 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Brake upgrade - worth replacing the bearings? |
 
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4227   
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If there is no play, a thorough clean, inspection and re-grease with good grease is sufficient I would say. A new seal too. Some would argue if you are going that far you may as well change the bearings, but that’s up to you, 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
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15th Jan 2022 12:07pm |
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| SJM2018 Member Since: 06 Jul 2018 Location: Bristol Posts: 296 
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I think I'm just going to give them a good clean and re-grease.
It's not much of a hardship to remove the hubs and replace the bearings when they start to fail  2011 CSW XS 90 |
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15th Jan 2022 9:10pm |
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| Co1 Member Since: 19 Aug 2018 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 3689 
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The bearings are a few quid, you might as well swap them. It would be quicker than cleaning them up!
https://www.jgs4x4.co.uk/defender-discover...imken-oem/ |
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15th Jan 2022 9:36pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17549 
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If there's nothing wrong with them why change them? 50k miles is next to nothing, and they're easy to change when the time comes.
Plus it's not very "green" to replace good parts unnecessarily. |
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15th Jan 2022 10:47pm |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2685 
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Did 245k on my front wheel bearings before I rebuilt the car, as above replacing at 50k is madness unless they’re damaged/worn.
They will only really wear if dirt/water gets in, keep them well greased and they’ll last effectively for ever. |
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16th Jan 2022 6:03pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17549
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I've replaced the bearings in one hub, once, in over 250k miles.
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16th Jan 2022 7:00pm |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4227
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The other thing I forgot to say in my post above… The standard brake set up on a Defender is really quite effective if it’s in good condition in my opinion. Unless you have a really heavy duty application or you drive like Francois Delecour they should be more than up to the job. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
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16th Jan 2022 7:28pm |
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| PCM Member Since: 25 Jan 2019 Location: North East Posts: 895
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I added a set of ebc performance pads and discs on mine.
Never again. Squeeled and squeaked so much I changed the pads to oem with a fortnight. Great for hard breaking in a track, but on or off road awful. 😂 |
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16th Jan 2022 11:44pm |
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| SJM2018 Member Since: 06 Jul 2018 Location: Bristol Posts: 296
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I used to think the brake setup was pretty good too. With my previous tyres (original contis and cooper discoverer at3 4s), the tyres would lose traction before the brakes felt like they were struggling.
However, with my new set of Ko2s (I don't know what improvements they've made, but they're amazing), they're yet to lose traction under heavy braking and you can fell the limitation is now the brakes. My plan was to upgrade the setup and also get some braided lines. I think I'm going to leave the bearings be; I'd need to buy a dial indicator, a full set of the spaces x4 (I use the vehicle every day, so would need to get it sorted the same day) and a bearing race driver (I don't trust my self walking them in using a punch  ) 2011 CSW XS 90 |
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17th Jan 2022 9:29am |
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| Balvaig Member Since: 19 Feb 2016 Location: Fife Posts: 735 
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Be cautious. Unless this is a recognised modification, then changing the brake discs and pads along with replacing the rear callipers to 110 spec may well upset the braking balance on the car.
You don’t want to end up with the rear brakes locking up prematurely. Always worry about safety critical modifications, so apologies if you are experienced in this area. |
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17th Jan 2022 10:50am |
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