The osr bearing went about 18 months ago, I didn't have time to do much, so I purchased a second hand complete knuckle and swapped it over one evening.

My plan was to then refurbish the original knuckle with a new bearing and refit. However, I never got time.

At the last mot in February it got an advisory for slight play in that same bearing. So I pulled the old knuckle out of the garage and it had since sat in the conservatory waiting to be looked at further!

Now the bearing is starting to make noise, so I really need to do something.

I found a local place that will push out our push in bearings for £25 a time. So £50 for a replacement plus the cost of the bearings.

I also have a front hub to replace the bearing in as I replaced the knuckle for that one too. I expect that the other bearings won't be far behind. My in-laws also need a couple replacing before the next MOT so I'm thinking it will be worth getting the tools.

I'm looking at getting a 12T hydraulic press. Is anything else required?

Are FAG bearings still the recommended ones to go for?

Anything else to be aware of?

Made a start today. Drifted the hub out and removed the inner race from the hub, so that is ready to refit.

Decided to order a 12t press, to push the rest out of the knuckle.

Cleaned up the back plate and painted it with rust converter paint.


Now got to wait for the new bearings to arrive and for the press to arrive.

A hydraulic press is on my want list! Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

I removed the old bearing myself. Had my local tractor garage press the new one in for me. No charge! £25 seems excessive for 5 mins work, especially if they are pressing the new one in for another £25!

The press arrived, quite a quick straight forward job to replace.

Only issue I had is that the middle of the bearing pushed out (you can't drive it out on the outer race edge due to the lip) so I was left with the outer race to drive out but the bearing adapter discs that I had would just fall through our the correct one wouldn't go past the lip. I ended up making a piece using some flat bar with rounded ends, this would go in at an angle and sit on the inner lips of the outer race, then I was able to drive it out with relative ease.

All ready to swap this one back on, but no time for a few weeks now!

Grimdog wrote:

I removed the old bearing myself. Had my local tractor garage press the new one in for me. No charge! £25 seems excessive for 5 mins work, especially if they are pressing the new one in for another £25!