How Well Do You Know Your Driveshaft?
What Is The Cost Of A Wheel Bearing Comeback?
Continental Launches Light Truck, SUV and CUV Tire Promo
How Well Do You Know Your Driveshaft?
What Is The Cost Of A Wheel Bearing Comeback?
Continental Launches Light Truck, SUV and CUV Tire Promo
Sponsored By Carter Fuel Systems
Sponsored By NGK Spark Plugs
Smooth Roads Ahead: Making Wheel Bearing Jobs Work for Your Shop
Sponsored By BCA Bearings by NTN
Wheel bearings are safety-critical components which feature precision engineering, robust construction, and a long service life. However, all wheel bearings will eventually need to be replaced. Wheel bearing or hub assembly replacement can present a number of challenges to technicians. This could be due in part to bearing design, construction, corrosion buildup, and/or replacement parts selection.
During this 45-minute webinar we will discuss:
Speakers Matt Gorski, Manager of Product Development, NTN Bearing Corporation of America Divjot Singh, Applications Engineer, NTN Bearing Corporation of America Brian Sexton, Automotive Technical Writer, Babcox Media
Sponsored By BCA Bearings by NTN
Sponsored By Carter Fuel Systems
The July issue includes technical and management content and is free to download and read.
Presenting your customer with inspection results and benefits of replacement will help sell the job.
The reality is that if you can master some very general skills, ADAS is not rocket science.
Brake & Front End serves repair shops conducting a high volume of undercar repairs by providing application-specific technical information and solutions to address emerging trends in the undercar repair segment. By subscribing, you’ll receive the ShopOwner digital edition magazine (12 times/year) featuring articles from Brake & Front End and the Brake & Front End eNewsletter (twice weekly). Access to digital editions, contests, news, and more are ready for you today!
Brake & Front End serves repair shops conducting a high volume of undercar repairs by providing application-specific technical information and solutions to address emerging trends in the undercar repair segment. By subscribing, you’ll receive the ShopOwner digital edition magazine (12 times/year) featuring articles from Brake & Front End and the Brake & Front End eNewsletter (twice weekly). Access to digital editions, contests, news, and more are ready for you today!
ByBrake and Front End Staff on Jun 23, 2022
Worn shocks can result in a 15% to 20% increase in braking distances. This video is presented by The Group Training Academy.
Don’t settle for “almost” - it matters where the engine is manufactured or remanufactured. Sponsored by ACDelco.
GM transmissions and transfer cases are unique to each individual vehicle. This video is sponsored by ACDelco.
Don’t settle for “almost” - it matters where the engine is manufactured or remanufactured. Sponsored by ACDelco.
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If a CV joint fails, it rarely fails on its own. Outside factors can damage a joint worse than cutting a boot with a knife.
Alfred Hans Rzeppa was an engineer with Ford in the 1930s. He came up with the idea to improve the universal joint. Instead of four bearings mounted in two yokes, Rzeppa used six balls mounted in paths. His invention made WWII Jeeps’ front axles more durable. And, 25 years later, his constant velocity (CV) joint made front-wheel-drive vehicles possible.
The CV joint transmits power at a variable angle and at constant rotational speeds. In a front-wheel-drive car, the joint allows the driveshaft and wheel to rotate at a constant rate while the steering and suspension move.
If a CV joint fails, it rarely fails on its own. Outside factors like transmission mounts and suspension angles can damage a joint worse than cutting a boot with a knife.
If the subframe or mounts are misaligned, the geometry of the inner and outer joints will be altered. For outer joints, the CV joint may exceed the maximum angle of operation. For inner plunge joints, the axle could bottom out. If the replacement axle is close but not precisely made to the correct specifications, the axles’ misalignment can be even more compounded. Also, some manufacturers like Honda have a centering procedure that involves loosening the motor mounts and installing the axles.
Pay attention to modified vehicles. If a truck is lifted, it changes the operational angles of the joint. Most CV joints can allow for 45º of movement. Excessive angles for prolonged periods of time can cause wear to the race and balls of a CV joint. The same is true for lowered vehicles.
There are aftermarket options for lifted trucks that are longer and designed to take the abuse.
Sometimes, issues with a wrong axle can occur if it is not ordered correctly. On some vehicles, the difference between the manual and automatic transmission axle length might be a few millimeters, but it might cause a plunge joint to be too shallow or too deep. If the axle is too long, it can cause the CV or plunge joint to bottom out and damage the surfaces of the balls, bearings and races. If it’s too short, the axle could pull out of the plunge joint under certain conditions.
If a CV joint has failed, look at the condition of the suspension. Bent components can cause the range of motion of the joint to change. On the alignment rack, make sure you check the included angle to see if a steering arm or strut rod is bent.
You never want to add too much grease to a CV joint. The CV joint can get hot due to internal friction and heat transferred from the brakes and engine. The heat can cause the grease and air inside the joint to expand. The pressure can cause the boot to be forced off the body of the joint.
When installing a new axle or driveshaft, one mistake made by technicians is not addressing the seals in the transmission, differential or transfer case. Most seals ride on a shaft and typically have a lip and a spring that hold the lip to the axle. When a seal is installed, take your time installing the axle. Splines can damage the seal and cause leaks.
The area on the shaft where the seal and bearings make contact is the most important. It must be free of any rust and imperfections. Use only a fine-grade emery paper to clean the axle shaft between the flange and the worn area.
If the surface is grooved or damaged, the axle can be repaired with a sleeve on some applications. If not, the axle should be replaced. Make sure the seal is installed in the correct position.
You might think you caught a CV joint before all of the grease was ejected, but the damage might have already occurred. CV joint housings are typically forged from iron billets. After the joint is machined, induction heat-treating is used to harden wear surfaces. Wear in a CV joint usually occurs on the cage, gear and cup. This wear is typically caused by a loss of lubrication due to a boot failure or debris in the joint. Once heat-treated surfaces are damaged, they usually cannot be restored.
If a customer reports clicking or popping after an axle or wheel bearing has been replaced, it could be coming from the shoulder area of the axle where it meets the inner race of the bearing. Nissan, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have issued TSBs on how to cure noise that occurs under cornering, braking and acceleration.
The solution for all of the OEMs is to apply a light coating of moly lubricant to the shoulder of the CV axle. The other cause for the clicking and popping noise cited in the TSBs was a failure to follow the correct procedures when tightening the axle nut.
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