When a wheel (wheel) bearing breaks, it must be replaced. This detail, small in size, is very important; it ensures freedom of rotation of the hub mechanisms. Continuing to use a broken one is dangerous: it will jam, and then a major accident cannot be avoided. The range offered at car markets is quite wide. To decide which wheel bearing is better, it is useful to study its characteristics and the features of bearings offered by different companies. Of course, your choice will be influenced by what exactly you want: to qualitatively repair your favorite car, sparing no expense, or simply to make inexpensive repairs and put the car up for sale.
Causes and symptoms of failure
The causes of failure can be very diverse, but basically they are all related to loads, for example:
- Operating a vehicle on bad roads or off-road;
- Transportation of heavy loads;
- Aggressive car handling with sharp acceleration and braking.
But there are often cases when breakdowns occur due to low-quality spare parts. For example, the previous owner of the car decided to save money before selling it and installed not the original, but a Chinese analog wheel bearing, and they contain the following defects:
- Insufficient amount of lubricant inside the bearing. Because of this, in the future it simply dries out and begins to wear off.
- Faulty rollers or bearing balls. Parts may not be made according to the stated characteristics, but from softer metals, which is why deformation occurs under normal load.
Structure and types of bearings
There are three types:
The separator in the bearing keeps the rotating parts at the same distance, evenly distributes the load, ensuring quiet and unhindered rotation. The most durable, reliable separators made of metal are also made of polymer.
Bearings are divided into open and closed, the latter being preferable as they are protected from dirt getting inside.
Which wheel bearing to choose?
There are a large number of brands of AvtoVAZ spare parts on the market: Lada (original), Fag, Kraft, Lecar, etc. Among this variety, you can purchase a low-quality part and return to repair it in the near future. It is best to choose a bearing from the original brand, but be careful, often unscrupulous stores can sell you a product in a box similar to the original one.
The dimensions of the bearings on the rear axle and on the front, as a rule, do not differ on the VAZ 2114; they are 64 by 34 by 47 millimeters .
To simplify the search for the front wheel bearing on a VAZ 2114, you can insert these article numbers into the search:
- Original front: 21080-3101800-86
- Original rear: 21080-3104020-04
Stingy people pay twice, so it’s better to pay extra once than to waste time and money on repairs again.
How to check a wheel bearing?
To check the condition of this spare part, it is not necessary to contact a diagnostic service. There are several ways to recognize the problem yourself:
- When driving on a straight road, at a speed of about 50-60 km/h, put the gear in neutral and turn the steering wheel left and right; if extraneous noise occurs and then goes away, then it’s time for a replacement.
- Jack up one wheel and start turning it. If there is extraneous noise, this also means that the bearing is failing. Perhaps rocking the wheel from side to side will indicate a problem.
- After the ride, touch the wheel disc at the hub. If the disk temperature is high, this means that there is also a malfunction.
Of course, it will not be possible to detect critical wear using these methods, but it will be possible to identify the malfunction. If a malfunction is detected in this unit, it is strictly not recommended to drive a car.
Unscrewing the hub nut on a VAZ: “burn, hit and twist!”
Now let’s look at the methods that may be the only effective ones in your case, but that doesn’t make them any less radical, even barbaric.
Strong hammer blows
If you hit the hub, you hit the bearing! If you are going to make a replacement, then go ahead! If you value the bearing, avoid this method.
Warming up the hub nut with a burner. Not recommended!
Using the burner
The law of physics is guaranteed to work, and the body (read: hub nut) will expand. And this will make it much easier to remove the stubborn part. There is one “but”: not only this one part heats up, but also everything else in the area of the burner. For example, a bearing. And it’s better not to allow this. As a more gentle option, we can suggest using a soldering iron and... patience. You'll need it.
Jumping on a lever
A chisel will help you remove the hub nut.
The “method” is fraught with the danger of unexpectedly breaking off the edges of the nut, breaking the key, and so on. Just don't do it.
Take a chisel and make notches on the edges
An increase in diameter, of course, makes the hub nut unsuitable for further use, but it will be easy to unscrew it.
Required tool for replacement
Before replacing the front wheel bearing of a VAZ 2114, it is worth preparing a tool that will be useful during the work process.
- Balloon and jack. Needed to remove a wheel from a car.
- A set of open-end wrenches from 12 to 24 mm and a set of socket heads from 12 to 19 mm.
