93 Corolla bearing

Some bearing lubricants are incompatible, and sometimes it is mentioned on the container. Most bearings ship with factory lubricant that is used to protect the bearing and race surfaces until end user installation. I would not be too concerned and just pack the new bearing normally with your selected lubricant. If you are hesitant to do so, just clean out the new bearing, making sure not to use compressed air in the process (you don't want to spin the bearing dry) and repack normally.

You mention that the bearing needs to be pressed in. That would indicate that your car is front wheel drive, and all the bearing I've seen for FWD vehicles were sealed bearings. Have things changed?

IIRC, the front wheel bearings are sealed and cannot be repacked so no additional packing is necessary for new bearings. The white grease on the outside of the bearing is probably a rust-preventative for the outer race. Go to

for an on-line manual for your car. Look under suspension and steering for instructions on replacing the front wheel bearing.

BTW, Grade 1.5 seems a little thin. Wheel bearing grease is generally Grade

2 or 3.

I think the OP's car has sealed bearings that should not be cleaned or repacked.

I can't think of any FWD vehicles without sealed bearings, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. The OP's car does have sealed bearings.

I have the new part here (013-0529-4 FW128) SKF. I bought it for $41 from Canadian Tire (13 0529 4). Should I have bought this at the dealer? Is SKF a good brand?

You can easily see the ball bearings through a 5 mm gap between the outer and inner walls. The outer wall is cylindrical outside (for pressing into the hub) with the inner surface machined into two inner curved raceways. There is a left and right set of 14 ball bearings, snapped into a white plastic ring holder. The inner wall is split into two halves (left and right) which can be lifted out to remove the ball bearings. There is a 5 mm flange reaching from the centre outward which partially covers the ball bearings (and will hold them in place).

That being the case, it occurs to me that I could just wipe off the thin white grease and pack the assembly with this green (1.5) "Wheel Bearing & Chassis Lubricant" stuff from Canadian Tire. Your comments are gratefully appreciated. (Send me to the store now before I tear the hub off!).

Thanks,

- Jack

I don't really know whether or not SKF is a good brand, but it is a name brand.

As far as your description of the bearing, wheel bearings generally have roller bearings, not a ball bearings so if the bearing you purchased has ball bearings, I would check another source like the dealer to see what the proper bearing looks like.

Also, the bearing should be pre-packed and not need packing.

That's what they normally are now, fortunately, but I just responded to his request. I haven't pulled a wrench on a '93 Corolla.

My 1982 Chevy Citation had dual-row ball bearings in the front, and my

1995 Corolla had them in the front and rear. Here's the front:

I think the front bearings on the Chevy were sealed, but on that Corolla they definitely were not, and external seals had to be installed.