Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Plus 4 Rear Wheel Bearings

Are the rear wheel bearings on a Plus 4 (2005) particularly difficult, and hence time-consuming, to replace? I was charged 3 hours labour each side.

Does this sound reasonable?

With the correct tools and knowledge it's 1.5 hrs per side max

It wasn't doing the job that took the time, it was cleaning up afterwards. Bearing changes get really messy! Deano is right, 6 hours to do two sides is just taking the mick. [Other names are available]. :xmascontent:

When on the shop floor we used to get 45 min a side for Marina rear wheel bearings, an hour for the MGB. That's from the I.C.M.E. manual that most none manufacturer 'book' times come from and of course with a vehicle ramp and all the adapters, power tools and pullers. As an old f**t sitting on the floor with a trolley jack but still with the pullers I would agree 1.5 hrs a side is the max. Care to name and shame where this was done? I heard very recently of someone quoting 8 hrs at £55 +VAT (£525!!!!!!) to change a set of King Pins..........

You can't compare a Marina axle to a Morgan axle. Certainly a Salisbury axle bearing swap is a right game, the hard bit being the breaking of the taper. The Marina half shaft just comes out with the bearing which is an easy swap.

Not sure what I was billed for when the axle on Woodstock was swapped, but the garage did say it was difficult but that a visiting coach mechanic showed them how it was done.

Did the garage do any other work.

Did tehy clean up the rear brakes or have to say repair the handbrake cable because it was sticky.

Did they also do a safety check and check the tightness of all the chassis bolts.

Did they also check fan belt and other minor items when it was in the garage.

I know people will say and can you give it a general check over as well and complain if something goes wrong with the car that is not connected with the bearings three months later because the garage should have checked!

Therefore can you confim that you only told them to changed the rear wheel bearings ( and nothing more ) and there was no further work they have done like free off or cleaning the rear brakes after seeing the condition of them when the rear drums were removed.

eddie

Wasn't aware that I had compared it? Just gave an example of two axle types a simple and a more complex one. Having taught axle overhaul at the BL Training school I am aware of the difference.

The taper only becomes a problem if you don't have the correct puller.

It looked a bit like a comparison to me is my excuse, sorry. However there is a wide range of abilities on this forum ranging from folk who make my mum look technical to others who could make an interplanetary rocket from baked bean tins, or even, an interrossiter...

When I had mine off it broke the puller bolts, (8.8 grade steel)

When I tried again with 12.9 grade steel bolts it took an hour a side and a fair amount of heat to break the taper.

Jon the Chief