young kids changing a wheel bearing on a car.

UncleTom · Apr 10, 2022

I was driving down the street today on my bike. I seen a front wheel drive car on the side of the street and 3 young kids changing the wheel bearing. They were trying to pull the hub off of the shaft. They had the top ball joint separated and and needed to get the steering knuckle off to press out the rest of the bearing. I asked them who was going to press the bearing off. They said they were and had some tool up in the back of a pickup truck. They worked all day long on it from start to finish. I stopped and watch them for a while and gave them advice when needed. They were slow at it but taking there time. They finally got it finished. They were all 15,17 year old girls with a 7 month old in a carrier. I have never seen anything like it. They had help from there dad on phone contact. It was a good thing i had stopped as they did have a little trouble. I told them i was proud of them. I had to take a picture of it.

Fritz Maurer · Apr 10, 2022

That is such an awesome story. I love to help people like that.

Steve@Advance · Apr 10, 2022

That's no small job to tackle on the side of the road!

I've heard some front wheel drive bearings make terrible noise and go a long way. Never seen one lock up, but I'm sure it can happen.

flying belgian · Apr 10, 2022

Their success has more to do with their can do attitude then with their skill.

Stephen Newell · Apr 10, 2022

You would think it would be worth the wrecker fee to do that job at home, especially when you consider the danger of them being out there on the side of the road.

ASEguy · Apr 11, 2022

That's grit.

Geo-TH,In · Apr 11, 2022

A girl in a church parking lot had her car jacked up, lug nuts removed but couldn't get the damaged tire off the car. She was on the phone talking to her boyfriend.
I sat on the donut tire. Gave the wheel a good kick with the bottom of my shoe. Off came the wheel. She was thankful.

Stroby · Apr 11, 2022

Very well said, we need more of these kind of people.

caterpillar guy · Apr 11, 2022

Good for them. More then most guys that age now days. I had a front wheel bearing lock up on a Ford 3/4 ton diesel once. Had to change it and the other one shortly after the first. Kind of sucked change the rear leaf springs and less then 6 months later a kid ran stop sign and totaled it for me. Only had truck about 18 months to 2 years.

BarnyardEngineering · Apr 11, 2022

(quoted from post at 19:57:20 04/10/22) You would think it would be worth the wrecker fee to do that job at home, especially when you consider the danger of them being out there on the side of the road.

They were changing it themselves because they probably didn't have the money to pay someone to change it. Where would they get the money for a tow?

BarnyardEngineering · Apr 11, 2022

(quoted from post at 04:41:10 04/11/22) A girl in a church parking lot had her car jacked up, lug nuts removed but couldn't get the damaged tire off the car. She was on the phone talking to her boyfriend.
I sat on the donut tire. Gave the wheel a good kick with the bottom of my shoe. Off came the wheel. She was thankful.

So are you saying the girl was resourceful for changing her own tire, or too stupid to live because she could not figure out how to get the rusted-on wheel off the hub?

retired farmer · Apr 11, 2022

He said they were changing the wheel bearing.

fusion1 · Apr 11, 2022

Several years ago, I was leaving Wal-Mart and I noticed a young lady with her hood up on her car
she was just looking down in the engine I walked over and ask her if she was having car trouble
she told me her dad said to put a qt of oil in the car she had no idea where to put it
I ask her what made her dad think it needed oil
she did not know, so I said to her let check it 1st. I went on to show her how to check the
oil level it was only down 1/2 qt so I showed her how to put oil in I told her to put the 1/2 qt
left over in her trunk so she could use it next time.
she was so excited about learning how to check her oil and put the oil in the engine.
It to bad that schools do not have a class for kids graduating from high school that teaches
this.

BarnyardEngineering · Apr 11, 2022

(quoted from post at 05:44:22 04/11/22)
It to bad that schools do not have a class for kids graduating from high school that teaches
this.

Why should it be the school's responsibility?

Besides, most kids won't remember a thing about the course 10 minutes after its over. Most likely the girl you "taught" wasn't able to remember how to check her oil the day after your encounter.

pete 23 · Apr 11, 2022

He did say STREET so may have been in front of their home. Many around here have no parking spot except street. If it was on a highway, different story.

JMOR · Apr 11, 2022

(quoted from post at 08:58:28 04/11/22)

(quoted from post at 05:44:22 04/11/22)
It to bad that schools do not have a class for kids graduating from high school that teaches
this.

Click to expand...

Why should it be the school's responsibility?

Besides, most kids won't remember a thing about the course 10 minutes after its over. Most likely the girl you "taught" wasn't able to remember how to check her oil the day after your encounter.

ot really 'responsible', as the teacher told her class to put the oil in the cap labeled 710!

Hay maker2 · Apr 11, 2022

I have had the luxury of changing a few of these on various model vehicle's. Most people (including contributors of this website) could not change a modern day wheel bearing / hub assembly, even more so if it s a front wheel drive vehicle or a AWD with a CV joint going through it. I commend them in there efforts! By all means, I would of paid to have it towed to my shop as I would not of done this on the side of the road.

JWinIndiana · Apr 11, 2022

Great story and good job on you stopping and offering advice.

Don't let the haters kill your mood on why they did what they did where they did when they did.

BarnyardEngineering · Apr 11, 2022

(quoted from post at 07:44:04 04/11/22)
Great story and good job on you stopping and offering advice.

Don't let the haters kill your mood on why they did what they did where they did when they did.

