wheel bearings. I show absolutely everything you need to know and a bunch of extra stuff to make you feel confident to do the job yourself! Save money and start becoming a gearhead! Join us!
This is another episode of a new series on how to become a GEARHEAD! If you have ever wondered how people know so much about cars and are absolutely crazy about anything with a motor, then this is a great series for you. This is geared towards people that have no knowledge of cars but want to learn; however, the content in my videos does try to make solid connections between theory and practical applications so even seasoned gearheads will find the info useful. Tired of paying other people money to fix your car? Then ya gotta learn this stuff!
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If you have any questions about the video, please feel free to comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Time me....
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If you have any ideas for future content for this new series, please leave a comment down below!! Love what you watched? Have a product you would like to see used/reviewed on our show? Let me know with a message on Instagram
Music for this very special episode by :
Propeller - Silent Partner (No Copyright Music)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PbeY...
Thanks to Teknoaxe for his royality free music for our outro music. Please check out all of Teknoaxe's sweet music tracks!
www.teknoaxe.com
Max James - Farewell: • Max James - Farewell [...
Outro music is Sythwave E
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Way of the Wrench is looking for a collaboration with any KZbinrs out there hard at work making royalty free music, just send me a message with your link for consideration. If you have a tool/product that you would like us to review or use in our videos, send me a message to discuss details.
Disclaimer: These videos are intended for entertainment and inspiration. Working in a woodshop, metalshop, or autoshop is dangerous without proper safety and experience. Always seek professional advice and training before using any power tools/machinery. If you have any uncertainty before performing any shop procedure, stop and learn a safe method/technique. Do not attempt anything simply because you saw it in one of my videos. Be smart, use common sense, respect your power tools/machines, and be safe.

[@robindoshas1599]

Brilliant.... The explanation is perfect. I'm not even planning on doing this job anytime soon, and I still watched the entire video, it was that engrossing. Thanks, man!

[@wayofthewrench]

Thanks for the props Robin! Glad you liked the video, if you liked that one...you'll love my other ones on diy car tech, welding, or arcade projects. If you deem me worthy, I'd really appreciate it if you could share my channel on your social media so I can help more people. Thanks for the watch!

[@yoelroque3950]

Thank u for showing & explaining this video , I’m going to do mine the same way

[@wayofthewrench]

You're very welcome, glad I could help ya out! If you deem me worthy, I'd really appreciate it if you could share out my channel on your social media so I can help more people. Thanks for the watch and welcome to the channel! Cheers!

[@trickymiffy]

Excellent video on this procedure. Certainly a great education for the DIYer

[@wayofthewrench]

Thanks Nicholas! Just made a video that will be out in a couple days showing my tricks for replacing the tapered roller bearings in case you can't reuse/repack them. You'll have to check it out, plus it has my new intro. Thanks for the watch!

[@scassidy77]

Great videos! Thanks so much.

[@wayofthewrench]

Thanks, glad you're enjoying them! If you deem me worthy, I'd really appreciate it if you could share out my channel on your social media so I can help more people. Thanks for the watch and welcome to the channel!

[@michellet_thatsme]

Awesome video. Super detailed and Informative. Thank you!

[@wayofthewrench]

You're welcome Michelle! Glad you're liking the content and my teaching style! Cheers!

[@mond000]

Thanks! This was very helpful.

[@wayofthewrench]

I'm happy to help ya out. If you deem me worthy, I'd really appreciate it if you could share my channel on your social media so I can help more people. Cheers!

[@aubreystanley1124]

It's been thirty years since I have seen a brake drum caliper. I last used one in '88

[@wayofthewrench]

That's funny, I see them all the time but I run a shop and see a lot of different vehicles. Old muscle cars, trailers, 15 year old vehicles, dirtbikes, motorcycles....they all have them. They're out there....thanks for the watch!

[@tonyh5545]

Awesome video 👍

[@wayofthewrench]

Thanks Tony, glad you liked it!

[@bryans8193]

Great video and thank you for it! My hubs also came from the factory without washers so could you tell me the dimensions of that washer you installed? I have a 1 1/16 spindle which I think that's the same size as the one you were working on. Thanks

[@wayofthewrench]

I don't have the dimensions but if you go to your local auto parts store and bring you bearing or dimensions, they should be able to figure out some washers. They are very thin, think like .050" or so. Thanks for the watch!

[@jemt68]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. My seal came with what looks like a circular spring that I don't know if it came from the seal or it was a separate part

[@wayofthewrench]

Hrmmm, got a part number?

[@p51mustang31]

​@@wayofthewrenchmy (old) seal also had a small spring that looks like it was intended to retain the outside of the bearing. Unfortunately it got bent up while I was taking the seal out. I am wondering whether I need to find another one, or can do without it?

