repack wheel bearings -- how often?

[userzweig]

Hi All,

I was looking through my Haynes manual and they suggest having the front wheel bearings repacked every 12,000 mi.  Does this sound right?  Also, does anyone know how much it should cost (it is getting harder to find someone to do it, even in San Francisco, so it'd be nice to get a base number before I shop around).

Thanks,

Bruce

1971 Copper 280SL Automatic

[JimVillers]

Bruce .... Very interesting question.  This maintenance job is not listed among the scheduled tasks so there is no "official" interval.  

At this point in the age of the cars, if you are not sure that the rear bearings have been repacked, do it now.  It is a reasonable job, probably 2-3 hours per side.

Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-Speed, 190E 2.3-16 Kompressor, MGB 5-Speed

[al_lieffring]

The original P.M. schedule for a 280sl called for the grease cap on the front hubs to be removed, cleaned and filled with new grease on the "E service". I don't recall the interval, 15,000 miles?

Usualy the front wheel bearings were only removed and repacked if the rotors were replaced or the front end was disassembled for repairs.
I'm sure this routine hasn't been followed so repacking the front wheel bearings would be a good idea. When I did mine I found that the bearings had become pitted from sitting in the same position for over 20 years and needed to be replaced.

This job is the same as any other rear wheel drive car, (I was able to get the new bearings off the shelf at a NAPA store) and doesn't require any special tools or skills. But finding someone familiar with these cars would be a good idea.

Al

66 230sl
113-042-10-014715
904/396 blue, Ivory Tex
condition: not-as-rusty-as-before-bucket

[Vince Canepa]

The "E" Service was every 12,000 miles for the W113.  FYI, the "C" Service was every 3,000 miles (oil & filter, chassis lube) and the "D" Service was at the 6,000 mile mark (same as "C" plus a few other items).  The "E" Service was the big service.  The problem with nearly all the cars is that the services were expensive and not that many cars actually received the full ritual during their lifespan.  That is why you see so many front end problems.  My car had the full ritual since new and still has it's original control arm bushings and king pins after 150,000 miles.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[userzweig]

So, it sounds like the front bearings need to have fresh grease every 12,000 mi or so.  One probably needs to remind non-MB mechanics to do it along with the suspension lubrication at oil change.  It apparently takes some MB-specific knowledge to get the amount of grease in the hub just right (TOPIC_ID=625), if you really want to get it right.  The bearings might need adjusting or replacing if some of the lubrication has been off.  I remember reading that a squeal on hard turns is an indicator of a need for bearing adjustment (TOPIC_ID=3599).

However, the rear bearings seem to be a much bigger job, and should get repacked eventually.  I have 150,000 mi, maybe it's time.  Apparently the rear bearings use a special spherical roller bearing for the right side and a standard bearing on the left (TOPIC_ID=4882), so I guess I should just go ahead and order them before starting since they will probably need replacement now that they've been there for 35-40 years.

Thanks for all the advice!

1971 Copper 280SL Automatic

[Vince Canepa]

Just to be clear, as Al states, it is only required to clean out the grease in the grease cap and renew it.  It does not require disassembly of the hub and repacking of the bearings themselves.  The grease circulates in service, so refreshing the grease in the cap extends the repacking interval.

There is a specific quantity (by weight - in grams) of grease M-B recommends.  I don't have it handy - maybe somone else can chime in.

Of course, these cars are very old now and most don't see the annual mileage M-B anticipated, so all service becomes calendar driven rather than mileage driven.

Vince Canepa
1967 250SL
113.043-10-001543
568H Signal Red
116 Caviar MB-Tex

[hands_aus]

quote:Originally posted by userzweig

However, the rear bearings seem to be a much bigger job, and should get repacked eventually.  I have 150,000 mi, maybe it's time.  Apparently the rear bearings use a special spherical roller bearing for the right side and a standard bearing on the left (TOPIC_ID=4882), so I guess I should just go ahead and order them before starting since they will probably need replacement now that they've been there for 35-40 years.

Thanks for all the advice!

1971 Copper 280SL Automatic

I was advised to replace my rear wheel bearings at the same time as I had my rear axle rubber mounts/bushes replaced.
Turned out that the bearings were perfectly OK even at 160K miles.
In fact the mechanic asked me to return the RHS bearing so he could re-use it in someone elses' car as it was a Friday and he couldn't get a new bearing until the next working day (Monday) and the owner wanted to drive the car to Sydney, 1000Km away. Then on to Adelaide for the Classic Car Rally and return. Shows how good the bearing was.

The job turned into a very expensive exercise in over servicing at my expense.
All I wanted was new axle and spring rubbers..... probably half a days work instead of 29,5 hours charged at $120.00/hour.

My point....
If you can do the job yourself, then the time cost is eliminated. If not, be aware of the potential labour cost involved.

This might be a job you could 'check the grease' and leave all else alone until you need to replace axle bushes.

Bob Smith (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto

[userzweig]

I saw that Haynes recommends filling the cap half full with grease (easier than weighing it), so I just did it today for the first time and it took about 10 minutes (and 3 latex gloves, they sure are great for grease work!).  So, I guess I'll just do it every year or so since I only put about 5,000 mi on each year.  I'll probably do a full repack next time the rotors get replaced, which hopefully won't be for another 5-10 yrs.

Bruce

1971 Copper 280SL Automatic