Wheel bearing failure!

[mole42]

On the 2021 Round Britain we had a fabulous time around Scotland, but on the route South noticed a developing rumble from the rear of the car. I thought it might be a u/j which would be strange because they were all replaced with top quality ones in 2018 along with a new balanced prop-shaft, custom heavy-duty half shafts and rebuilt rear hubs. Near Telford we stopped at to refuel and I had a look under the car but nothing visibly hanging off, so I grabbed the top of the rear wheels and shook them. The offside was fine but the nearside wobbled! Out with the jack and confirmed that the wheel indeed wobbled. Took off the wheel and brake drum, hub fastenings still tight to the trailing arm but I could move the wheel flange noticeably. Put it back together and set off to see if we could carry on but driving gently. No we couldn't. Within a few miles the situation worsened and the car felt as though the rear wheel was about to fall off. Recovered home on a loader.

I need to write to the hub supplier and see what they say.

[NeilR]

Would be interesting to get it apart & see what make the bearing is wouldn't it.

[mole42]

It is claimed to use Timken bearings. The supplier wrote back that it was out of warranty anyway…..

I’ve ordered a Timken bearing kit and I’ll be stripping the hub at the weekend so we’ll see what’s in there already.

[NeilR]

Hard to believe a Timken bearing would collapse / break up, but always possible I suppose.

[wilf]

Very bad luck on the DNF.

[desmk11]

Very sorry to hear that such a new part is the failing component in your RBRR exit.

Truly hope you get it sorted quickly and easily.

[Alacrity]

Are they standard driveshafts or CV modified ones?

[mole42]

Hard to believe a Timken bearing would collapse / break up, but always possible I suppose.

One point is that the hubs use a collapsible spacer to control the pre-load, or end-float, when assembled. If the spacer had been squeezed too tight, the bearings may have run with too much pre-load which would make them run hot. Problems then might ensue. Proving it would be difficult though.

[mole42]

Are they standard driveshafts or CV modified ones?

Modified uprated half-shafts with standard hubs, so no CV joint. They were built for me by a specialist using the rebuilt hubs I supplied.

[Rubce]

Richard

Why were you in Telford, that is way off the RBRR route? We had a spare normal shafts assembly with us which you could have borrowed had we known of your problems. We weren't aware you had dropped out until after we had entered Devon.

Hope you get it sorted soon

Bruce

[mole42]

Richard

Why were you in Telford, that is way off the RBRR route? We had a spare normal shafts assembly with us which you could have borrowed had we known

Oh, it’s quite a story! Someone else, hearing of our woes and understanding that we planned to take a more direct route to Monmouth, offered to show us the way. After several inappropriate turns he stopped and said that his satnav had gone wrong and he was sorry but we were way off route! After Gledrid we were heading for Shrewsbury, Leominster & Hereford but it wasn’t long before we realised that the hub wasn’t going to last much longer so we called it night. Thanks for the offer of a spare half-shaft, that could have kept us in the game but it wasn’t to be.

[mike@thenook]

For the future I’d replace both with CDD hubs, no preload or collapsible spacers with them and easy to replace the bearings (Timken) if ever needed.

Cheers

[djw113uk]

Richard, Sorry to hear you weren't able to finish. I'd also strongly recommend CDD CV shafts and hubs - unless you do proper rallying and have to only use period modifications. We always used to carry a spare halfshaft and occasionally a propshaft in the saloon. This year in the stag with smaller boot and LPG tanks taking up space we didn't have much other than tools. I think a lot of the saloons carry a halfshaft too, but like you say you need to be vaguely near the route and ahead of people who have the spares! I have the CDD shafts on my saloon, and now on the stag too.. I am very very pleased with them, and basically only carry a half-shaft to help others now - when we have space! I was sorry to hear a friend with a Rover engined stag dropped out after his dizzy became oil logged... It isn't a problem I'd heard of before, but now intend to carry a spare dizzy and ignition module for future events!

[mjheathcote]

Cdd?

[barkerwilliams]

https://www.classicdrivingdevelopment.co.uk/

Alan