How warm should front wheel bearings be?

[Timinator]

I had to replace my front bearings and grease seals on my '95 2wd. The seals had failed and let water in. The bearings actually looked OK, but new Timkens are cheap insurance. After reassembly, I have been monitoring them, and they get warm enough that I can touch the hubs for only about 5 seconds before it gets too warm. I failed to see how hot they ran before, so I have no direct comparison (stupid me). How warm should they be after use (without towing or hauling)? Thanks.

 

[Doc Tinker]

Most of the heat you're feeling is probably generated by the brakes. I would only do a 'feel the heat' test to compare right to left to see that they feel the same. I do that with my travel trailer to see if one of the four bearings could be failing.



If you properly greased and preloaded the bearings, you should be ok and will do fine with a periodic comparison test.



Doc

 

[B.G. Smith]

Probably what you are seeing is the heat build up from the disc brakes. If you could drive about 10 miles without using the brakes, then stop and feel the hubs, should be warm but not hot. bg

 

[MikeR]

I replaced them on our '95 2wd becasue the front brake caliper locked up and was driven that way,and it got so hot the grease was smoking and the seals were toast.

Heat is generated by the brakes,but I heven't noticed it being so hot that I couldn't touch it.

 

[illflem]

In playing around with my infrared temp gun I've seen the brake rotors over 200° after just a couple of hard stops, that's probably what you're feeling. When measuring the temp of wheel hubs with no brakes I've found that the tires are hotter than the hubs after a long pull.

 

[Timinator]

Thanks guys!

I was careful to reassemble them properly, but I paid more attention to them after than before. Thanks for the great replies.

T