Have to replace these shortly. I'm happy to tackle the hub removal. Regarding the bearings; how much of a PITA is it to get em out? Do I really need a 50 tonne press? I know its usually the inner race that gives the prob. On my motorbike I normally use a dremel to cut the race, and heat/cold to remove it.

Asking local garage is an option I will investigate also.....I just get a kick out of doing it all myself wherever possible!

can be done with a big hammer but its hassle

I am considering buying a 6 tonne press....only about 70 quid. Still comes in cheaper than getting the garage to do both sides. Are those presses up to the job? I do also have a massive vice at my disposal.....

borderline really...some go easier than others

id say you want bigger than 7t

12 tonne press...84 quid....still works economically.

I've heard of people using the weight of their car as a makeshift press to try and get bearings out. Important word there is 'try' =P
I happened to be lucky enough, to be allowed to use the big press at my college when I changed one of my bearings.

Edited 12 March, 201610 yr by SeagullChips

I managed to remove / fit a bearing with a big vice, and a lot of careful grinding to get the race off the hub.

Used a press the second time and it was a little easier.

Cut the old outer bearing race longways, and can use that to press the new bearing in without the old one getting stuck in there too.

Good call on that! Have done that before with my motorcycle bearings, so I think I'm up for giving it a try. Have ordered the bearings on line. The Polo is only worth about 600 quid, so it has to be worth it!!

I have just done this job with a threaded rod kit which comes with a load of adapters which I don't think wasn't any more than £35 on Ebay and can be used many times. When installing the new bearings use an antiseize compound like copper coat to make the job easier and if you need to repeat the process in the future. It was done with the struts out of the car and they are the one piece type. Potentially it could be done on the car this way with the driveshafts removed of course. The old bearings may disintegrate when been taken out leaving the inner race on the hub. (especially if the inner circlip is rusted in) If that's the case use any angle grinder to cut a groove on an angle very carefully in the race. When you think you may have most of the way through the inner race then carefully use a cold chisel in the groove you have cut to "spring" the groove so it will become loose and slide off the hub. So this seems to be about half the price of a press and you get all the adapters you need. Try this web address: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wheel-Bearing-Removal-Professional-Tool-Set-Kit-For-Front-Wheel-Drive-Heavy-Duty-/252134896364?hash=item3ab46932ec

Regards

Phil

yeah those kits work pretty well , I've used them too

can freeze the new bearing over night to help it go in too

Surely spending about £15 at a friendly garage saves an awful lot of arseing around for a one-off job?

What car is this on?

Surely spending about £15 at a friendly garage saves an awful lot of arseing around for a one-off job?

some garages get pissy then try charge 30 each to remove the bearings all because there not doing the job hence they get funny sometimes. well the garages round my area are.

I got a mate that will do that for a few quid, gutted if you havnt got any friendly garages :( is that kit just for removing the bearings? Never sceen anything like that before, i wonder if it would be any good for pushing rear bushes in axles ect on other cars.

Someone told me to put the bearing in a freezer over night and them put the hub in the oven so it's red hot then quickly give it a wack in

Might have been someone on here? I would just take it to a garage though and pay some beer money for it to be pressed in, surely someone will be happy enough to put a score in their pocket for five minutes of work

Someone told me to put the bearing in a freezer over night and them put the hub in the oven so it's red hot then quickly give it a wack in

Might have been someone on here?

That was for the rear hubs not the fronts :)

Haha oh yeah it was you [emoji38]

Be careful with heating the bearing. The grease usually has a max rating of 120 deg.C and will quite happily run out. With the upright and bearing being steel, you don't gain much clearance by freezing the bearing especially with all the corrosion that's usually there. I tend to go with the press/studding and the slit old outer race.

If it's a mk2/f, getting the inner race off the hub is an utter pain. When I've done it, I've normally been lazy and bought a new hub, they're not particularly expensive.

The bearing normally comes out of the carrier fairly easily given a decent sized hammer and an impact socket.