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  #1  
Old 04-24-2006, 12:05 AM
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Wheel Bearing Question

I am a total beginner but thought, what the heck, I only paid $2,000 for the car so why not take a shot at it. I wanted to replace all of the rotors and pads, brake lines and see if the bearings needed attention. The car is a 1989 260E with 102,000 miles.

I started with the left front. First problem, which bolt do I remove. I thought I located the right one and making sure that it was going the right way, tried to loosen it. No go. Had to hit the wrench with a large hammer. It finally broke free. The extremely dirty pads almost fell out once I swung up the capliper housing. I decided to take the other bolt off as well to see what was next. Two large bolts held on the rest of the caliper. Went out and bought a 19mm socket and breaker bar. I had to jump up and down on the bolts but with a crack they both came out.

Next, the allen screw holding the rotor was stuck. New ones look like they have blue loctite on them. Went out and bought a 5mm 3/8 inch allen socket. Thought I might strip it, but by pushing in while pounding the socket wrench with fist broke it fee. Luckily with a few hits of the hammer the rotor came off.

Next, tried to remove the bearing cap. It is marked with a white line and a red dot. There is a white material around it, perhaps to seal it. Took a large screw driver and tried to twist it, but it was too tight. Next, tried to get leverage against the hub. Watch out. The metal on the hub can break off. Tried pounding it at an angle with the screw driver. The movement was almost unnoticeable however, little by little it came loose.

I scooped out the green grease with a finger. What I found is attached in the picture. There is a "nut" with what looks like an allen fitting marked with red. The three pronged flat propeller thing sits behind it. This spins freely.

Since it looks pretty good I might just put new grease in it and put the cap back on. Is there any significance to the fact that I turned the "propeller thing around. I don't think so but who knows? Is the red dot on the cap supposed to be oriented in some way? I read somewhere that it is but I cannot remember why. Should I put some teflon tape on the hub to seal the cap. I can see why they are sealed -- you don't what anything getting in there.

Lastly, assume that I want to take the bearings out, what is next? Loosen the allen screw? Does that allow the nut thing to twist off? What do you do with that radio thing? How do you get it off? How are the bearings adjusted. I researched this but no one ever talked about an allen screw, etc.

Thanks for your help.



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Wheel Bearing Question-bearing_sdfg.jpg  

Last edited by whunter; 11-28-2011 at 11:35 AM. Reason: attached picture
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  #2  
Old 04-24-2006, 01:12 AM
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Advice

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Old 04-24-2006, 01:35 AM
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Answer

Hello Educaid
1989 260E with 102,000 miles.

Brake:
Brake: - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum

Left front, it is obvious you found the correct caliper bolts.
Hitting the wrench with a hammer to loosen your caliper bolts is not unusual.

It is normal for the allen screw holding the rotor to be stuck, always replace with new ones, (they do have blue loctite on them).

The three pronged flat propeller thing sits behind it should not spin freely.

No, the red dot on the bearing dust cap does not matter.
Never use teflon tape on the hub to seal the cap.

To take the bearings out, loosen the allen screw, this allows the nut to spin off.
The radio thing = static noise ground, gently remove it, it is only pressed in.

How are the bearings adjusted.
is repacking front wheel bearing a DIY job?
is repacking front wheel bearing a DIY job? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum


PART NUMBER SEARCH RESULTS WITH PRICES
Vehicle 1989 Mercedes Benz 260E
Part: Front Wheel Bearing Kit, Note: 2 per car
SPECIAL ORDER SIP BEARING KIT,2013300251 - PeachParts



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Last edited by whunter; 11-28-2011 at 12:49 PM.
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Old 04-24-2006, 07:05 AM
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At this stage, repack the bearings

Finish removing rotor. Penetrating oil, 15 minutes and a mallet whack usually do the trick.
Pull out radio interference spring.
Loosen hex nut, unscew lock nut, remove 3-pronged washer.
Hub and bearings come off.

You need a new seal for the rear bearing. If you can't get a replacement, leave the existing one alone. Wipe out old grease, repack with new (assume you know how). Put bearings (and seal, if removed) back and place on spindle.
Put washer on and screw locknut on hand tight. Tighten while spinning until washer won't move (not too hard, now) then back off very slightly until you can begin to move the washer with a screwdriver. Set locknut with hex screw.
Put it back together with 1 notes:
1. You should use loctite on the caliper bolts (which I thought were actually 18mm) and torque correctly.
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Old 04-24-2006, 11:26 AM
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Sorry for the size of the file. I'll crop it.

Does the fact that the washer moves around mean the bearing is loose? Do you think driving heats it up to expand the parts so the washer gets tight? Its clear that it was never opened before.

It seems to me that the cap should be sealed somehow to keep moisture, dirt, etc. from contaminating the bearing.

