Installing Bearings and Hubs, ...another step-by-step Options

[Eric_Shea]

After Saturday’s bushings install came Sunday’s bearing install. The factory manual can be quite vague on most subjects; lessons that become clear only after doing it so… hopefully this can clear things up a bit regarding installing rear bearings:

Step 1 – If you haven’t taken out your old bearings then you’ll want to do that. If the hub is in then you’ll need to drive it out of the control arm. This varies from a “light tap” to a “full blown slam”. You will ruin your old bearing but… that’s what we’re doing here. Find a suitable drift. Porsche calls it a P297a (better known as a suitable drift). I use an old 911 rear torsion bar. Once the hub is out you’ll need to drive out the bearing. Again, a vague reference to a “suitable thrust piece” to drive it out. After the hub is out you’ll see the lip on the backside of the bearing. Use a hardened punch and slowly tap out the bearing moving the punch from 9:00 to 3:00 to 12:00 to 6:00… you get the picture. Slowly so you don’t lodge it sideways in the bearing pocket and damage the control arm. Make sure the punch is resting on the bearing edge and not scoring the pocket surface. Save an old bearing housing…

[Eric_Shea]

Step 2 – Freeze your bearings. Do this as soon as you get them so they’ll be ready to go once you have prepped the control arm. This really does help. The tolerances are extremely tight. The cold bearing going in the room temperature housing give you the advantage.

[Eric_Shea]

Step 3 – Prep the arm. I like to lightly rub some 600 grit wet-dry in the bearing pocket just to feel for burs and to clean anything up. Don’t wrench on it just clean it up.

[Eric_Shea]

Step 4 – Install your now frozen bearings. I’ve seen these range from a virtual “drop in” fit to a “press in” fit. Porsche says use “special tool P302”. P302 is described as a ”thrust piece”. My “thrust piece” is an old bearing housing. I use a piece of flat steel on top of the old bearing and lightly tap the new bearing in. You must make sure the bearing is going in straight, if it goes in at an angle you’ll ruin the bearing and possibly the control arm. Be patient and tap lightly. As the bearing gets further down in the pocket you can begin to assert more force. Some may need to be pressed in the last few millimeter’s.

[Eric_Shea]

Step 5 – Once the bearings are in, install the bearing caps. Torque the bolts to 18-ft lbs.

[Eric_Shea]

Step 6 – Now it’s the time to reinstall the hub. Porsche says use the P298b assemble fixture. Most searches on the site give the answer to this factory tool dilemma. Use the stub axle. Slide the stub axle through the bearing from the backside and slip the hub over top it. Use the castle nut “upside down” to grab the first few threads on the stub axle. Once you get it started you can turn the castle nut over and finish the job. I only had 914-6 stub axles lying around and this set of control arms is for a regular 914 stub axle. I built a tool to draw the hub into the bearing. This consisted of a threaded rod and a few nuts and suitable sockets and washers. The main thing when performing this step is getting the hub in “straight” just as we did the bearings. You don’t want the hub pulled in at any exaggerated angle. Slowly crank it in.

You’re done. Put’em back on and enjoy the ride.

[Eric_Shea]

Getting started...

[Eric_Shea]

Getting closer...

[Eric_Shea]

Hub drawn in...

[Eric_Shea]

The install tool...

[william harris]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) Go directly to the Classics threads! At this pace I will throw the Haynes manual into the trash. It tells you almost nothing. Thanks for such detailed instructions and great pictures. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[Eric_Shea]

Right on Chief! Glad it could help. I was wondering if you were going this route as well...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[tat2dphreak]

great info dude!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[Targa]

Very clean Eric! I only have one question: When do you start pouring the vodka? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[watsonrx13]

A fantastic and comprehensive article.

Thanks for the effort of the documentation and the pics. I know personally how much longer it takes working on the car when you have to stop to take a pic. I'm working on 3 914's and completely documention my trials and tribulations of each.

This is the reason this BBS will succeed, the knowledgable people, such as yourself, taking the time to provide all of us with correct way to fix and or improve the 914s.

Thanks again Eric. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[Eric_Shea]

When do you start pouring the vodka?

Now's as good a time as any!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drunk.gif)

I know personally how much longer it takes working on the car when you have to stop to take a pic. I'm working on 3 914's and completely documention my trials and tribulations of each.

And... you're insane just like the rest of us. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif) I've been watching your metalwork. Very nice! Here's to ya (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) I can't wait until you get that puppy painted.

Taking pics is becoming second nature. I'm our PCA regions newsletter editor and as Rich Herzog and other editors out there will attest: if you don't get the editorial no one will!!

Glad to help...

[seanery]

Great Job Eric!
I plan on printing this thread out to have with me when I do mine! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[John2kx]

Eric,

Great job on the procedure you used. Exactly how I did it with one exception. I froze the hub and allowed bearings to reach room temperature (actually overnight) before pressing frozen hub through bearing. Used a similar tool and found it real easy to drive home.

John

[Eric_Shea]

Look at that frozen hub... great idea! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[seanery]

let me get this straight:

1. freeze bearing & hub
2. install bearing
3. let bearing come to temp
4. install frozen hub into ambient temp bearing race

does that go with what's been shown here?