The replacement of the bearing of the front hub of the VAZ-2109 is carried out in case of wear. From this material you will learn what signs of wheel bearings have a breakdown, how to carry out repairs yourself, without resorting to the services of specialists at the service station. The emphasis, of course, is on “white” methods, and “black” ones should not be preferred. Too dangerous they are - you can get injured and break the hub. But they, of course, will be examined briefly.
Symptoms of bearing failure
Of course, it is necessary to begin with what external signs of bearing failure are. After all, you need to determine exactly whether it needs to be replaced. You need to make a reservation right away - there is no option to confuse the signs with the breakdown of any other suspension element or drive. Start with the fact that there is a terrible howl when moving. Moreover, with increasing speed, it becomes louder and louder.
When driving in a car with a broken wheel bearing, you get the feeling that you are in an airplane that is gaining speed and is about to take off. Perhaps this is the main external sign of damage. To finally make sure of this, you will need to hang out the wheel and pull it with your hands sharply. If there is a backlash, the feeling that the hub is “walking”, then there is a destruction of the bearing. Of course, the nut on the hub can also be loosened, then backlash also appears. But if there is a drone, the replacement of the VAZ-2109 hub bearing is still necessary.
Repair Preparation
Prepare the car for repair. To do this, be sure to install wheel chocks. At least one support is also required. Of course, a special rack is desirable, but since its cost is high, not everyone can afford such a luxury. Therefore, you can use the cheaper option - a few wooden bars. If the rear wheel bearing is being replaced, then place the stops under the front wheels, and vice versa.
Next, you will need a tool. To carry out all the work as quickly as possible, you need to possess not so much skills as keys and pullers. There is simply no way to do without them in this matter. Remove the cap from the wheel on which the repair will be carried out. As a rule, there is a lubricant on it, so the nut will break off relatively easily. Now it’s worth talking about the tool that you will need to carry out the replacement.
What tool is needed
The most important thing is a special puller for bearings. It can also be independently made from a bolt, nut, thick washer and metal cup (not the one, of course, from which tea is drunk). But it will be easier to buy a finished puller, since it is relatively inexpensive. In addition, it can be used not only to repair the front bearing. When replacing a rear wheel bearing, it will also come to the rescue. The universal thing is simple, so buy, you won’t regret it!
Another, no less important tool is the 30 key. Unfortunately, they are extremely rare in stores. You will either have to look for it with friends, or make it yourself. However, the last thing is simple, you only need a head for 30 and a metal rod that you need to bend with the letter G, and grind the edge so that it has a square section. After that, install this edge in the head and boil it well. Only in this way can you achieve maximum rigidity. It is desirable to have a pipe segment for this key that will act as a lever - it is very difficult to unscrew the hub nuts. The reason for this is a big moment when it is tightened.
Pressing out the bearing
To remove the hub, you will have to do a few manipulations. Replacing the front wheel bearing of the VAZ-2109 takes place quite quickly, within half an hour you can repair one side. First, unscrew the nut. To do this, it needs to be decontaminated using a punch and a hammer. Then, using the key at 30, unscrew. Only after these manipulations can you raise the car and remove the wheel. Now you need to unscrew the nuts on the bolts that secure the hub to the rack. After you unscrew the two bolts from the ball joint. It remains only to pull the hub towards you to remove it from the splines of the drive.
Now the most crucial moment is replacing the VAZ-2109 front wheel bearing. We talked about the "white" and "black" methods of extracting the hinge. The latter is a method in which the hub is mounted on a suitable-sized support, after which the bearing is simply knocked out with a large hammer. The lesson is not easy, it takes a lot of time. Yes, and you can damage the hub without problems. For this purpose, it is better to use a puller, with it, the bearing will come out of the seat much faster.
Installing a new bearing
There are two ways to install a new bearing. If a puller is available, then you do not need to look for any complicated paths; press-fit with it. This is the best option. But if not him, then what to do? Elementary physics immediately comes to mind, namely, the expansion and contraction of metal. Replacing the front wheel bearing of a VAZ can take place relatively quickly if you adopt a couple of laws of physics.
You have two elements in your hands - a bearing and a hub. The latter can be expanded, and the first can be narrowed. The hundredths of a millimeter of difference is enough for you to easily carry out the installation. To do this, put the bearing in the cold. If in the winter it happens, in severe frost, then the matter is simplified. In the summer, you can throw it in the freezer. And now pay attention to the fact that the bearing has protection, it is made of rubber, which can melt at high temperature. Therefore, it is not necessary to warm up the hub for a long time. 60-70 degrees will be enough to make the bearing easily fall into place.
Hub assembly
That's all, now it remains only to let the hub cool down and start installing it. It is worth noting that the camber is broken. Therefore, before removing the hub, outline its position relative to the rack. Accuracy, of course, is not jewelry, but it will save you from tire wear. When the replacement of the front wheel bearing of the VAZ-2109 is completed, start mounting all the elements in the reverse order. Install the hub in the rack and fix the position with bolts.
Then attach the ball joint housing to the lower arm. By the way, when repairing a wheel bearing, there is no need to press out the ball, it is enough to unscrew the mounting bolts. Therefore, a special puller is not needed during the work. After the hub has taken its position, align it with the marks that you made before disassembling. Only then tighten the two nuts on the stand. Pay attention to the fact that the upper one has eccentric washers, with their help the camber of the front wheels is regulated.
Replacing the rear bearing
Replacing the rear hubs is even easier, since it is not necessary to remove the ball joint. Two bolts less. But if the brake system is changed, discs are installed, then you will have to dismantle the calipers completely. Only after that it will turn out to remove a nave. Otherwise, the replacement of the rear bearings is the same as described above. The same pullers, the same keys, everything is done by analogy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to note that the service life of bearings directly depends on the quality of the product. The grease in them is pressed from the factory, it is impossible to verify its presence on its own. Of course, as an option, you can remove the protective seal, but then the bearing will be damaged. But in this case, you can fill the grease yourself. To facilitate rotation of the bearings, it is possible to grease the entire axle shaft between them. But it’s better not to touch anything when replacing the front bearing. Just buy a spare part from a reliable manufacturer and hope that it is not a fake (which, incidentally, is very easy to determine by external signs).