Can a wheel bearing be pressed in wrong?

[sburrell93]

As above, replaced a wheel bearing about 2 months back, probably covered around 3000 miles and it's failed again. Removed and replaced the hub myself but got a garage to press the bearings out/in.

Is it possible to press the bearing in wrong or is it probably just a bad/faulty bearing?

 

[MicKPM]

Not really no but it is possible the hub nut wasn't done up correctly leading to its premature demise.

 

[Kelv]

I was thinking that, under or over tightened maybe?

what torque setting did you do it up too?

 

[Chip-mk1]

Assume its a front as you refer to it as a hub?
(rears have a washer that if missed causes them to fail early)

 

[Darren S]

Assume its a front as you refer to it as a hub?
(rears have a washer that if missed causes them to fail early)

Yep - I've made myself a victim of that.

The flat side of the washer goes against the car 'side' and the tapered edge is facing outwards. I've put that the wrong way around before now and the life of the bearing reduces dramatically.

D.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Usual one on the rears is to forget the washer altogether.

Has the same effect as not torqueing the front ones correctly.

 

[sburrell93]

It was a front one, should've mentioned that. I think I probably over tightened the hub nut, I torqued it to 175nm as my Haynes manual said but I knew the torque wrench I had used was slightly off and needed calibrated when compared to a smaller, properly calibrated one I had, so I ended up going to about 185nm, as it seemed far too easy to get to 175 at first.

I guess that'll teach me! Getting the bearing replaced for free but I think I'll be firing it into a garage this time round

 

[JamesBryan]

Front hub nut is not 175nm mate, that's the rear hub nut torque!

Fronts should be 280nm.

 

[Laine_16v]

Front hub nut is 285nM, really really tight. Admittently i have never torqued up any front hub nut bolts. i usually do them up with a breaker bar and put my full weight on them (17 Stone), not had an issue with one prematurely failing yet

 

[sburrell93]

Only just realised now that it tells you the torque for those under the driveshaft section! Feel like a right idiot now haha. Can they fail from the hub nut being undertightened too then?

 

[Kelv]

yes.
it wont be held as securely as it requires.
the insides of the bearing have probably moved a little to the outer housing assembly.