240 front hub bearings

[John Davies]

I have found that every 240 series car I have ever bought has needed front hub bearings, and those with wider wheels and tyres have needed them more frequently.

Sometimes the bearing has been turning on the stub axle and then my normal remedy has been to replace the stub axle or else the old fashioned trick of making four small dings with a centre punch (the metal is very hard so the dings are microscopic) and then seating the bearing as normal.

However, as I now have the problem again on my 'new' 240, I am thinking of doing something more technical such as using 'Stud and bearing lock' (Halfords) or 'Loctite stud and bearing fix'. Has anybody any views on this? Is the product robust enough to stand being used in this way, and if so is it a lasting repair? Is there a better product? Or should I just go and get the centre punch.......

Regards

John Davies

[Clifford Pope]

It is funny how we can have different perceptions of things based on our own particular experiences. Until I read your post I would have been quite prepared to say 240 wheel bearings lasted forever!
I have owned or helped work on at least half a dozen 240s, and I have only once encountered one that needed anything doing, and that was tightening the adjustment one notch. Even the odd secondhand strut has come with perfect bearings.
My Torslanda has now done 292,000 miles, and I have never had to so much as adjust the bearings.
Is it perhaps the way you drive, or are you tightening the nut too much?

My experiences are similar to yours Clifford. I've had two 240's over the past 18 years and have only ever renewed the front wheel bearings once on each car.
Even when I was working at a Volvo dealership in the 90's, I cannot actually remember ever changing 240 front wheel bearings, they were certainly not an item requiring regular attention.

Something is obviously amiss if the bearings are turning on the stub axle. The bearings are a sliding fit on the stub axle but shouldn't turn on it if the bearings are properly adjusted.

Perhaps a clean and re-lube followed by correct readjustment will cure the problem?

[vjck_uk]

I'd certainly echo what the guys said,I've never heard of or had any trouble with my bearings.
I would grease and adjust them properly (a lot of people tend to over tighten them).There should be just a little play at the wheel rim when adjusted or as they heat up a bit with running they will tighten.
With regards centre popping them I would think your centre punch would come off second best to a bearing race.
You could loctite them but not the outer or you can't adjust them any more.
Vaughan

[Martin Cox]

In my 240 days, I changed two wheel bearings. One was on a car of very questionable service history where the inner bearing seized and the hub spun on the stub axle. A new bearing lasted the reamining life of the car.

The other was on my own car and one of the outer bearing hub surfaces became pitted so the bearing was rough and noisy. The bearings on the other front wheel ran for 200,000 miles.

Martin Cox

1994 440 SE 1.8
1998 V70 Tdi

[John Davies]

Well, thanks for that, fellas. I have obviously just been very unlucky in the past. 'The way I drive'- the very cheek of it!
As to centre popping, if you are ever tempted to try the dings go in the stub axle as the bearing is made of harder stuff! This is very much always a last resort as far as I am concerned though, although it was more common when I first started 30 years ago.

The car has obviously been running on this worn bearing for some time, and there have been attempts made to adjust, looking at the state of split pin and nut. The old bearings were going brown with the heat - the grease was black, thin and smelly. Yuk.

There was however no discernable wear to the stub axle, so have just cleaned everything up and changed the bearings and shells for now; if they go again I will probably just change the strut as I have one here with perfect bearings which I had forgotten about lurking at the back of my shed - I need to change the front shocks at some stage anyway.

Thanks for the shared wisdom.

John

[Clifford Pope]

Sorry if I sounded cheeky John. It had to be said I think - some people DO corner their cars hard and bump up kerbs on full lock, but obviously not you!
As you say, it must just be a matter of luck really.
Good luck now, anyway.

Cheers,
Cliff