Nissan Hub bearings (front wheel bearing GQ)

[danbbode87]

How hard is it to tighten front wheel bearings in a GQ?

[danbbode87]

bump

[Coza]

How hard is it to tighten front wheel bearings in a GQ?

It's not that hard to tighten them up. I'm not sure what sort of lock nut is in the Gq. Just take your free wheeling hub off and have a look. the next thing after the FW hub is the lock nut and nut to tighten your wheel bearing.
Might be a good idea to lock your hub in before you pull it off, i know the auto hub on the Gu is better lock when remvoing (it's spring loaded).

[Peter @ Aawen4x4]

Dan, probly a good idea to get a hold of a Gregory's workshop manual, or the OE Nissan one, but it is much more expensive. Either way, they have pretty good details on removing the FW Hubs and getting at the lock Nut for the bearing. One of the FW Hub types (Manual or Auto) likes the hub to be Free (manual?)to remove, the other likes it to be Locked (Auto?) and I can never remember which it is until it is right infront of me half way thru the task! So you gotta get that right, and take the FW Hub off. Manual hubs you've then gotta check that the bush and spacer for the Hub has come off with the hub, usually still inside the hub, if not, remove them and proceed. Auto Hubs don't have those spacers, just make sure that you've got all the hub inside its case still!

Hub's off, there are two different locking methods for the bearing nut. The first method, commonly found on the manual FW Hubs (but sometimes you get the other one too) is to use a locking washer, and with that you'll find that one flat on the nut has the washer under it lifted up against one of the flats on the nut, while the opp flat will have the washer pushed down over the flat of the nut underneath! The other method is for there to be an 'O' ring on the end of the stub axle. You just take the 'O' ring off, and the W/shop Manual will tell you to discard it, then take off the snap ring and washer underneath it before removing the lock washer retaining screws, remove the lock plate and unscrew the hub nut from the stub axle.

Taking that hub nut off or tightening it will either require a 2 pin adaptor (the manual tells you how to make one), a 53mm Hub Socket, or a few careful and gentle taps with a cold chisel! If you are going on to repack the bearings, or replace them, make sure that you keep all the locking rings and FW Hubs (Manual or Auto) clean and together, 'cos it's almost impossible to get it all to work properly once you've lost any bits!! It is fairly common at this stage for somone to kick the little collection of bits or the tray holding them over or under the car, or spill it somehow, and that's not so bad if you are on a concrete work surface, but if you are on the bare ground or in the bush, game over!

Hope that helps some! Cheers!

[GQ Tuff]

If you lock your hub before you try to remove it it won't come off. GQ'S have a 2 piece auto locking hub ..6 bolts on the outer to remove then a ring clip for the inner half... Then it has four locking screw to remove from the locking washer then you can rotate your hub nut with a couple of screwdrivers if you don't have the right tool for it.

[Starion vr4]

Y do U want to tighten them? I regrease my Bearing every 2yrs/50,000Km's, I think yr better off repacking them & adjusting at the same time.

NOTE: Don't re-use the lock washers!!! at $4ea from nissan it's cheap insurance.

[BIGDAVET86]

Y do U want to tighten them? I regrease my Bearing every 2yrs/50,000Km's, I think yr better off repacking them & adjusting at the same time.

Yeah but what if they go out of adjustment or you didn' get it right first time. You wouldnt just wait 2 years to tightn them back up would you???? Sometimes when you do the bearings, you think youve got them right, you go for a spin around the block, and find that they could do with a bit more tension.
And if you do water crossings or play in the mud it might be an idea to check them more than once every 2 years.

Cheers
Dave

[dirtygq]

Yeah but what if they go out of adjustment or you didn' get it right first time. You wouldnt just wait 2 years to tightn them back up would you???? Sometimes when you do the bearings, you think youve got them right, you go for a spin around the block, and find that they could do with a bit more tension.
And if you do water crossings or play in the mud it might be an idea to check them more than once every 2 years.

Cheers
Dave there are 2 types one with screws in the locking nut and 1 with just a locking washer. Mine is a 94 and has the locking washer,i repack and ritighten my bearings about every 2 months when i am using my vehicle.
The locking tab on the washer is prone to snapping off and letting the bearing come loose.A bit of automotive silastic (ultra grey etc.) around the locking hub before you re-assemble makes for a good seal.

[BIGDAVET86]

When i did mine i was under the impression that the manual fre wheeling hubs had the lock nut and washer and the auto hubs had the other setup with thewasher and lockring with the the screws. I went and got a 53mm socket for the job, pulled it apart and hey presto ive got the other kind with the lockring and screws. I reckon they are a pain in the arse and when i go to 35" tyres, i will probly change it over to the locknut arrangment. The current setup is so annoying to adjust, you gotta line things up, then try and get the screw to go in, then it wont cos its 1/4mm out of line, generally just a pain in the arse.

A bit of automotive silastic (ultra grey etc.) around the locking hub before you re-assemble makes for a good seal.

I seal it up with the same stuff but i find that the water will get in through the back of the swivel hub, where there is that arrangment of wipers and seals.

Cheers
Dave

[GQWILLO]

For a quick tighten its a 10 min job. 6 Alan bolt to remove hub. Than you just got the circlip on the end of the CV sharft, with that off slide the inner section of the hub off. Now you got two big nuts with a locking ring in between, just do you stuff and put it all back. Once your in there you'll see that it's all very simple. Also you should carry a couple of spare lock rings, cos they sometimes break. Cheap as, chuck some in ya tool box. Good luck.