Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I have just replaced my front wheel bearings and all seals in my front axle / swivel hub assembly of my 90 model LWB GQ Patrol and I am getting a lot of heat through the hubs.

I have have packed the bearings correctly and I have also greased every part in the entire stub axle assembly and have torque tensioned the hub nut to the listed torque specification to seat the bearings.

I have then taken the pressure off and then done it back up to a fraction over finger tight and made sure there is no sideways play in the rotor and then applied the locking hub nut.

After doing all this I am getting quite a bit of heat in the locking hub area so much so it is hard to touch the hub area to lock in the hub.

I have read a few posts but was wondering if anyone had had the same problem with NEW wheel bearings and seals and if anyone had found a reasonable answer?

Any thoughts would be appreciated as I don't remember the hubs ever being as hot with the old bearings and seals as they are now.

Replaced my bearings a few weeks ago, have the same problem.

Do you get alot of noise while the hubs are locked? The problem with my hubs is that some of the components were fitted the WRONG way (and one side is missing some components).

I'm leaving it be at the moment, going to replace the entire diff (mine has a weld in it where the previous owner attempted to repair a crack... the weld is horribly done.)

Mine were always the same from day 1.. after a day on the tracks, they were hot enough to burn your fingers. never figured it out...

I have the same issue.. thaught it might be barings.. but had them checked and all ok.. it's been like that for 6mths now with no problem.. (besides hot fingers sometimes) all i can figure is that the brakes must drag a bit, causing the heat.. was really bad after new disks/pads for a couple of weeks, you couldnt touch the hub for more than a few seconds after a long run, but now they are just hotish.. beats me.

me and some mates have had this problem a couple of times and found its a combination of things like
1. to much grease in the free wheeling hub and drive clutch
2. both hub nuts on to tight
3. working with 2, free wheeling hubs pulling hub outwards against hub nuts and stub axle.

they way we "fixed"(loosely) is to pull the hubs apart after a week or 2 of driving and loosen everything and re-tighten to manual specs, ie hub nuts to i think off the top of my head 165Nm - 196Nm then lossen and re tighten to 3-5Nm spin and tighten and FWH bolts to 35-45Nm

ever had a look to see how close the brakes are...
u know brakes get red hot rite...
and there attached... heat spreads threw steel...

Mousie wrote:ever had a look to see how close the brakes are...
u know brakes get red hot rite...
and there attached... heat spreads threw steel...

And brake pads arent spring loaded either, SO they will drag ever so slightly


I wouldnt worry about it, The hi-temp grease will hold together fine

Hey Froon,

I am not getting any excess noise while the hubs are locked in although I have only taken it on relatively short test drives on and off road with in 5km from home. So in short I am not hearing anything unusual.

As far as parts go they were pretty much taken out and returned in order a side at a time to avoid any problems like that as I was a bit nervous my memory would start to fail as soon there was more than one way to fit an item.

Sucks about having to replace you diff!

Hey Bogged,

My step brother has the same problem but he does about 500 - 1000 km's per week with his work and he has not had any further problems apart from the heat so is happy to let it ride for te time being.

See how it turns out for him I guess as it is a good accelerated test for how mine might turn out!

Hi to everyone who has taken the time to respond!

I appreciate your time and thoughts with my little problem.

To 90Mav,

Yeah I have pulled the assembly apart a few times after short test drives and have not noticed any damage or wear occuring which I thought was either strange for the amount of heat or lucky becuase I had not driven it very far.

To Kurzo,

Yeah I am leaning towards the possibility that with new seals and new grease that may have been a little to packed full, that it is all causing more friction than I had before hence thre reason they were not as hot as this before. I know that I did really grease the clutch mechanism so that could be the start.

And I did the torque specified to seat the bearings although I could not do the 3-5nm as my torque wrench does not go down that low so opted for the older finger tightneing by feel to remove sideways play in the bearings.

To Mousie,

Yeah I have considered the brakes although the hubs were not as hot before and I don't see why the brakes would be my first point of search in the problem as I did not press the brake pedal with the them off the rotor so the calipers were in the same position as when I took them off without the problem.

I also know that the rotor is in nearly the same position after I seated the bearings because the brake caliper won't go on if the bearings are not seated properly allowing the rotor to sit correctly although the rotor could be a few mm out due to new grease and bearings so maybe I do need to overhaul the caliper slides etc. but yeah that is my next point to check if I am happy that there is nothing wrong with the hub assembly / bearing area.

To Pongo,

Yeah I do have high temp and pressure grease but am still a little nervous about it chewing the bearings out or damaging all my new seals, etc.

Thanks to everyone! Anymore suggestions thoughts would still be appreciated.

Mousie wrote:ever had a look to see how close the brakes are...
u know brakes get red hot rite...
and there attached... heat spreads threw steel...

Mates car with same setup as mine never got anywhere near as hot... Maybe needle bearings in hub are kaput

I have the same problem with auto hubs on a GU, been like that ever since i had it with no dramas besides the heat.

However i recently discovered it is only when in the "Auto" position, when turned to "locked" they are normal or cool to touch. They seem to only get hot when in the auto position, regardless of 2wd or 4wd being engaged, short or long run etc etc.

Beats me - lockers going in soon so we'll see what happens after that

thought i'd ask this while the topic is still hot, but does leaving gu auto hubs in lock 24/7 do any damage over time??
i have hot hubs to, and just thinking what "benhl" said about his hubs not get hot in the lock position!!

any thoughts!?

cheers

Hey Bogged,

The Needle bearings in the hub are brand new.

Every seal and bearing that is in the whole hub, axle and diff has been replaced with brand new bearings and seals that have been lubricated and or packed before assembly.

Thanks anyway though!

Hi Benhl,

My hubs get hot whether in the lock or free wheel position although I believe that they heat up faster in the free wheel position. The reason I believe is that there might be less friction in the locked position as the entire stub axleis turning with the wheel.

Simcoe,

I don't believe that having auto hubs in lock all the time will do any damage if your vehicle is not in four wheel drive. If anything it would be keeping the guts of your diff lubricated I guess.

dirtydog16 wrote:Hey Bogged,

The Needle bearings in the hub are brand new.

Every seal and bearing that is in the whole hub, axle and diff has been replaced with brand new bearings and seals that have been lubricated and or packed before assembly.

Thanks anyway though!

yea, was thinkin about mine at the time... Never fixed it, never worried about it on mine

I'd say drive it and see if they get any better. Could be that the bearings need time to settle and the grease to bed it.

Anyway...bring it on Tuesday night

Cheers

Andrew