Vitara Front Wheel Bearings

[Goldey]

Can someone please tell me how they have replaced their front wheel bearings on their Vit's. They have a you beaut special nut that requires a special Suzuki only tool that retails for ...........wait for it!!!!!! $220

My drivers side wheel has a slight wobble from top to bottom and the passengers side is fine at the moment, but have decided to replace both sides as a matter of insurance. The only thing is as this is my daily driver as well I don't want to get half way through the job and find I can't get the bearing nut undone.

What have some of you guys done in the past?

Thanks in advance

Goldey

[rodw]

Goldey,

I think most people just use a cold chisel or punch. I did my bearings and got one off by puting a couple of phillips screwdrivers in the holes and turning with a lever, but the other would not budge. When I looked, somebody had been there before me with a cold chisel, so I followed their lead. You can't set to the right torque when you do them up, but if you make sure they are tight and turn without any binding, you should be fine... Did mine 18 months ago, no probs since...

You'll need somebody with a press to get the bearing races off. Just take the hubs to a garage and ask them to press off the old ones and press the new ones on.

[rosie]

I've been looking at this too. I replaced my passenger one and they both have slight wobble. I was told that my hubs have probally streched and need replacing. Does this sound correnct and if so if it really dangerous?

How tight do you usually need to do the Vitara hubs up? Suzuki told me that they use a large bar on the special tool and have to apply a bit of pressure to tighten them.

Also, I needed a good quality press to get mine out as they have a tapered housing that was a bugger to use.

Thanks, Ben

[rodw]

You should be tight enought that there is no wobble, but still be able to rotate the wheel by hand without feeling any binding. It probably should not spin freely.

[Goldey]

Well, got the drivers side hub off last night. The bearing nut was a piece of piss to get off. Now for the really difficult part. Getting the old outer race out of the hub....hhhmmmm.

Have brought it into work and a guy is laying down some weld on one of the race faces so we can get some purchase for the press to push on. Another option I had not considered was using the old inner race and bearing cage to push on. This would probably bugger the inner race, but who cares, they're being replaced by new anyway. Either way should have the hub back on this arvo.

Another question, when I removed the freewheel hub I noticed the inner cup seems to be a bit slack and wobbly, ie like there's a bearing in the freewheel part that's shagged. Is this normal and does it tighten up somehow when the hubs are locked?? Have previously only owned a full time 4wd, so freewheeling hubs are new ground for me.

Also the drive shaft seemed to have a bit of play in it coming through from the bottom strut mount to the back of the hub. I assume this will tighten up once I get the new bearings back in and preload them properly with the nut.

Thanks guys

Goldey

[treebruiser]

lay some weld on the race face and it should just tap out............... it worked for me.

[Goldey]

Well, after a few welds layed on the race face and acouple of taps out she came. New one has been pressed in, just got to reassemble this arvo and take the passenger side one out and do the same again.

Thanks Guys

[FullbackNo1]

that is how i did mine put a weld on it the hit it out with a punch