Hello to all of you guys, could anyone help me in stating if the weak point of these bearings is in the nylon material holding their inner track? I think so for the easy way they go out of balance. At a different time I changed my 1.8 cpè front w.bs.. The right front w.b., 23.000km ago; the left front one in April of this year. At that time I checked the right front wheel and found it slightly loose in the vertical axle; hence I torqued its bearing at a little more than 7kgm (as stated by Lancia and lifted from the ground) till it had no play. This is possible, I think, for the w.b. internal track is splitted in two halved rings, holding in position balls and nylon bed.
Catching a bend with Flavia I did not see a hole in the tarmac and the right front wheel took a good knock. During the back trip home I began to hear a twittering (brake pads against disc) coming from a front wheel when cornering (this song unaudible when the car running straight). Go I wrong when I suppose that nylon bed culprit of so weak bearings? I did the jobs myself and can state the heavy and big material used by Lancia for hub, disc, SKF bearing, the block carrying the complete set. Kind to hear from you, ciao, Carlo.
flavia wheel bearings
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Huib Geurink
Re: flavia wheel bearings
Hi Carlo,
Some SKF bearings apparently have a plastic cage. Only on one occasion I found that it was broken. It does not carry any load, It seperates the balls and keeps them more or less in place evenly divided over 360 degrees. So, I do not expect it to give any problems, not even when broken unless it totally desintegrates.
Ideally the inner race should be one piece. However, if that were the case it would be impossible to assemble the wheel bearing in the factory. It is thus made of two halves. One must tighten the axle nut with 30kgm to make sure that mechanically the inner race becomes "one piece".
The bearing is made with micron precision. If it is tightened very well, it has the right operating condition.
Many cars have conical bearings or roller bearings which should not be tightened to allow the wheels to turn. The Fulvia and Flavia (as well as the other Lancia's I know) have the far superior double row ball bearings, which do need very strong tightening.
If you still have play, even when tightened to 30 kgm (I even tighten them more myself) you may consider machining a bit off the inner races.
The balls are standard half inch balls and easily available.
If I find a car which is more than 30 years old, I open the wheel bearings for inspection. often the grease has become soap. If the races are still good, I replace the balls and assemble them again with new grease.
If there is the slightest mark on one of the races (on the running surface), it is no good.
The first series Flavia's and Fulvia's have two axle nuts. The inner one is important. The outer one only has the function of making sure the inner one does not come loose.
The 7 kgm you mention is for the outer one!!!! My Flavia book (and Fulvia book) says 20 kgm for the inner one.
My book with technical specifications for the Fulvia says 27 to 33 kgm.
I torque them to 30 kgm and then still tighten them a bit more with a 2 meter extension.
Some SKF bearings apparently have a plastic cage. Only on one occasion I found that it was broken. It does not carry any load, It seperates the balls and keeps them more or less in place evenly divided over 360 degrees. So, I do not expect it to give any problems, not even when broken unless it totally desintegrates.
Ideally the inner race should be one piece. However, if that were the case it would be impossible to assemble the wheel bearing in the factory. It is thus made of two halves. One must tighten the axle nut with 30kgm to make sure that mechanically the inner race becomes "one piece".
The bearing is made with micron precision. If it is tightened very well, it has the right operating condition.
Many cars have conical bearings or roller bearings which should not be tightened to allow the wheels to turn. The Fulvia and Flavia (as well as the other Lancia's I know) have the far superior double row ball bearings, which do need very strong tightening.
If you still have play, even when tightened to 30 kgm (I even tighten them more myself) you may consider machining a bit off the inner races.
The balls are standard half inch balls and easily available.
If I find a car which is more than 30 years old, I open the wheel bearings for inspection. often the grease has become soap. If the races are still good, I replace the balls and assemble them again with new grease.
If there is the slightest mark on one of the races (on the running surface), it is no good.
The first series Flavia's and Fulvia's have two axle nuts. The inner one is important. The outer one only has the function of making sure the inner one does not come loose.
The 7 kgm you mention is for the outer one!!!! My Flavia book (and Fulvia book) says 20 kgm for the inner one.
My book with technical specifications for the Fulvia says 27 to 33 kgm.
I torque them to 30 kgm and then still tighten them a bit more with a 2 meter extension.
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carlo venturi
Re: flavia wheel bearings
Hi Huib,
always helpful your advices, even if I am quite scared after reading your answer (for the lot of work I did to change those bearings). Could be possible some wear on the hub flange against the wheel bearing inner race?. I have the Flavia 819 workshop book (stating 20 kgm for the external race) and with my tool I can not control its right torque. For removing\tightening the external race of front wheel bearings, I have a castellated tool which has a heavy bar welded to its higher part. Welded at 90 degree to this bar it is a long screw able to pass the whole set of the swivel (prived of the constant speed joint). With a washer and a nut I can hold in position the whole set and loose or tighten it, but not control the torque. In effect you are right for fixing the external race at a big momentum: when the new bearing is in place in the swivel, you can notice a slight axial movement along its internal wall. On the contrary the internal race of the wheel bearing (tightened at 7 kgm) has a big interference with the hub flange and no play when mounted.
Is it possible changing the whole left\right set of swivels (holding the complete set of wheel bearing, hub flange, brake disc) with those of a 819.400 I have for wreck? What do you think about this transplant? Ciao, Carlo.
always helpful your advices, even if I am quite scared after reading your answer (for the lot of work I did to change those bearings). Could be possible some wear on the hub flange against the wheel bearing inner race?. I have the Flavia 819 workshop book (stating 20 kgm for the external race) and with my tool I can not control its right torque. For removing\tightening the external race of front wheel bearings, I have a castellated tool which has a heavy bar welded to its higher part. Welded at 90 degree to this bar it is a long screw able to pass the whole set of the swivel (prived of the constant speed joint). With a washer and a nut I can hold in position the whole set and loose or tighten it, but not control the torque. In effect you are right for fixing the external race at a big momentum: when the new bearing is in place in the swivel, you can notice a slight axial movement along its internal wall. On the contrary the internal race of the wheel bearing (tightened at 7 kgm) has a big interference with the hub flange and no play when mounted.
Is it possible changing the whole left\right set of swivels (holding the complete set of wheel bearing, hub flange, brake disc) with those of a 819.400 I have for wreck? What do you think about this transplant? Ciao, Carlo.