Thank you for your help.
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Old 04-24-2006, 11:33 AM
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And make sure the hub is 100 % perfectly clean, before you install the new rotor.
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Old 04-24-2006, 11:37 AM
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Moving washer = axial freeplay

You don't want too much play there. MB purists waste entire afternoons (usually the same ones who waste entire lives trying to get their 1973 diesels to run perfectly) measuring the axial play with a spring-loaded dial indicator, but the Volkswagen method of a just-moving washer is probably even better. Basically, you want no axial play, but you don't want too much preload on the bearings either.

As long as you get the cap on snugly, with no dents around the seating surface or holes in the cap, it will seal fine.
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Old 04-25-2006, 11:49 AM
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The hub came off without a problem, but how do you remove the seal at the back of the hub? That thing is really stuck in there. The metal is fairly substantial and certainly does not look like a screw driver could fit between it and the hub. It looks like it needs a special tool to yank it out of there. Do you pound it out from the inside? I'm afraid to do that without hitting the rear bearing. Lastly, there is quite a bit of grease in the inside chamber between the front and rear bearings. Any reason why its there and should it be removed and replaced with new bearing grease? Thanks again for your help.
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Old 04-25-2006, 04:52 PM
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Answer:

Rip the seal out.
Clean the grease out of the hub and repack it.
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Old 04-25-2006, 05:07 PM
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simplest way to remove rear bearing seal: after taking out front bearing and washers, thread the nut back on and forcefully pull the rotor towards you, the inner bearing will strike the nut, removing the seal and leave both the seal and bearing loose on the shaft. it won't hurt the bearing and often leaves the seal in re-usable condition, but plan on replacing anyway.
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Old 04-25-2006, 05:38 PM
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I don't want to sound stupid or uneducated, but perhaps I am. The nut I assume is too large to pass through the inside of the inner bearing. Pulling on the hub (I think you meant hub instead of rotor) will cause the nut to strike the inner bearing which will then strike the seal and cause it to come out the back of the hub and stay on the spindle, correct? You say that won't mess up the bearing? Mr. Hunter says just jank it out. Using what? A pair of vicegrips? I think I'll get a piece of pipe with a flange to catch on the seal and then jank it up. If that doesn't work, I'll try using the nut, although I am somewhat concerned it would do something to the bearing. Sorry for my ignorance and thanks for the advice.
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Old 04-25-2006, 07:04 PM
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Answer

Quote:
Originally Posted by Educaid
I don't want to sound stupid or uneducated, but perhaps I am. The nut I assume is too large to pass through the inside of the inner bearing. Pulling on the hub (I think you meant hub instead of rotor) will cause the nut to strike the inner bearing which will then strike the seal and cause it to come out the back of the hub and stay on the spindle, correct? You say that won't mess up the bearing? Mr. Hunter says just yank it out. Using what? A pair of vice grips? I think I'll get a piece of pipe with a flange to catch on the seal and then yank it up. If that doesn't work, I'll try using the nut, although I am somewhat concerned it would do something to the bearing. Sorry for my ignorance and thanks for the advice.
Buy the bearing kit = use the nut to rip the bearing/seal out, because the kit has two new race and bearing.


PART NUMBER SEARCH RESULTS WITH PRICES
Vehicle 1989 Mercedes Benz 260E
Part: Front Wheel Bearing Kit, Note: 2 per car
SPECIAL ORDER SIP BEARING KIT,2013300251 - PeachParts

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Last edited by whunter; 11-28-2011 at 12:48 PM. Reason: repair link
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Old 04-25-2006, 08:37 PM
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According to the CD ROM for the 124 Series from Mercedes there is a drift, tool no. 202-589-00-15-00 which is used to drive out the inner bearing and seal. Perhaps a properly sized piece of galvanized pipe would serve the purpose. Any ideas what diameter pipe to use? The width of the hole in the seal is 1 11/16". Anyone got an inner bearing measurement?
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Old 04-25-2006, 10:23 PM
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Answer

You are making this overly complex.
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Old 04-27-2006, 01:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whunter
You are making this overly complex.


I did my front wheel bearings (all four) a couple of months ago for the first time. Still not sure I got the preload right but it works for now.

What I did for the seals was support the hub on a couple of blocks of wood, leaving space underneath the seal, then used a blunt object (1/2" extension, although a large brass drift or block of hard wood might work) + hammer to pound out the inner bearing and the seal from the other end of the hub. If you work carefully, go around the circumference of the bearing, and use moderate, but firm taps with the hammer, you shouldn't damage the bearing. Just walk the seal out a little bit at a time.

The bearing races are made from hardened steel, so it's unlikely they will be messed up, unless you use a similarly hard piece of steel and only hit it in one spot the whole time.

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