DIY journal bearing repair

In detail: do-it-yourself repair of support bearings from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

Before changing the support bearing of the VAZ 2110 strut to a new one, you can always look and try to repair the old one, especially since such a procedure will be appropriate if it is not possible to buy a support frame at the moment.

Before repairing the support bearing, we need to understand the causes of the knocking, this will give us the opportunity to understand what exactly in the bearing of the support needs to be repaired.

Next, we disassemble the thrust bearing, look at the condition of the damper rubber, it often sags during operation, while the bearing itself is still in excellent condition, and a knock appears. It is impossible to purchase such rubber bumpers separately, so you will have to resort to a little trick to repair the thrust bearing.

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In a MacPherson strut suspension system, thrust bearings play a key role. They are the link between the front suspension and the car body. The quality of driving, comfort and traffic safety directly depends on the state of these elements. Sometimes there comes a time when it is necessary to identify possible malfunctions of these elements in the rack. How to diagnose and, if necessary, replace them will be discussed.

In fact, the weight of the front of the car (including the engine) rests on this unit. When turning the front wheels, the bearing experiences lateral loads, which accelerates its wear.

Important! Operating defective mounts can cause damage to the suspension struts and steering.

Video (click to play).

A typical arrangement of support bearings can be seen in the diagram:

Even a minor malfunction or critical bearing wear has an immediate impact on the suspension and steering.

  • Since the bearing has a mechanical connection with the support cups of the struts, the slightest backlash immediately gives off to the body with characteristic knocks.
  • Turning the steering wheel becomes difficult, especially on vehicles without power steering.
  • When turning, a creak is heard in the area of ​​the support cups.

A more detailed check can be done using the assistant:

    Open the hood and ask the assistant to turn the steering wheel (if there is a power steering, the engine should be started). You can feel the bumps and clicks by placing your hand on the support. More precisely, the malfunction is determined using a car stethoscope.

In the absence of a car stethoscope, an ordinary medical one will do.

Works are carried out in a garage. A pit or lift is optional.

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Choose a head, in consultation with a consultant, all tools are different

  1. First, we completely dismantle the rack. First of all, you need to unscrew the upper shock absorber rod using two keys.

Also, a special key can be used for dismantling.

Image - DIY journal bearing repair

If damage is visible to any of the elements, it must be replaced.

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Evaluate the performance of the unit, it is possible that it can be partially repaired

Tip: Before disassembling, mark the position of all mounting nuts and stem with a marker to maintain the angle of the castor.

Ties are not removed until the end of the work

If the support itself is in order, and the malfunction only affects the bearing, it can be replaced separately. To do this, remove the rack with support (the process is described above) and deal with it separately.

Having disassembled the support (the design is different for everyone, but the principle is approximately the same), we revise the bearing.As a rule, the balls are worn out unevenly, there are seizures on the cage, and the oil seals are destroyed.

It is possible that the problem will be solved with a little blood.

Although journal bearings are usually disassembled and individual components can be accessed, there is no point in repairing them.

Image - DIY journal bearing repair

It is hardly profitable to dig with the component parts of the support bearing, trying to repair them.

Firstly, the bearing itself, separately from the support, is not so expensive.

Secondly, this is a crucial unit, so replacing balls or oil seals with a handicraft method will not lead to anything good. Therefore - an unequivocal replacement.

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It is safest to change the entire bearing

To change bearings in pairs or not - there is no consensus. Usually doubles replacement is made more due to reinsurance. Experienced workshop workers determine this need based on the general condition of the vehicle's suspension. It also happens that changing the second bearing is impractical - why throw out a well-working part?

If it turns out that the bearing is in order, and the reason for the knocking lies in the wear of the damper or other element that is not a critical component of the structure, the support can be repaired.