wobbly wheels

[deadtom]

i posted this in the alfa section but had no replies so im hoping someone here can help.

hypothetically, if you wanted to remove the engine and gearbox (2.0 T spark) from a 156, would you need to remove the nearside front wheel hub in order to remove the drive shaft to then get the gearbox out?

after getting my car back yesterday after having the engine swapped, i found today that the wheel hub bearing is wobbly as fk, with maybe 2cm of side to side movement around the edge of the tyre when the wheel is jacked up off the floor. its bad enough that its possible to easily feel it even when the full weight of the car is on the wheel.

it just seems a bit too much of a coincidence that this happened so soon after that hub would have had to have been removed and refitted in the process of an engine change.

thoughts?

edit: since first posting this the mechanic has told me you dont need to remove the hub as the shaft unbolts from the inside?

edit again for mixing up my offside and nearside.

Edited by deadtom on Sunday 11th March 09:57

[Superhoop]

If the driveshaft has been removed, check that the driveshaft nut is tight, as this basically holds the inner and outer halves of the wheel bearing together.

If the car was pushed around with The driveshaft removed, then the bearing is likely to have collapsed

[deadtom]

unfortunately im not really in a position to take it apart and check myself as I left the car parked up by the side of the road a few miles away, and the only tools i have are those that the car comes with (jack, wheel nut wrench, screwdriver etc)

is the drive shaft a semi structural part of the hub assembly then?

[oldcynic]

Maybe a stupid question, but are the wheel nuts working loose? Wouldn't be the first time.

[deadtom]

that was the first thing i checked, and no they're rock solid

[Superhoop]

deadtom said:

unfortunately im not really in a position to take it apart and check myself as I left the car parked up by the side of the road a few miles away, and the only tools i have are those that the car comes with (jack, wheel nut wrench, screwdriver etc)

is the drive shaft a semi structural part of the hub assembly then?

Not exactly structural, but it does hold the bearing in tension.
Whilst the wheel bearing is one piece, it is in effect an inner and outer race, in a single housing. The driveshaft holds the inner and outer races together. If the nut is loose, then there will be no tension on the races, and there will be excessive play

If the car was moved with no driveshaft in place, then, as I said before, the bearing is likely to have collapsed and will need to be replaced

[deadtom]

ok i think i know what you mean, and from looking at it from under the car and wobbling it with the wheel jacked up it does sound like thats whats happened.
I just spoke with the mechanic who worked on it and he said that although they never had the hub apart, the guy he was working with did notice that the hub had been 'tampered with' (his words) but neglected to tell him.

[deadtom]

after speaking to the mechanic, it would seem that it was just st timing that the hub has packed up now.

does anyone know how hard it is to replace a front wheel bearing on a 156?

i'd like to do it myself if possible.

[Andyjc86]

Unless you have a press then you won't be doing it yourself

[deadtom]

damn.

[Mr2Mike]

You can very definitely change wheel bearings without a press; I have done dozens though some have been a bit of a pain. I changed the one on the front of the Fiat Coupe a few weeks back, which is quite likely the same part as the 156.

For very tight bearings you ideally need a MIG welder to aid removal - a bead of weld around the inside of the outer race shrinks it enough that you can get it out with very little effort, and you then use the old outer race to drift the new bearing back in. You really need a properly sturdy workbench and a hefty vice to hold the upright when working on it - a B&D Workmate won't really cut it. You also need a socket suitable for the large and very tight hub nut (probably around 28mm).

You also need a decent pair of circlip pliers, since the bearing is usualy retained by a large and very strong circlip.

Edited by Mr2Mike on Sunday 11th March 21:45

[deadtom]

Mr2Mike said:

• MIG welder to aid removal
• a properly sturdy workbench
• a hefty vice
• a socket suitable for the large and very tight hub nut (probably around 28mm).

i have none of these things

i do have circlip pliers though.

guess i should call the mechanic.

thanks for the replies though.