[@OverlandUSAHD]

My axle doesn’t have a cotter pin hole

[@wayofthewrench]

If your axle doesn't have a cotter pin then you have to use a locking nut like a nylock axle nut or sometimes there are special sprocket looking washers that you hammer over the nut and around the base to prevent it from loosening. Really make sure there isn't a hole though, sometimes they get filled with crap. Thanks for the watch!

[@SE45CX]

You mention kerosene for dissolving the rest of the grease out of the bearing. Would gasoline do just as well?

[@wayofthewrench]

No, never use gasoline as a cleaning agent. It is too volatile. You can use brake cleaner too.

[@SE45CX]

@@wayofthewrench Thanks for providing an answer. I don't understand what the problem is with "too volatile". I'm worried you might be too fanatic about health concerns. Gasoline is the cheapest solvent available. I don''t care about breathing in some slight gasoline fumes. The question remains: will gasoline hurt the bearing itself?

[@wayofthewrench]

Gasoline will not harm the bearing. When I say volatile, I mean explosive. Gasoline is not a solvent and should never be used as such....even though it does the job. I'm more concerned with a fire/explosion rather than breathing in....although that is not healthy as well. Huffing gas is no joke...lol.

[@rogerbanks5277]

When do we get to the packing the grease part…..reason why I clicked on this

[@wayofthewrench]

Hang in there..... you'll be glad you did. I promise.

[@paulsimin-gv6jj]

is this about the wheel bearing ? i am off time waster !

[@wayofthewrench]

This video is all about removing, cleaning, inspecting, repacking, and installing thrust style wheel bearings. Not sure what you're looking for but that's what this video is on. I have other videos on replacing this type of wheel bearings if you find they are no good during inspection and others on inspecting a bad bearing and replacing the newer wheel bearing assembly type bearings. Good luck finding what you need. Cheers!

[@Oldtech51]

Incorrect bearing adjustment. Must be a little play in bearings. .001" - .005" end play. DO NOT MIX the Red & Tacky with the X-TRA Heavvy Duty grease. They are DIFFERENT TYPES of lubricant, with different properties. The Red & Tacky is a lithium-based grease, while the X-TRA Heavy Duty is a synthetic grease that lubes better and lasts longer.

[@wayofthewrench]

Yeah I'd say that's about right and on some vehicles up to.010" would be acceptable. That's what your shooting for but most people don't have a dial indicator to check that. The method I showed is better than not feeling any play after backing off the castle nut to line up the hole in the shaft for the cotter pin and continuing to loosen another notch and having too much play. I would also recommend that the hub be checked for excessive heat shortly after driving it. It is a bit of a knack that you learn to feel what is correct. Even techs have issues with this so some companies like Toyota have service instructions that tell them to rotate the wheel hub with a fish scale and tighten the castle nut until they reach 15-17 lbs of force and then back off until the cotter pin can be installed. Sometimes you can't even get it where you want and a different thickness shim washer is used to get it better. Thanks for the watch and the tip!

[@Oldtech51]

@@wayofthewrench As a 40 year retired ASE master tech I think I've seen just about every bearing adjustment procedure out there. The Japanese do like their string and fish scale method for some reason. To temperature sensitive for my liking. The biggest problem with the majority of RV running gear components is the fact that they are Chinese made junk. Bearings and springs have very little safety margin. RV EZ Lube spindles are the worst thing ever in the hands of the general public. Be good, and if you can't be good be clean.

[@wayofthewrench]

Yeah if you bring temperature at install time into it, it changes again slightly. Yeah those ez lube systems seem nice but then people over grease/under grease them and don't have open them up to inspect them until its too late. I just about didnt inspect my bearings this year cause they seemed ok and I just did them last year but when I opened the one side up, the lower return spring for the brake shoes fell out/broke from age....so it was a good thing I did my inspection/relube. Ended up replacing the entire electric brake system on both sides. What shops do/did you work for? Cheers!

[@Oldtech51]

@@wayofthewrench I am retired now but I use to work for a large GM dealership in North east Ohio. We worked on everything. Smart cars to Kenworth trucks. I was primarily heavy duty trucks.

[@rogerbanks5277]

Am I on the wrong video??? Titled checking and greasing bearings and I’m learning about power brakes…..🤔😊🤔

[@wayofthewrench]

Nope, everything you need to know and so much more is in this video. I don't make short videos that show part of the job. I show everything you need to know and a bunch more so people will feel confident and they will remember the info long term. Some people make quick videos showing most of the steps but then you get to a point in the job where you still need a bit more info and end up looking for a video like mine or not doing the job correctly. Hope you will watch the video and see what I mean. Thanks for the critique, hope you stick around and learn more. Welcome to the channel!