How to check and replace a golf buggy wheel bearing
Written by the Hawke Electric Vehicles Service Team
Quick answer
Checking a golf buggy wheel bearing means jacking the wheel and feeling for play and listening for noise; replacing one means stripping the hub, driving out the old bearing races, fitting new bearings packed with grease, then setting the preload with the castle nut to your manual. It is an advanced job of one to two hours per wheel with a jack, hand tools and a new bearing set.
Tools needed
- Trolley jack
- Axle stands
- Wheel chocks
- Socket and spanner set
- Pliers for the split pin
- Soft drift and hammer
- Bearing grease and a tray
- Torque wrench
- Clean rags and brake cleaner
Parts needed
- Matching wheel bearing set, inner and outer
- New bearing races or cups where fitted
- New grease seal
- New split pin
- Wheel bearing grease
What this fixes
A worn wheel bearing gives itself away through a rumble or growl that rises with speed, a wheel that feels loose and rocks at the top and bottom, a hum or grinding from one corner, or heat and play after a run. Left alone, a failing bearing can seize or let the wheel wander, so checking and replacing it restores a wheel that turns quietly and runs true with no play. This procedure covers the wheel bearings, races and grease seal on a non-driven hub; a bearing built into a sealed transaxle on the driven axle is a different, heavier job.
Tools and parts
Parts
- Wheel bearing set, inner and outer, matched to your hub
- see your parts list for the bearing numbers
- New bearing races or cups, where they are a separate press fit
- New grease seal
- New split pin and fresh wheel bearing grease
You will need a trolley jack, axle stands, wheel chocks, a socket and spanner set, pliers for the split pin, a soft drift and hammer, bearing grease and a tray to pack it, a torque wrench and clean rags with brake cleaner. This is an advanced job because it involves setting the bearing preload correctly, and it takes one to two hours per wheel. Torque and preload figures vary by model, so set the castle nut and any hub fasteners to your manual rather than to a number from another vehicle.
How to do it
1Check for play and noise first
With the wheel jacked and on stands, hold it at the top and bottom and rock it, then at the sides, then spin it and listen. This confirms the bearing is the fault before you strip anything.
ExpectedA good bearing spins quietly with no rock at the top and bottom; noticeable play, rumble or grinding confirms a worn bearing
2Remove the wheel and the dust cap
Take the wheel off, then prise off the dust cap or grease cap in the centre of the hub to reveal the castle nut and split pin.
ExpectedThe castle nut, its split pin and the end of the spindle are exposed
3Remove the split pin, nut and hub
Straighten and pull the split pin, undo the castle nut and washer, then draw the hub off the spindle. The outer bearing usually drops into your hand as the hub comes forward, so catch it.
ExpectedThe hub is off the spindle and the outer bearing is out; the inner bearing stays in the hub behind the grease seal
4Remove and inspect the bearings and races
Lever out the grease seal, remove the inner bearing, and inspect both bearings and their races for pitting, scoring, blue heat marks or a rough feel. If the races are a separate press fit and worn, drive them out of the hub with the drift, working evenly around them.
ExpectedAny bearing or race that is pitted, scored, blued or rough is replaced; a bearing and race are always renewed together as a matched pair
5Pack the new bearings and reassemble
Drive in the new races if fitted, work fresh grease fully into the rollers of each new bearing until it fills the cage, place the inner bearing and fit a new grease seal, then refit the hub, the outer bearing, the washer and the castle nut.
ExpectedBoth bearings are fully packed with grease and seated, a new seal is fitted, and the hub is back on the spindle
6Set the preload with the castle nut
Follow your manual: typically you tighten the castle nut while turning the hub to seat the bearings, then back it off and retighten to the specified preload, and line up a slot with the hole for a new split pin.
ExpectedThe hub turns freely with no rock and no roughness, the nut is at the manual preload, and a new split pin is fitted and spread
Check it worked
7Recheck play, then road test
Refit the dust cap and wheel, torque the wheel nuts to your manual, lower the buggy and recheck for play by rocking the wheel, then take a short test drive and feel and listen at the hub.
ExpectedNo play at the wheel, the hub runs cool, and the rumble or grinding is gone on the test drive; any remaining noise or heat means the preload or a bearing needs another look
When to book an engineer
Book an engineer if the spindle or axle is worn, scored or bent, if the bearing race will not come out cleanly, if the bearing is part of a sealed transaxle, or if you are not confident setting the preload, because a bearing set too tight overheats and one too loose lets the wheel wander. Both extremes are unsafe. A wrongly fitted wheel bearing can fail on the road, so if any part of the strip-down does not go to plan, it is worth handing over rather than guessing at the preload.
Common questions
How do I know a wheel bearing is worn?
Jack the wheel, hold it at the top and bottom and rock it: any play points to a worn bearing. Then spin the wheel and listen for a rumble, growl or grinding. On the road a failing bearing gives a hum or rumble that rises with speed, often from one corner.
Can I just add grease instead of replacing the bearing?
Repacking with grease is part of the job and can extend the life of a bearing that is still smooth, but it does not fix a bearing that is already pitted, scored or noisy. Once a bearing is damaged, grease only masks it briefly, and the bearing and its race need replacing together.
Do I replace the bearing and the race together?
Yes. A bearing and its race wear as a matched pair, so fitting a new bearing onto a worn race, or the other way round, wears the new part quickly. Where the race is a separate press fit, drive the old one out and fit the new race with the new bearing.
How tight should the castle nut be?
There is no single figure that fits every buggy, so use your manual. The usual method is to tighten the nut while turning the hub to seat the bearings, back it off, then set the specified preload and fit a new split pin. Too tight overheats the bearing; too loose lets the wheel rock.
How much does a wheel bearing job cost to leave to a garage?
That depends on the vehicle and your area, so it is not something to quote here. What is worth saying is that a seized or collapsed bearing can damage the spindle and the hub, which turns a bearing job into a bigger repair, so it is cheaper caught early.
Which grease should I use?
Use a proper wheel bearing grease, worked right into the rollers until it fills the cage, not a general purpose grease. Pack the bearing fully rather than just smearing the outside, because the grease that matters is the grease held between the rollers and the race.
Did this fix it?
Every guide is written from manufacturer service documentation and workshop practice, then reviewed before publication. Read how we write and review our repair guides.