Pressing front wheel bearings

[waqas]

I'm in the midst of replacing my front wheel bearings (well, the right side at least for now). I'm still trying to track down my high-pitched squeel, so the bearings are the latest to come under the knife.

• Do I need anything special to remove the old races from the hub?
• Instead of having the new races pressed in by a shop, can I simply heat up the outer races and push them in?

Thanks in advance!

[Allenh]

I think you are referring to the "inner" races that press into the bearing hub.  Please don't heat them.  I sincerely doubt MBZ is any different than any other automotive bearing in that regard.  First, heat will swell the race and create more of an interference fit and you can easily loose some temper of the steel and or cause some distortion of the precision circular shape.

Pressing them in is the right way.  I haven't had the need to replace my front bearings on my 230SL but I have many times on other cars over the years.  You can drive the old ones out wth a metal drift (solid punch etc.)  They will just be discarded.  you can find some cheap bushing driver sets that you can set up with a grade 5 or better 1/2" bolt and manually pull them in.  Just be sure the seats are totally clean so they seat correctly.  Its really a piece of cake.  If you can't find bushing drivers easily, use a socket to press against the races.   The inner bearing is fairly large so you might have to hut down a suitable tool to fit it. 

When I was a kid, and I had no other way, I put the bearing hub on a secure flat surface (the floor) and drove it in with a socket and hammer.  It worked.

Allen

[merrill]

Waqas,
for the inner race, I have read and tried freezing the race overnight which shrinks the race just a tad .

It makes pressing in the new race a little easier.

Typically I use the old race to press in the new race. (same size)

[waqas]

Thanks guys!

I actually meant freeze, not heat (I was still thinking about my recent rear wheel bearing replacement and mounting the inner race of that bearing to the axle spindle).

I was able to fit the outer races of the two bearings (inner and outer) into the hub after a few hours of keeping the bearings in the freezer (some tapping was still required). Luckily, I have this gigantic socket wrench set (3/4" drive), that has been most handy for tapping in/out bearings and seals of various sizes over the years. Probably the only thing I'd trust Chinese tools for. I'm currently waiting for the gasket shellac to dry on the inner seal before I tap it in.

Although I'd re-packed the front wheel bearings last year, I hadn't really taken off the hubs since I'd bought the car (I'd only re-packed the outer bearing, essentially). Well, on removal of the hub this evening, I saw the worst kind of crud coming out of the inner bearing. I've never seen grease turn into stuff like this. There were solid greasy flakes coming out of there. I'm not sure if this was the cause of my high-speed squeel, but I'm glad to have done this.

[Eminent]

There are many wheelbearing kits at ebay and so.
Most of them have the two bearings and the seal ring.
On the picture below there is also a retainer visible.
Why is this not in the kit?

[Naj ✝︎]

Because it is not a 'wear' item 

naj

[Eminent]

Sorry for my confusion.
But when i replaced my bearings a few months ago i didn't found that retainer.
If this should be there i guess it's a fault form the PO (or the garage) to leave it away.
And to put them back in will cost me a lot of money cause they are about 114 euro (167 dollar). 

[Benz Dr.]

They want 114 euros for one of those little grease retainers?!!  Someone at MB must be smoking crack before they sit down to price out parts......