Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

Mon 28 Nov 2016 14:15

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - Lew Spanner

I'm looking to see if anyone has had issues with replacement wheel bearings:

I've replaced both front wheel bearings and discs on my Volvo v50 (2.0l D). There is no bearing retaining ring, they rely on an interference fit.

However, the left front bearing has pushed back out of the hub, to the point where the disc started to rub against the caliper mounting bracket. It was pushed out about 6-7mm. Took it off last weekend, removed it, cleaned it, and replaced it using Loctite 601. Lovely, pat self on back. No grinding noises, or warning lights, etc.

A couple of days later, I see the anti-lock warning, which indicates that the bearing has moved again, to the point where the anti-lock sensor has lost contact with the back of the bearing. It's a proximity sensor, no reluctor rings or any such required.

Now baffled - do I need a new bearing, or try to find a replacement hub unit, with a (hopefully) tighter fit?

Any ideas, folks?

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Mon 28 Nov 2016 14:42

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - Peter D

"There is no bearing retaining ring, they rely on an interference fit."

Are you sure a bout that. Seems very strange, have you spoken with Volvo about this and seen the drawings and parts list. Regards Peter

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Mon 28 Nov 2016 15:29

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - Lew Spanner

Yes, Peter D. Not spoken with Volvo - no need. It's easy to check online. No circlips at all, just an interference fit, surprisingly, considering the sort of loads they carry. However, most of the force should be rotational, not sideways.

They are quite broad bearings, so there's plenty of surface to ensure a good tight fit. Or so you'd expect. Took a few tons of pressure to push out the old ones, and the new pushed in reasonably easy - nice clean surfaces. L/H was maybe too easy to fit, on reflection.

I suspect max i/d in hub with min bearing o/d, which should still provide a tight enough fit, if it has been toleranced properly in design. I think I'll try to locate a replacement hub unit - I'm more suspicious of that than a bearing which has a precision ground finish

I'm hoping the lack of other instances of this (via Google search) indicates this is a unique problem. Same setup is common to Mondeo / Focus as well, so far as I know. Caliper bracket & caliper have FoMoCo stamps, so there is commonality

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Mon 28 Nov 2016 15:34

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - gordonbennet

I too don't like the idea of a basically push fit bearing with nothing to hold it in place, cheerio wheel !

These arn't sealed in bearings are they, where you are supposed to change the complete hub unit, has someone ground away the hub stamping so they could fit another bearing to save themselves £40 i wonder, the troublesome one being easy to push in and out is a bit suspicious.

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Mon 28 Nov 2016 15:59

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - Peter D

The Ford Focus bearing has a circlip to retain the bearing. I whave a maunal in front of me. Regards Peter

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Mon 28 Nov 2016 16:31

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - RichardW

I had a look on youtube, and it does appear that these come as a bearing and hub together and are just pressed in from the outside, no retaining ring.

My guess is that the hub carrier has cracked when the old bearing was driven out, and it's no longer tight enough.

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Mon 28 Nov 2016 18:44

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - elekie&a/c doctor

Where did the parts come from?I think you will find that Ford/Volvo only supply the bearing as a complete hub assembly.

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Tue 29 Nov 2016 10:12

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - Lew Spanner

Thanks folks, for the responses. Doesn't seem like a common problem, as no-one seems to have come across this.

I've not seen any complete Volvo assemblies - only replacement bearings. They are designed to be replaceable. Took a fair bit of pressure to shift the old ones (I've replaced both sides), 10 tons on our calibrated press in work.

L/H slid back in far too easily, it seemed, and even with Loctite bearing retainer, won't stay in place, so I suspect the hub i/d is at maximum. I don't have the nominal dia and tolerances for the bearing / hub, so, I'm going on what I observed. In our business, we'd stake the bearing in place as well, but there's not enough clearance between hub and wheel flange to get at it.

I think my best bet is to replace the hub itself - it's easy to remove (20 minutes or so). Any assistance you folks could give in locating a hub would be much appreciated. Volvo v50 2.0D, 2006, l/hand front hub.

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Tue 29 Nov 2016 10:17

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - Peter.N.

I haven't seen that since the days of the Ford Zephyr rear bearings, you would occaisionally see one with the wheel rubbing against the inside of the rear wing.

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Wed 30 Nov 2016 12:37

Volvo v50 - Front wheel bearing fit - RichardW

There are plenty on e-bay - also plenty replacement bearings, and they all come with the hub (the bit the goes round, rather than the bit on the car which is really the hub carrier). Not sure where you got your bearing - perhaps it is slightly undersized on the outside? Is it a reputable make (SNR or SKF) or a no-name Chinese cheapie? Presume the bearing (and hub) are sliding out of the hub carrier, rather than the hub sliding out of the bearing?

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