Front wheel bearing cup in knuckle

dago_red · Post by **dago_red** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:19 am

Not long after starting to tear into the front axle on my A1, I found that the cup for one of the front wheel bearings was spinning in the hub. This is the outer bearing cup. It was no doubt due to the lack of maintenance by PO. The cup (race) looks ok otherwise, just that it is loose in the hub. How loose? Loose enough to shift with greasy fingers.

I assumed that this would make the hub unuseable and I've started the search for a replacement hub. But first I thought I'd ask here: is it shot, or is there a fix?

53a1 · Post by **53a1** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:59 am

A new race, bearing and hub will fix the problem but here is another idea.

There are some good thread lock products these days and I think they make something for bearing races. The product should list how much of a gap is allowable.

Let me know how it works out because I need to do the same thing on a motorcycle.

idiocrates · Post by **idiocrates** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:10 am

Undoubtedly the only proper way to repair this situation is as the others have indicated....new bearing cones and cups and a new hub. With that said....what I found when I rebuild my front axle was that at some point my cups must have spun also but what they did to tighten up the cups was to dimple the inside of the hub where the cup goes with a center punch. I don't know how long ago this had been done but apparently the new cups they put in had not re-spun. I guess the way this works is that when the center punch is struck the metal around the point of the punch tends to raise presenting a slightly smaller opening to the cup. Probably a bubba fix on an extemely tight budget.....might even have been a back of the huntin cabin fix.....and while I don't recommend it....it seems to have worked. But then whoever had this poor jeep prior to me was apparently center punch happy. He used it here to tighten the wheel bearing cups, he used it on the lower king pin cups, and he used it to dimple all around the rear end of the intermediate shaft in the transmission to tighten it up in the case. Kinda sad to see some of the abuse these jeeps get......do yourself proud and fix it right.

dago_red · Post by **dago_red** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 9:54 pm

I finally punched out the wheel bearing cups in that hub; the inner cup was trashed, but fit properly in the hub. The outer failed on both points: no good and just about popped out of the hub on its own.

Just for drill, I took the inner cup and placed it where the outer cup goes. It almost went in by hand! I can safely say the hub is no good and I never was inclined to try the dimpling trick. A replacement hub is cheap and pretty easy to find.

Post by **wesk** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 8:42 am

The loose bearing cup on the steering pivot is not a big problem. Remember this bearing only rotates about 27.5 degrees each direction. It does not spin continuously like a wheel bearing. There are several ways to hold the cup still. Staking or dimpling the adjacent metal is one way, using lock tite brand bore filler is another, using metal based epoxies is another and using a new hub is another. Staking will handle about .001 loose cups. The epoxies are rated in the .001 to .003 range. If your cup seat is worn more than that then of course go with a new hub.

dago_red · Post by **dago_red** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:06 pm

Wes, are you referring to the hemisphere at the end of the axle tube when you say "replace the hub"? That's where the pivot/kingpin bearing cup sits. If that cup was too loose (after any fix) the axle would have to be replaced, no?

I have a line on a hub. I just popped the drum off the bad hub today- used a hand impact wrench (type you hit with a hammer to dislodge the screws). That will take care of the bad wheel bearing cup surfaces problem. The kingpin bearing cup surfaces are ok.

On another note, hit a garage sale today and picked up a hub puller (last thing I thought I'd see, but the old boy had been a Packard fan back in the day) for $15 . Made in USA probably 50 yrs ago. In great shape and it beats paying the high ebay price. Rear axle work can now proceed, once the front is dealt with.

Thanks for all the input.

Post by **wesk** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:23 am

Wheel bearings are in the hub and pivot bearings (king pins) are in the knuckle. Your title refers to knuckle and your post seems to pertain to the hub's wheel bearing races.

I am referring to the sphere at the end of the axle tube which is often referred to as part of the knuckle assembly. The necessity to replace the entire axle housing is why I mentioned several more sensible and less costly solutions.

dago_red · Post by **dago_red** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:04 pm

Thanks Wes, we're on the same page.