5K/4K: Front wheel bearing replacement

["Arun Rao" <rao@frisbee>]

	Here's a copy of what I wrote last year when I did my
	front wheel-bearing: it applies to my '85 5KT (non-quattro),
	but is probably quite similar to yours. Additional note:
	the pickle fork separator is murder on the tie-rod end
	ball-joint -- I had to replace mine anyway, so it was OK.

	-Arun


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	Ably assisted by denizens of this list, I successfully replaced the
	driver-side wheel bearing on my '85 5000ST.  Thanks a lot, everyone:
	the noise is now gone, I had a few hours of challenging but fun
	work, and I probably saved a couple of hundred dollars at least.

	Here's what I learned from the experience.

	Tools required (subset of those I actually bought/rented!):

	1. 1/2" breaker bar.
	2. Two-foot GI pipe to fit around breaker.
	3. 32 mm socket (for hub retaining nut).
	4. "Pickle-fork" tie-rod separator.
	5. Sockets/wrenches (from memory) : 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, 17mm, 19mm.
	6. Nylon tie.
	7. Haynes manual + suitable extrapolation!

	Parts:

	1. Wheel bearing.
	2. Replacement bolt/nylock nut for knuckle at lower ball-joint.
	3. 3 replacement nylock nuts for strut mount.

	Cost:

		Roughly $80.00, since I had to buy many of the tools
	I needed.  The parts alone cost under $40.00.


	I followed the steps in the Haynes manual, but improvised on
	the technique.  The major difficulty was separating the lower
	ball-joint from the knuckle: I finally used the tie-rod separator
	and my trusty two-foot cheater as a huge lever and stood on the
	end of it. (Haynes would have you believe that you can lever it
	down with one hand using no more than a screwdriver :-|).

	I bought a screw-type tie-rod separator, but found that it
	wasn't deep enough.  I finally used what the parts store called
	the "pickle-fork" separator.

	I took the strut assembly to a local machine shop, and he pressed
	out the hub and bearing and pressed in the new one for $20.00. Took
	about twenty minutes.  The old bearing was so far gone that it
	rattled when shaken -- good thing I replaced it!  Since the diagnosis
	was mostly guesswork, I'm relieved too.

	Thanks again, every one. Special thanks to Dave Lawson (?): his
	description of the front-end rebuild on his 4000 was very helpful.

	-Arun



--
Arun Rao
Scientist
Pixar
1001 W. Cutting Blvd.
Pt. Richmond, CA 94804
(510)215-3526