Dead Bearings

Post by **Syncro G** » 21 Apr 2008, 16:53

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A dead roller bearing off the back, it was a GSF one and had a survice life of about 2.5k miles. The amount of wheel play was alarming in the end and the noises from it were pritty loud too, as you'd expect.

Probubly did around 200 miles with it making a noticeable noise, not much at first but it soon developed into a howl which is when I had a better look and realised how scary the play was (the one before it got noisy but wasn't massively extra loose). In that distance, and for a while before the biggest obstical its concoured would be sheffield potholes (not small I know) and most the vans work has been on the motorway - that bearing has only been on 2 "laneing trips" and neather were hardcore so I'd recon it got far less abuse than some of you on here give to your trucks, seemingly with no bother.

SO, do they normally die like this (GSF bearings).
Is it a crap bearing that buckled on its own or
Did it fail due to hitting something hard?
Did it fail due to a bad houseing? Mine isn't very tight on the new bearing but this one wasn't bad when it went in aparantly.

Any views from the more expereanced greatly recived...

Post by **timtheenchanter** » 21 Apr 2008, 19:07

lots of threads in Techinal about early faliure on GSF bearings. Vetech made in China!
I have just ordered two kits for my Autosleeper Syncro from Brickwerks, spoke to simon this morning and seems a good guy who knows what he is talking about. Price not too bad either.

Post by **HarryMann** » 23 Apr 2008, 20:19

Did it fail due to hitting something hard?

No, never..

I hope mine aren't liek that yet, housing tolerance a bit on the marginally loose side on mine too (I thought).. but its maybe as much the spacer or the bearing, they perhaps should come in matched set with spacer...

Anyways, that looks like a lack of correct hardening and heat treatment to me.. throw it back at GSF (otherwsie they will never start to buy better!) Bearing outer races should never fail like that, they should eventually fail through inner track wear/pitting/galling i.e. surface bearing failure

All as long as they were installed correctly and that big nut wound up to whatever it is (350 ft-lbf) + to the next split-pin hole. I glued the inmost ball-bearing in mine with Loctite bearing-fit

Post by **dave friday** » 12 May 2008, 16:08

Hi all, i've just replaced the ball [made in Hungary ] and the roller {Germany ] bearings, both from VW here in Spain and there is still some end float!.I think that the roller bearing must be moving back and forwards [ its only held in place by the circlip ].maybe a shim put between the circlip and the bearing+ loctite would stop the movement?.

Post by **toomanytoys** » 12 May 2008, 18:54

The spacer between the bearings seems to get wear/crush from what I read......

Post by **HarryMann** » 12 May 2008, 19:13

I think that the roller bearing must be moving back and forwards [ its only held in place by the circlip ].maybe a shim put between the circlip and the bearing+ loctite would stop the movement?.

No,
the outside roller bearing is supposed to move (the inner race is meant to move Vs the outer race as the nut is done up and the whole assembly with internal spacer compressed together.) A roller can't take end loads anyway, unless a taper roller which it's not. So IMHO, the location of the outer race is not that importnat as long as its central enogh to the rollers when all done and dusted.

It's the inner ball bearing that provides lateral location/positioning and takes the end loads from cornering, and whilst mine and many I've spoken to say there is often still in/out movement after replacement, can't see why this occurs. However, provided it is minimal, many have said this is OK and 'normal'...

Simon,
It might be... but it looks far to thick-walled to get crushed, and even if it did, this design does not look to me like the type that requires any particular absolute dimension when compressed together e.g. unlike (Classic) Cooper 'S' Timken fronts and spacer, which do (the bearings and spacer came as a matched set)

I was told that as long as there is no rock or radial play, a little bit of lateral (in-out) is acceptable..

However, it might be a good idea to use Loctite Bearing Fit on the inner ball bearing's outer race when first driven into the housing

Post by **toomanytoys** » 12 May 2008, 19:56

OK Clive.. I am sure Bricky mentioned it ages ago.. I did think it would be a bit strange.. but like you say the roller doesnt do any lateral loads.. its all in the ball... I havent had one apart yet so I dont know exactly whats in there..

Post by **andysimpson** » 12 May 2008, 20:18

toomanytoys wrote:OK Clive.. I am sure Bricky mentioned it ages ago.. I did think it would be a bit strange.. but like you say the roller doesnt do any lateral loads.. its all in the ball... I havent had one apart yet so I dont know exactly whats in there..

Yes your coorect the end float is controlled by the inner bearing rather than by the more normal double taper roler, it needs some clearance so it does not seize, the side effect of this is end float.

Post by **toomanytoys** » 12 May 2008, 21:03

so it prob depends on the qualty of the bearing and how much tolerance it has to start with then...

Post by **dave friday** » 12 May 2008, 21:23

Oh! i meant to say ballbearing caus its what controls the end float .

Post by **HarryMann** » 12 May 2008, 22:48

Yes, and those GSF ones seem real slackers