Wheelbearing Woes - Please help

[E_T_V]

My rear wheel bearing on my camper has had it those on the august bank holiday jaunt around yorkshire will agree! AND the MOT man told me again last week. So I have tried to change it. Everything was going far too smoothly and from jacking it up to drifting out the bearing can't have taken more than 30 mins and the bearing drifted out faily easily unlike the fronts which are always a :censored: to remove.

Anyway I already had a spare waiting to fit but here is my problem. They are a different size. I asked my motorfactor to get one and the one he got was the wrong size too. Even the rover software I have only lists one bearing type for all vans and I don't think this'll fit. (The bearings currently in the hub are much larger than the ones that are being supplied as replacements and they are of a smaller diameter too)

My camper is based on a 700 van rather than the more common 500 one but I am fairly sure that it is all standard fitment equipment. The wheels are 4.5 inch PCD rather than the 100mm PCD too.

Can anyone shed any light on how to get the correct bearing kit?

[tony]

i wonder if it has a uprated back axel with it beeing a camper?

[E_T_V]

Nope all campers were based on the 500 van as far as I know.
However as mine is a conversion of a camper it was based on a 700 van which has uprates suspension antiroll bars etc to cope with the extra 200kg of payload it can carry. I assume that is also why the PCD of my wheels is larger too too.

[G Force]

Hi there. You are right to think your van is standard. 700 vans do have uprated wheels and hubs as standard. You could try the dealer for the correct part no. then take it to the factor as he may be able to x reference it if you dont want to pay dealer price. :)

[E_T_V]

I've looked in the Rover EPC (I think that was the one) but I can only see reference to one bearing for all of the vans. Time to visit the dealer and bite the bullet.

[e692wtt]

Try Andy Page's or Partco, shop around the Motor Factors. If you can get a part number then try a Bearing Manufacturer or Supplier (get them to cross-reference, as G Force suggests, this plan has worked on my mate's Triumph Spitfire in the past).

Shop around. There are still a few good Car Parts places around as well as Motor Factors (a good one in Bury, for example, both RDGelder and myself use the same place).

[Beaker]

Originally posted by E_T_V
I've looked in the Rover EPC (I think that was the one) but I can only see reference to one bearing for all of the vans. Time to visit the dealer and bite the bullet.

Nope it was Infomill :)

Originally posted by e692wtt
If you can get a part number.....

Thats the trouble infomill only lists one type of bearing for the van, which is the wrong one as we already have that sort. Within Infomill there is no distinction between the 500 and 700 Van. If someone has some different part no software they could look on we would be grateful

Cheers
Lindsey

[e692wtt]

OK then... I'm sure a bearing supplier would be able to supply the correct size bearing if you took the stub axle along? Or talk to them, find out what measurements they need to supply or make one for you and supply them with this info? Or just take the old one along - at least they'll be able to measure the relevant parameters of the parts even if the old one has fallen apart.

Even a patient motor factor may be able to sort this, might be worth a go.

[E_T_V]

Grrrrrrr.

I went to my rover dealer and had a rather vocal exchange of words him telling me that I didn't know f:banghead: all and me telling him that he was imcompetant. According to him there has only ever been one bearing and one hub for all of the vans, which as we know is incorrect. Anyway they were of no use what-so-ever as usual. They asked for me to pay for it upfront even though I was 90% sure it would be the wrong one, and told me they wouldn't give me a refund if it was the wrong item. I'll name and shame Perrys MG-Rover for being the most incompetant, unhelpful dealership I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. (I don't think they were too impressed as I said that VERY loudly whilst walking through their showroom packed full of prospective customers :D:D)

Anyway I went to my local LARGE motorfactor who looked through their books and low and behold they only list one bearing too :( However when they got it out to show me (along with a car one too- as they are really good) The bearings don't quite match, but they will fit. It sems to save money the uprated inner bearing has been shrunk in thickness and a plastic spacer has been included in the kit to fit the 700van. Rover wanted 26 quid plut VAT, my factor did it me for 20 quid all in. It is a QH part so I'm happyish (even though I'd prefer to have the larger bearing), however as my camper will rarely be used to lug huge loads around I think it'll do just fine.

I'll post the actual bearing reference numbers up later tonight for future reference to any interested parties.

[talkingcars]

Reading all of this made me think LDV, did the later 700 have bits from the LDV rear axle which may also explain the larger PDC. If so, do the LDV dealers list one or two bearings for the maestro van?

James

[E_T_V]

A similar thought crossed my mind but weren't all the LDV vans rear wheel drive meaning they had a VERY different axle?

The maestro van appears in both the commercial and the normal bit of some of the books I noticed.