simple Q, but its baffling me

[RichardH]

I need to adjust the FNS wheel bearing, but I have knock-offs on my motor and the bearing is hidden inside the hub.
I believe that the outside is held on by the drive pins, but cant seem to undo them. are they clockwise or anticlockwise threaded?

anything else that might help? is it standard Granada torque setting for the nut?

 

[Phil]

Richard, I would think the thread would be right hand, what are you using to turn the pins?...usually they are either allen heads or hex at the end.
There is a tool that looks like a drill chuck that fits over a stud, and tightens as you try to loosen the stud. I would also bet that there is loctite on the threads and a little heat would make them go your way a little easier.
Cheers
Phil

 

[RichardH]

I think you can see in the pics, the pins all have flats on them (presumable for a spanner), but I couldn't get any of them to shift, last night.

 

[Andy Green]

Hi Richard,
they may have been put in with a loctite, so you may have to put some heat into them to help reduce its strength
Rgds,
Andy

 

[Jac Mac]

Have you had a look behind the rotor/bell ? Wont be granada as its 6stud-not 5.
Those drive pins might have nuts/lock nuts on the back side after threading thru the hub etc, just a thought.

 

[Jim Cowden]

Mine had 2 flats.
I milled 6 into the pins, 2 is stupid.
The way I see it would you tighten the wheel on your car with a 9/16 open end spanner.

Jim

 

[RichardH]

Jac. You are absolutely correct. I couldn't see last night, but yes.. Those pins are threaded through the hub and have 3/4AF nuts on the inside if the disc ( not rotor); albeit next to impossible to get onto, because of the dish and the proximity of the upright. I have managed to under 3 tonight. Rest tomorrow, I hope!

 

[RichardH]

Bum!
Bugger!
Bo****ks!

Having spend the last 2 days ( ok an hour or so every nite), trying to remove the 6 studs that hold the 2 halves of the hub together ( or so I thought).
Get to remove the last one tonight and find that the hub is still solid, but the disk is loose!!!!!

Further investigation finds a metal cap at the back of the upright. Quick screwdriver and off it comes to show a 40mm nut!!!

So before I go any further........ Is this how you adjust the wheel hub bearings, or do I have to dismantle the whole pigging front suspension?

Any clues for me?

 

[Robert May Eng.]

I dont know without looking but it seems like you have exposed the nut that retains the spindle to the upright.

Bob

 

[Jac Mac]

Like Bob Im not sure of what your looking at, but guessing ( again ) that your upright has a large bearing assy either pressed into or bolted to the upright & the large 40mm nut will be on the inner end of the rotating stub axle which should have the 6 pin flange as part of it. These bearings may not be adjustable or might have a solid spacer between the inner & outer that needs reshimmed or altered to set preload or adjustment... just thinking without pics again If the nut turns with the hub it has to be undone to adjust/replace.

 

[Dimi Terleckyj]

Some bearing assemblies like these use a crushable spacer that preloads the bearings as you tighten them up.
They are designed as a one time use only spacer.
If you replace the bearing and find they don't preload enough with the old spacer you can add shims to make up the difference.
Dimi

 

[RichardH]

You wanted photos. Here they are. I am still not sure how to adjust the hub bearing. I cannot see any way to get into the hub, however the fact that the nut on the inside of the stub axle and its cover is covered in grease makes me think that that is the adjustment method.
Your thoughts on this, before I give up and pay someone else...... to adjust a wheel bearing!!!!!!

 

[Robert May Eng.]

The bearings are in the upright and not the hub so undo the big nut and withdraw the whole assembly.

Bob

 

[John Oxborough]

Richard,
you have the GTD modular uprights, these use the MK3 Granada hub bearings, non adjustable, double ball races,replace as a bearing assembly.
I have replaced these on Granadas and still have had some play detectable at the wheel, so buy gen ford or GKN quality bearings.
consult MK3 manual for removal procedure and torque and identify the left and right hand threads on the spindle inner end before attempting to undo the nut , bearing kits come with LH and RH replacement locking nuts,
If you did manage to take of the KO adapter you will not find any means of bearing removal/adjustment its all done from the inner side behind the dust cap,
cheers,

John.

 

[RichardH]

Brill. Thank you folks, and particularly John, who put it in terms that (even) I could understand.

One more Q, though... You state it is a Mk3 upright, but I have also been told its a Mk2! As is obvious, I am unfamiliar with the details on these, so how can I tell the difference?

 

[John Oxborough]

Richard,
The mk1 and mk2 Granada uprights have a taper type hub bearing adjustable via a castle nut under the dust cap on the outer end of the stub axle, the mk3 Granada upright is the lower end of the strut type suspension used on most ford cars etc, your GTD fabricated/modular uprights only use the hub/ bearing assembly, GTD made these uprights as an upgrade as at the time new mk1/2 upright were scarce new, hence the use of the then current mk3 hubs/bearings, GTD offered the upright with a choice of the standard 5 stud Granada hub or the 6 pin drive hub or an adapter using the 5 stud hub.
I have in the past retorqued the large hub nut behind the inner dust cover and taken up a slight amount of play at the wheel, one drawback to the mk3 bearing design is that the 2 races are close together so can not give the ideal support for the wheel load, don't lose sleep on this though !
cheers
John

 

[RichardH]

Thank you all for your info & your support. There is very little play - only just discernible on the wheel when jacked up. Having looked on fleabay today, Mk3 bearing sets vary between £4.99 & £302 (QH)!!!!. My local Motor factor has them for £18 or £25 (FAG) a set.
I think I will try nipping up the nut and see if it improves, if not I will remove the stub axle and bearings and measure them to ensure i get the right sizes.

 

[RichardH]

Minor Postscript....
I tried - honest I did, couldnt move the nut at all,to either loosen or tighten - and thats with a 30inch breaker bar, so thought I would ask my local Ford dealer how much to replace a Granada Mk3 FNS wheel bearing..........

What a shower - one has to laugh...
I checked on Autodata and that says 90 mins. Ford want £153 plus parts plus VAT, but werent prepared to quote without the Registration details and stated that "Ford may not be able to supply parts any more".
So much for well trained technicians who can "work on all makes of vehicles".

Mick Sollis to the rescue again. . Looks like an excuse to whizz down the M3 again.

 

[Keith]

Mick Sollis to the rescue again. . Looks like an excuse to whizz down the M3 again.

Well, that'll take simply HOURS!

 

[RichardH]

A rather belated follow up to this saga.... it transpired it was the steering rack