Thread: RRC Hub disintegration

Hi Folks,

A keen reader of the threads here - lots of useful info. Thought I'd post an experience I had over the chrissy break with my 93RRC, as a warning for those that have no idea when their bearings were last serviced. On my way to the high country from Melbourne when near Seymour (100kms away) had a little noise from the rear of the car and a slight feedback in the steering. Cut a long story short, I was down to snails pace by the time I get to the outskirts of melbourne - stopping every 20 mins or so to pour water over the rear hub. Anyway pics tell the story. I've only had the car for about 20k kms and a bearing check was on the to do list - alas too late. Should have heard it coming but I'd rotated the tyres not long ago and they were making a bit of a racket so couldn't hear much from the rear end. Out of interest - the bearings that went (rear right) were the only ones that were grease lubed - the other three corners had the inner oil seal removed and ran diff lube in the bearings - all of those were fine. Ended up spending a few days over the break rebuilding the hub and servicing/replacing all the wheel bearings on the car. Needless to say the hub, stub axle, and half shaft all had to be replaced. Only cost $200 so wasn't too bad. Incidentally, we got to where we were planning to go that day (about 5 hrs later than we'd planned) - in a landcruiser but.

races_stub.jpg
Destroyed stub axle, and sad looking bearing races. Heat deformation of the stub axle prevented the half shalf from being removed. Replaced the half shaft out of concern that the heat treatment would have been affected.

rollers.jpg
Rollers work better (and are quieter) when they're round :-)
cheers,
Nik

thanks for showing others that there are things that go around and around,
and fail if not looked after.
i have just been checking my rears and found a failed seal [i actually want grease in my bearings, not diff oil, something to do with not wanting a transfer of rubbish either way - that's me]
and welcome to site.