Funfettie
10+ Year Contributor
- 419
- 2
- Sep 19, 2011
-
Menomonie,
Wisconsin
Hay tuners,
I'm a bit blown away by an issue I found this morning. I've been building/restoring a 98 GSX for a few years, and recently moved over the past weekend. All four corners received new bearings (along with literally new everything), OEM bearings in the back, Precision bearings in the front (Oriley's brand of federal mogul I believe). Upon moving, I pushed the car ~40 feet onto a trailer, and another 40 feet into its new home. That is it.
I noticed this morning that the eyeball alignment I gave it when installing the front end was further off than I remembered. Jacked it up, grabbed hold of the wheel and found the bearings are completely toast. Wheels are tight to the hubs. Checked the lugs to make sure I wasn't loosing my mind. The outer race of the bearings is still firmly in place as it was when I torqued them in a few months back. The inner race of the bearings has an incredible amount of play to the outer.
I work in the manufacturing industry, we have a 3 year shelf life rule for sealed bearings as the grease can begin to break down and cause premature failures. I would assume this could also apply to wheels bearings?
Has anyone ever run into this issue? Are there any guidelines to maintaining sealed wheel bearings while a project car is being built? Do wheel bearings actually have a shelf life?
Car was kept in climate controlled garage, the fiance's project 2g was next to mine, her bearings have no signs of premature failure.
Thanks all!
-Tanner T.
I'm a bit blown away by an issue I found this morning. I've been building/restoring a 98 GSX for a few years, and recently moved over the past weekend. All four corners received new bearings (along with literally new everything), OEM bearings in the back, Precision bearings in the front (Oriley's brand of federal mogul I believe). Upon moving, I pushed the car ~40 feet onto a trailer, and another 40 feet into its new home. That is it.
I noticed this morning that the eyeball alignment I gave it when installing the front end was further off than I remembered. Jacked it up, grabbed hold of the wheel and found the bearings are completely toast. Wheels are tight to the hubs. Checked the lugs to make sure I wasn't loosing my mind. The outer race of the bearings is still firmly in place as it was when I torqued them in a few months back. The inner race of the bearings has an incredible amount of play to the outer.
I work in the manufacturing industry, we have a 3 year shelf life rule for sealed bearings as the grease can begin to break down and cause premature failures. I would assume this could also apply to wheels bearings?
Has anyone ever run into this issue? Are there any guidelines to maintaining sealed wheel bearings while a project car is being built? Do wheel bearings actually have a shelf life?
Car was kept in climate controlled garage, the fiance's project 2g was next to mine, her bearings have no signs of premature failure.
Thanks all!
-Tanner T.