Checking front wheel bearings on cars with front driveshafts

[wagonist]

After recently having a knocking noise coming from my front suspension, I discovered that the normal way of checking for front wheel bearing failure doesn't work on cars with a front driveshaft.

The original way is to jack the wheel off the ground & try to jiggle it top & bottom to see if the bearing had collapsed.

Because the car has a front driveshaft, this won't work.

The reason is that the driveshaft is pushed in from the back of the hub. A nut is then done up on the other side squeezing the whole assembly together around the bearing. You therefore, don't have any play, even if the bearing is stuffed.

The way to check is:

1. Remove the nut from the end of the axle. This will be different on different cars. Generally it will involve removing the wheel, & some sort of lock for the nut (either a split pin, or a knock in part)
2. As the assembly is no longer captive, if the bearing is stuffed, there will be movement. The assembly should still be tight if the bearing is ok

This was not actually the issue with my car.
Instead, the part of the hub which the wheel & disc bolted to, & is pressed into the centre of the bearing, had worn. This caused the bearing to longer be a press on fit.
I could've simply replaced this part, but chose to do the bearings anyway seeing as I had access to a press & the whole thing was apart anyway.

[The Witzl]

My experience with FWD Toyota Hub Nuts:
They are usually a 30mm nut, so you need a Deep 30mm impact socket to undo it. THey are also VERY TIGHT.
My normal method is:
# jack that wheel up, take of wheel, remove split pin and nut locking cover thingy
# put wheel back on (removing centre cap if your wheel has one), lower the car back down
# with the normal weight of the car on the wheel, attempt to undo the nut. You will more than likely need a manipulator (aka breaker bar)

[wagonist]

Thanks for that addition, Witzl.

I have a 3/4" drive 30mm socket (I don't think it's an impact socket though) with an adaptor for a 1/2" drive breaker bar. I then also have a 4' piece of Gal pipe to use as an extension.

Anyone got an idea of what kind of torque these nuts are supposed to be done up to?

[The Witzl]

I have a 3/4" drive 30mm socket (I don't think it's an impact socket though) with an adaptor for a 1/2" drive breaker bar. I then also have a manipulator.

fixed for you.. =)

As for teh torque. I wouldnt know, i just do them up really tight.

[wagonist]

heh heh.
I thought you were refering to the breaker bar being the manipulator, not the pipe extension?
What WST tool number is the manipulator?

On my first 2 cars (mid 80's Subarus) I was able to get away with using a monkey wrench on the axle nuts because the shafts stuck out so far.