engine and drivetrain Renewing Rear Wheel Bearings

[Buckeye]

Spray castle nuts  with penetrating oil several times over a course of a few days and let it to break loose surface tension rust and corrosion.

Jack up and support vehicle

Remove tire

Remove cotter pin

Replace tire and lower car to ground

Apply parking brake and car in Neutral

Loosen up castle nut with 36mm socket and long handlebar

Jack up and support vehicle again and release parking brake

Remove tire, castle nut and drum brake

Heat hub for about 15 minutes. Rotate hub as your heating it.

Pull off driving flange/hub with extractor

Detach output shaft / CV shaft from axle shaft and tie it up

Screw on castle nut with notches facing brakes, then use soft hammer to drive axle shaft out

Outboard

Inboard

Pry out inboard and outboard sealing rings. From inboard side drive out outboard bearing with soft punch (brass) and hammer. Now shim ring (if any) and spacer sleeve can be removed from outboard side. Now can easily remove inboard ball bearing with punch and hammer. It is imperative that circular shim and spacer sleeve for each wheel kept separate if rear wheels bearings removal done at once.

Wipe inside with paper towels and spray inside with brake cleaner.

New bearings and seals

Next, Pack bearings with grease and grease sealing rings lip

Install inboard bearing. I used 1-1/2” dia. PVC coupling and plug to drive bearing in against bearing bore stop.

Coat sleeve spacer outside with 35 grams grease and then insert sleeve to the cavity from outboard.

Insert shim ring then, install outboard bearing making sure it is seating against shim

Install inboard and outboard seals

Insert axle shaft from inboard side all the way in

Install hub/ driving flange. May need to use hammer on face of hub to seat it in

Tighten castle nut with 36mm socket

Replace drum brake

Install tire and lug nuts

Put rear wheels on ground

Apply hand brake

Secure front and back of rear tire with objects to prevent it from rotational movement

Tighten castle nut to specified torque 

And for last time Jack up and support vehicle

Remove tire

Install cotter pin and bend tabs

Put tire back on and tighten lug nuts

Lower the car and torque lug nuts to 65 ft-lb

 

This post has been promoted to an article

[Conserv]

Great write-up!

Thanks,

Steve

[BillWilliams]

There used to be a section of "FAQs Under Construction" where good write-ups like this are posted.

 

I think it is now called ARTICLES. Look above. May want to consider posting this nice article there too.

Edited October 26, 2013 by BillWilliams

[Buckeye]

Thanks gentlemen.

Initially I posted it as PDF format document in "construction zone" . Steve K has asked to put the write up as a post and he will make it into an article after that.

[bmwfan]

Excellent write up, thank you.

[TR]

Buckeye - Thanks for documenting (with photos!) how this is done and now I know what 35 grams of grease looks like!!!

 

PS. I copy and paste this type of info into a Word document stored on my local hard drive.  So if/when the "web gremlins" strike I'll have it to put back up for all us FAQers.  TR

[roadhog0]

Never knew the 35 grams part was important. Interesting! Good write up! Hopefully I'll be doing this this winter.

[TobyB]

Yes, the grease is quite important-

if you do the domestic version, and just

grease the bearings, they spit it out and run dry.

 

Same's true in the front.  When the hubs get truly hot,

the grease reflows and while it may get pumped out of

the bearings, when you stop, it reloads the bearing.

 

Nice write- up!  I'd add an 'inspection' step where you look

for wear on the inside of the stub and on the center spacer...

 

t

[roadhog0]

Yes, the grease is quite important-

if you do the domestic version, and just

grease the bearings, they spit it out and run dry.

 

Same's true in the front.  When the hubs get truly hot,

the grease reflows and while it may get pumped out of

the bearings, when you stop, it reloads the bearing.

 

Nice write- up!  I'd add an 'inspection' step where you look

for wear on the inside of the stub and on the center spacer...

 

t

I usually on all my hubs I do (I do a lot of trailers) just fill the centers till it looks right. Never a prescribed amount. Many of the trailers I work on have zercs on the spindle end so you can pump them full from back to front. Nice idea actually!

[steve k.]

I'll get the article set up correctly when later tonight or tomorrow morning

[M3M3]

Buckeye - Thanks for documenting (with photos!) how this is done and now I know what 35 grams of grease looks like!!!

 

PS. I copy and paste this type of info into a Word document stored on my local hard drive.  So if/when the "web gremlins" strike I'll have it to put back up for all us FAQers.  TR

instead of "copy and paste", just do "options/save page as"  in whatever browser you use.  that way you get the whole page and all the buttons/links work next time you open it.  i have many folders full of saved pages.

[jayte711]

Great directions! This note is working on my 1972 2002. I would like to add a lack of knowledge mistake I made. When disconnecting the CV joint from the flange, push the hex bolts only far enough for the axle/CV joint to be moved out of the way.. I pulled them complelely out, lack of knowledge or common sense!  Result, the CV boot came off and getting it back on was a learning experience I do not want to repeat..Tip, if it does come off, jack up the wheel assembly so the boot can go on almost straight across. Easier to attach the clamp that secures the outside edge. Hope this saves someone time and labor. Again, great article and the other rear bearing was installed no problem.

[OriginalOwner]

AWESOME !!!

 

1 comment:  I didn't see the specific step where you re-attached the output shaft/CVshaft to the axle shaft.

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

[Zorac]

how do you know when its time to replace the rear wheel bearings?

[jerryasi]

Great article, just wondering why I shouldn't use a SKF 62/28 sealed bearing? The grease was a real pile on disassembly + 35 grams going back in . . . yikes. I'm doing this service just because I'm media blasting all the sub frame bits.