"Master Cylinder" (mastercylinder28)
08/24/2015 at 21:13 • Filed to: DIY
3
17|
"Master Cylinder" (mastercylinder28)
08/24/2015 at 21:13 • Filed to: DIY | 3
| 17 |
Yesterday, I replaced the front wheel bearings on my 944. I haven’t done an old-timey front bearing in a while, my last few cars have followed the modern trend of making the hub and bearing one assembly where the bearings aren’t replaceable. This means that replacing the wheel bearings in the 944 involves pounding the old races out of the hub, and pounding new races back in, then packing the bearing cage, reassembling the hub, and setting the bearing preload.
It’s a bit of a pain in the ass compared to just swapping a hub assembly, and takes a little longer, but $50 in bearings and seals refreshed my car’s front end, and I can remove the inner races and repack them periodically to keep them going for a long time. For example, the bearings I removed were the original factory bearings. The races were scuffed but not terrible, and they were nearly 30 years old with over 200,000 miles, probably because they’d clearly been repacked at least once, and likely quite a few times over the life of the car.
It’s little things like this that make me think I may never sell the 944. It’s old and maybe a little finicky, but (almost) everything is so simple and easy to work on that it doesn’t matter all that much. Plus, almost everything I’ve replaced so far has been an original part. I figure if it’s lasted this long, the replacement ought to at least give me another decade.
Anyway, I imagine there are at least a few other people here who appreciate the more mechanically-accessible aspects of older cars.
Pic of my 944 for your time:
dogisbadob
> Master Cylinder
08/24/2015 at 21:18 |
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you should paint/plastidip the wheels white!
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dogisbadob
> Master Cylinder
08/24/2015 at 21:18 |
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Nice Audi
jkm7680
> Master Cylinder
08/24/2015 at 21:21 |
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Car looks good!
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Master Cylinder
> jkm7680
08/24/2015 at 21:23 |
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Thanks! The front fender gap isn’t actually that terrible, those wheels originally came of a 911 and still had the tiny 911 front tires mounted at the time. It does need to be lowered about an inch though.
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jkm7680
> Master Cylinder
08/24/2015 at 21:31 |
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Haha, still looks nice though! I’d suggest coilovers for that.
ShiroZ31
> Master Cylinder
08/24/2015 at 21:33 |
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This is the first I’ve heard of nonreplacable wheel bearings. Do you mean pressed in bearings?
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Master Cylinder
> ShiroZ31
08/24/2015 at 21:44 |
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Nope, I’ve had a few cars where the hub and bearing is all one assembly, like in the photo. You can’t remove the bearings from the hub without damage, so you have to replace the whole thing instead of just the bearings. I guess I assumed it was common in modern cars, since every one made after 1994 that I’ve had to replace wheel bearings on had that arrangement, but admittedly that’s only 3 cars.
With the hub assembly, you generally remove one large center nut, slide the old assembly off the spindle, and then slide the new assembly on. Simple and easy but the assemblies tend to cost $100+ each, and it just seems like a waste of material to me too.
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Master Cylinder
> jkm7680
08/24/2015 at 21:47 |
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Yep, that’s the plan. The torsion bar rear suspension is already basically infinitely adjustable (although it’s a PITA to make large adjustments) so that will be a good match.
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jkm7680
> Master Cylinder
08/24/2015 at 21:48 |
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Sounds good! Keep Oppo updated!
Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
> Master Cylinder
08/24/2015 at 22:18 |
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I always thought the 944/968 were nice looking cars. Any power mods on yours? I recall reading the factory turbo cars were fast, but a nightmare to work on.
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Master Cylinder
> Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
08/24/2015 at 22:42 |
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Nothing major, just an intake manifold swap which probably didn’t add much power at all except for improving throttle response. It’s the S version, so it’s between the Turbo and normal versions in terms of power, about 190hp at the crank from the factory. Once I have the more mundane maintenance things taken care of, I’m planning on a full exhaust, standalone engine management, and possibly cams to bump that number up another 30hp or so.
The turbo cars are more complicated, but they’re also the only ones you can really squeeze significantly more power out of at a reasonable price.
AMGtech - now with more recalls!
> Master Cylinder
08/25/2015 at 00:03 |
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Why just old cars? Lots of Mercedes still use that setup on the front of RWD cars. I think they’re great and have had to replace far fewer of them than hub units on Mercedes or otherwise.
Not only that but certain parts of steering racks are serviceable, and just about any other major assembly you can think of.
Great looking car by the way, I’ve always loved 944's.
DrScientist
> Master Cylinder
08/25/2015 at 00:30 |
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great lookin 944. ive always liked their shape. i dont think there’s anything else that ever came close to that design. i even prefer the bumperettes on the NA models.
i also appreciate the mechanical accessibility of the 80s era cars. means guys like us can actually get stuff done.
youre front end looks so nice and straight. i recommend keeping it, and keeping up with the maintenace required to keep it driving. one day, your son or daughter will thank you. :)
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Master Cylinder
> AMGtech - now with more recalls!
08/25/2015 at 06:43 |
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Thanks! Yeah, another poster mentioned that not all new cars use the hub assembly. Apparently just the newer ones I’ve worked on have been than way. Actually, come to think of it, they were all later-model American cars (some FWD, some RWD) that had that setup, so maybe it’s not so much about age as it is design philosophies?
CaptDale - is secretly British
> dogisbadob
08/25/2015 at 14:23 |
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Pretty sure that’s a Lambo dude
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ShiroZ31
> Master Cylinder
08/27/2015 at 20:18 |
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Neat, although this makes more sense than how BMW and Audi put non replaceable ball joints in their front control arms. Bad $50 ball joint = $500 for new control arms.
random001
> Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 22:38 |
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944!!!!