- Special puller for wheel bearing.
- Screwdriver and pliers to remove circlips.
It is better to do the work in or at a garage, since during the disassembly process you may need a hammer or, for example, a yew.
List of suppliers
- SNR is the largest French supplier in Europe and rightfully ranks first in product quality;
- SKF is the second-ranked supplier of bearing products, known in the markets for 100 years;
- NSK is also the second largest manufacturer of wheel bearings in the world from Japan;
- FAG is a manufacturer from Germany, absorbed by the INA concern, with high quality products;
Replacing a VAZ 2114 wheel bearing
Price for replacing the front wheel bearing of a VAZ 2114
The cost of the original wheel bearing (21083103020) is from 445 to 700 rubles. You can also choose equally reliable analogues:
- SKF (VKBA 1306) - 1400 rubles;
- Fenox (RTBB12066O7) - 450 RUR;
- Kraft (KT 100505) - 520 rub.
The SKF bearing is considered the highest quality, the service life of which is significantly longer than other options.
In Moscow, the price for replacing the front wheel bearing on a VAZ 2114 can range from 1200 to 2500 rubles. In rare cases, small service stations offer a replacement service from 500 rubles.
How to replace the front wheel bearing on a VAZ 2114 / 2115
The algorithm for replacing the front wheel bearing on Lada 2114 and 2115 is not complicated. Often you need a puller, it’s easier with it.
Initially, the car is placed on a jack and one wheel is removed. After this, the caliper and brake disc are dismantled. It is best to unscrew the steering knuckle with the strut - it takes less time than dismantling the steering knuckle itself.
Then the retaining rings are removed and the hub is pressed out. After the hub, the bearing is removed using a press, and a new one is installed in the same way. More detailed photo instructions are described below.
1. First of all, you need to place and strengthen the front axle of the car in a suspended state, this is the disadvantage of a lowered car, since you can’t get under the bottom with a jack, you have to drive onto the boards in order to raise the car higher and then jack it up.
Also, for better safety, we place houses or pyramids, whatever people call them, under the bottom.
3. Remove the wheel.
4. Then you need to knock out the locking clip on the hub nut, to do this, take a nail and knock it out, and then, taking a partner to help, unscrew this nut (the partner presses on the brake pedal). Let me tell you that the force applied is incredible to unscrew it.
This is the 30 nut in the center of the hub.
5. Next, dismantle the caliper.
6. Then remove the brake disc boot. Remove the brake disc.
8. Then carefully knock out the hub.
10. We remove the casing from the old bearing from the hub (it flies off when knocked out). Then we knock out the old hub bearing; to do this, you first need to remove the retaining rings on both sides.
And carefully knock out the old bearing (be careful not to damage the boot).
13. Then carefully hammer the new bearing back, install the retaining rings and the hub.
14. By the way, it’s better to change the ball joints for new ones, since they got into it.
We perform assembly in reverse order.
Device
The main purpose of the part is to ensure uniform rotation of the car wheels. Given the name of the part, it is easy to guess that wheel bearings are the connecting link between the hub and the axle to which the brake disc and wheel are attached.
The design of the part fully corresponds to the classic type of rolling bearings. These are two metal rings into which conical rollers are pressed, protected from the body by a durable rubber insulator.
Unlike foreign competitors, domestic bearings are created using outdated HUB technology. They are quite difficult to install, require very precise tightening torque and require plenty of lubrication.
The operation of the mechanism lasts for several years. It is recommended to change a spare part for a VAZ 2114 approximately once every 100 thousand kilometers. But negative operating factors can accelerate the wear process:
- Bad roads. The entire force of the shock load falls on this mechanism of the system. Over time, the metal gets tired and the bearing begins to fail.
- Aggressive reagents. In Russia, in order to save money in winter, aggressive chemicals are often used to remove ice from roads.
- Sudden temperature changes. In winter, owners of warm garages unknowingly shorten the service life of many metal parts, for which sudden temperature changes when leaving and entering the garage create a large load.
Diameter and number of balls
The rolling elements of this bearing are placed through a special groove. Balls with a diameter of 9.525 mm are used as moving elements of the product. In the space between the clips they are placed in two rows, the total number per unit is 28 pcs.
The balls are held at specified positions using a separator. Its task is to position the rolling elements, but not to interfere with their free rotation.
Wholesale supplies of bearings!