Not haters, but persnickety old pharts who can't see beyond their own myopic little world to realize that not everyone lives their lives as they do.

dhermesc · Apr 11, 2022

We hire on attitude and aptitude - when that's right everything else is possible.

dhermesc · Apr 11, 2022

You do with what you have. The money spent on a wrecker is probably more than the parts cost for the actually repair.

M-MAN · Apr 11, 2022

I admire their gumption and willingness to learn. Kids need guidance in a lot of areas but they are way beyond most of us old folks in other ways.

I've been attempting to help mentor a robotics team at our local college lately. I have been asked for a few years but didn't think I could contribute as most of my knowledge I thought was obsolete. I was wrong somewhat. The kids (and most are girls) could build a robot from scratch but they lack the skills to troubleshoot problems. That's an area where I can actually help by teaching them what questions to ask, explaining power flow both mechanical and electrical. Where to start troubleshooting and other simple things we don't even think about that these kids have never been exposed to. It's been a real learning experience for me and I have gained a lot of faith in our youth.

Hay maker2 · Apr 11, 2022

(quoted from post at 16:27:15 04/11/22) I admire their gumption and willingness to learn. Kids need guidance in a lot of areas but they are way beyond most of us old folks in other ways.

I've been attempting to help mentor a robotics team at our local college lately. I have been asked for a few years but didn't think I could contribute as most of my knowledge I thought was obsolete. I was wrong somewhat. The kids (and most are girls) could build a robot from scratch but they lack the skills to troubleshoot problems. That's an area where I can actually help by teaching them what questions to ask, explaining power flow both mechanical and electrical. Where to start troubleshooting and other simple things we don't even think about that these kids have never been exposed to. It's been a real learning experience for me and I have gained a lot of faith in our youth.

Well said!

RedMF40 · Apr 11, 2022

In fifteen years or so mom will be in her thirties and the babe-in-arms will be old enough to understand the story about changing out the wheel bearing. Good story, wishing them all the best. Gerrit

Duner Wi · Apr 11, 2022

I am curious as to what kind of car they were working on with a top ball joint and FWD.
40 year old Saab is only ting I can think of. There must be something more recent I am not aware of.

fusion1 · Apr 12, 2022

Mr Barnyard
If I was teaching a class and I helped just 1 student to know how to put air in there tires
or check there oil I would be happy.
So many students grow up and have no help from there parents in this complicated world

3LFarms · Apr 12, 2022

30 years ago, when I was a very young man, I worked a second job at Autozone. After working there for a few months, I became convinced that half the population shouldnt even be allowed to drive a car, let alone WORK on a car.

I saw people buy a quart of oil, and shortly thereafter see them through the store window dumping it in the radiator surge tank. Or grown men that could not change a wiper blade.

ThadS · Apr 12, 2022

2006-2012 Ford Fusion for one. Just did the front wheel bearing not too long ago. I had to remove the whole knuckle and put it on the press as the puller didn't budge it. Good for them for not shying away from the task.

BarnyardEngineering · Apr 12, 2022

(quoted from post at 06:35:50 04/11/22) I have had the luxury of changing a few of these on various model vehicle's. Most people (including contributors of this website) could not change a modern day wheel bearing / hub assembly, even more so if it s a front wheel drive vehicle or a AWD with a CV joint going through it. I commend them in there efforts! By all means, I would of paid to have it towed to my shop as I would not of done this on the side of the road.

Most likely they would complain about the hub not being serviceable, have to replace the entire hub, can't just repack the bearings.

They must have been in a place that doesn't use salt, because getting those unit bearings out usually requires an act of God, and explosives, around here.

Hay maker2 · Apr 12, 2022

(quoted from post at 20:51:16 04/12/22)

(quoted from post at 06:35:50 04/11/22) I have had the luxury of changing a few of these on various model vehicle's. Most people (including contributors of this website) could not change a modern day wheel bearing / hub assembly, even more so if it s a front wheel drive vehicle or a AWD with a CV joint going through it. I commend them in there efforts! By all means, I would of paid to have it towed to my shop as I would not of done this on the side of the road.

Click to expand...

Most likely they would complain about the hub not being serviceable, have to replace the entire hub, can't just repack the bearings.

They must have been in a place that doesn't use salt, because getting those unit bearings out usually requires an act of God, and explosives, around here.

And that's the TRUTH!!!!!

JWinIndiana · Apr 13, 2022

(quoted from post at 08:27:15 04/11/22) I admire their gumption and willingness to learn. Kids need guidance in a lot of areas but they are way beyond most of us old folks in other ways.

I've been attempting to help mentor a robotics team at our local college lately. I have been asked for a few years but didn't think I could contribute as most of my knowledge I thought was obsolete. I was wrong somewhat. The kids (and most are girls) could build a robot from scratch but they lack the skills to troubleshoot problems. That's an area where I can actually help by teaching them what questions to ask, explaining power flow both mechanical and electrical. Where to start troubleshooting and other simple things we don't even think about that these kids have never been exposed to. It's been a real learning experience for me and I have gained a lot of faith in our youth.

You nailed that! In my small engines classes they have difficulties troubleshooting at first. Amazing, at the beginning they will have spark but still troubleshoot the ignition. In their first semester they tear down and rebuild a single cylinder B&S. Second semester if their first semester engine didn't start or run they continue with that. Otherwise I bug their engines and they troubleshoot and get it running again,

young kids changing a wheel bearing on a car.

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