Wheel Bearing?

[Tikvah]

I ran my duals up on blocks and while my tag was off the ground I grabbed it top and bottom and it moved.  Not a lot, but a little "clunk" up and down.  That was about 2000 miles back.  Today I noticed a bit of a vibration while driving.  Could be related, might not be.  Could be a tire lost a weight or something else.

So the question, is this typically a bad bearing?  What's involved in changing it?  Is it something I should try or drive another 300 miles to the Chattanooga garage and let Joel fix it?

Thoughts?

Dave

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

Not sure if it is a bad bearing Dave as I am not familiar with big wheels.  But I had my rear wheel bearings replaced about 2 weeks ago at the El Paso Freightliner and after you remove the wheel, you will need a big socket wrench (about 2.5") and either a press or big bars to remove the bearing race as if your bearings are bad, you should also replace the races which can be a bear to remove.  I had a leaking seal and when they removed the wheel they discovered the bearings were also pitted so I had them changed.

I don't feel qualified to give advice as I have not done this myself, but I would check the lug nuts and to ensure they are all tight, to eliminate that as a possibility. Then hopefully someone else will chime in and give you some good advice.

But I will tell you that they had to call about 6 places before they found the correct bearings and races in El Paso so that delayed the job too. I purchased another set of bearings and races as I was told that if one side has bad bearings, it is probably almost time to replace the other side as well.

Good Luck

[bobofthenorth]

Its not rocket science but you probably want to do the first one under supervision and you don't want to learn on the side of the road.  If its not getting hot I'd drive it.  Use an IR thermometer to compare the temp to the front and drive hub on the same side.  You'll often see a significant temperature difference from side to side so I'd pay more attention to how close the same side temps are than to any side to side differences.

[gumpy]

I doubt the tag bearing is causing a noticeable vibration. It's possible, but unlikely.

Still, easy to check. Back the brakes shoes off, jack up the tag, and spiin the wheel. If the bearing is bad, you should be able to hear and feel it.  Also check the play. You said it moved with a clunk? And you didn't have that looked at?    There should be minimal movement, and no noise. Maybe it just needs to be adjusted. Or maybe it's bad.  Also, make sure it's not the tag axle bushings that are loose and clunking.

Changing bearings is not overly difficult. Yes, you need some special tools for the bearing nuts. You may need to change the races, too. They can be removed with a flat ended punch and can be reinserted using a piece of thick plate steel and a maul. I think there are photos on my bus site showing this on one of my axle maintenance pages.  

[PP]

Be sure and throw some new wheel seals in there while your at it. I once checked a hub for heat after losing a bearing and my glove melted to the rim, not on my bus thankfully.
Will

[Geoff]

It might be the driveline.

[Scott & Heather]

I paid thousands of dollars twice to have all of my bearings replaced. First time a truck repair place did a poor job. Took it to a bus repair place and they did it right. Had my tag hubs converted to packed grease except my front steer hubs. When I get time, I'll have my steer hubs done too. Life is much easier and cleaner and no checking hub oil levels anymore.


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[buswarrior]

Movement in a tag wheel warrants immediate inspection by someone with old bus experience.

Your body of bus knowledge and misadventure is moving you beyond God's default protection for fools...

Best not put Him to the test?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Tikvah]

Life is much easier and cleaner and no checking hub oil levels anymore.

That's the first time I've heard anybody say anything about checking hub oil levels.  I've been driving this beast for seven years and didn't know I had hub oil.  What's hub oil and where's the dip stick?

[luvrbus]

Heed BW's advice the wheel shouldn't have but 0.5000 run out (play) you have something going on that is not normal, there is no dip stick if using wet lube type only the outer hub sight unless some body painted over it 
There is
nothing wrong with packed or lube type wheel bearings it is a personal preference,I prefer the wet type with Lucas hub oil ,the right seal and adjustments they never gave a a problem over the years   

[gumpy]

That's the first time I've heard anybody say anything about checking hub oil levels.  I've been driving this beast for seven years and didn't know I had hub oil.  What's hub oil and where's the dip stick?

If you have oil hubs, there will be a rubber plug in the outer hub cap. Oil level should be to the bottom of the plastic center piece where the plug goes.

Here's a photo of the plug. Mine are green.
http://www.gumpydog.com/Bus/MC9_WIP/Mechanical/Tag_Axle/010520.12.tire_reinstalled.JPG

Here's the proper level.
http://www.gumpydog.com/Bus/MC9_WIP/Mechanical/Tag_Axle/010520.16.filling_hub_with_gear_lube.JPG


Actually, if you don't have oil hubs, you'll probably still have the rubber plug, but you'll have to determine if they were converted to grease or not.

[azdieselman]

I think Clifford meant .005

1/2 in is a little generous

[luvrbus]

Just 1 too many 0's and the 5 in the wrong place  Kevin 

[azdieselman]

Yup,

TMC spec  is , 001-.005

[Scott & Heather]

Dave, this is your own photo off Facebook: that little blackened (was red) plug in the center of your wheel is what you need to pop out. You should see oil in there level with the bottom of the plastic housing window which should be clear:


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