Flexible system of discounts depending on volume; There are certificates and passports. Own production; Complies with GOST and ISO!
Send applications for calculation: [email protected]
There are ball bearings 256706 with a cage made of steel (without additional designation) and plastic materials: textolite (E, E1, E2) and polyamide (E9).
These features significantly affect the characteristics of a particular product, and therefore, before buying a replacement, you should learn more about the pros and cons of a particular separator.
Important! The use of composite materials for the manufacture of wheel bearing cages can significantly reduce their weight without compromising consumer characteristics. In addition, if such parts fail, they do not create solid debris that can aggravate the situation.
Wheel bearing diagnostics
Let's talk about how to check a wheel bearing.
An indirect sign that you need to pay attention to the bearing on the VAZ 2114 is the appearance of a characteristic hum or hum from one of the wheels while driving. Typically, the noise increases at high speeds, making it easier to hear on the highway.
The driver, being in the cabin, is not always able to correctly determine the source of the noise. For example, a hum from the left wheel may be perceived as coming from the right. Or vice versa. To accurately determine by ear where the damaged bearing is located, you need to watch how the sound changes when turning when the mechanism is subjected to a higher load. If the sound disappears when turning right, but appears when turning left, the right bearing has worn out.
Diagnostics is carried out in the following way.
- We raise the car so that the wheel being diagnosed is hanging out.
- We rock it with our hands, holding the top part.
- We turn the wheel by hand.
- Pay attention to the smooth deceleration of movement and to extraneous sounds.
- An emerging backlash may also indicate a problem.
How can you unscrew the hub nut? The simplest option
None of the unscrewing methods guarantees the safety of the hub nut. The simplest option involves a complete replacement of the part. To ensure that the nut is removed, you will need to prepare:
- chisel and hammer;
- drill and drill bit (thickness no more than 3 mm);
- new nut.
This option will be relevant if the hub nut cannot be unscrewed by other means. Moreover, it can be used on all vehicles, including expensive foreign cars and ending with domestic Lada cars. First you need to drill the part using a drill.
The part must be drilled along the groove. Then the part is broken using a chisel and hammer and replaced with a new one. If this option is unacceptable, then you will have to use another, more delicate method.
Replacement instructions
Replacing the rear wheel bearing on a VAZ 2114 is carried out as follows:
- Loosen the wheel bolts and wheel locknut before jacking up the vehicle.
- Raise the car using a jack. Tighten the hub nut completely and remove the wheel. Unscrew the mounting bolts on the drum.
- Remove the drum. If it is rusty, pre-treat the joint with WD-40. If after this the drum still does not budge, use long pins. Screw them into the holes and tighten them one by one until the part moves out of place. You can gently help with a hammer by tapping it on the back side.
- Unbend the stopper and unscrew the locknut. If it is tight, use a wrench extension.
- Using a universal puller, press the hub.
- The inner race remains on the shaft, and the outer part of the bearing remains in the housing. If you want to replace the pads at the same time, you need to remove the axle mounts.
- Now it's time to demonstrate the entire mechanism.
- As a rule, the rear part of the axle is attached to the brake shield. To dismantle you will have to use a hammer.
- Remove the wheel bearing race using a universal puller. If the brake system does not need to be changed, this operation can be performed directly on the vehicle's axle shaft.
- We place the hub on bricks or bars, as shown in the photo. Use a hammer to knock out the old rear wheel bearing.
- Be sure to remove dirt and wash the hub in gasoline. Clean the axle shaft in the same way. Use thick lubricant to treat the seating surface. Place the new bearing in the hub bore. Mounting chamfers will help avoid distortions.
- Press the bearing with your hand and press it in about 3 millimeters. Place the old bearing on top.
- Using the side of the hammer, carefully hammer the part inward. If the process is difficult, you can cool the bearing in the freezer and warm up the hub.
- Once the rear hub bearing is in place, you can install the circlip. For this purpose, round nose pliers are used. Don't forget to lubricate the axle first.
- Carefully attach the assembled mechanism to the trunnion. Be careful to avoid distortions. Then place a washer on the threads and screw on the hub locknut.
- Using a nut, press the hub onto the axle. Tightening torque: 220 N*M. Place the drum, secure it and screw the chassis.
As you can see, replacing a bearing is a rather complicated and time-consuming task. You need to have a special tool. Sometimes it’s easier to ask a car service for help.
