Rear Wheel Bearings Installation Advice

[davidwinegar]

My left rear wheel bearing is loose and now failed my MOT here last week. I suspected that one day this was going to happen and now the day is here and I need to get it replaced.

I ordered the correct parts from SJSportscars (helpful guys there) but will need to take the car to the local repair shop to have the job done as it is my understanding you need a press for this job.

My question is can someone give me some advice about how to do this so I can tell the garage what to look for and, more importantly, what to be careful of. I did also order the hub puller device so I guess this should help them out. Sadly the workshop manual is nearly useless in this case as there are essentially no instructions.

I hope someone here can help me out and help me to avoid any potential disasters.

Thanks in advance for the help.

David Winegar
1970 Federal +2S
Helsinki

[Craven]

You could almost write a book on rear wheel bearing replacement!! You realise of course there are two, inner and outer and are of different sizes.
A good mechanic should be able to follow his nose but there is a lot of work, man hours, involved.
Most common mistakes, remove large circlips from hub, fitting the inner wide bearing the wrong way round and refitting the rear brake disc the wrong side of the spider.
May help.
Ron.

[alan.barker]

Check that play is not the outside bearing wearing a groove in drive shaft
+ Fit a new dust shield/spacer before fitting new inside bearing on drive shaft
Fit 3 jubilee clips around rotoflex to compress it and to line up bolt holes.
Alan

[KevJ+2]

When dismantled, I found it was a handy time to check the backs of the lugs in a lathe to avoid disc runout.
Also, freeze your shaft and warm your bearngs

[alan.barker]

Imho i would not warm the bearings because the grease can run out.
100% to check lugs in a lathe.
If you are lucky and have access to the use of liquide nitrogen to freeze shaft then you are lucky.
Alan

[KevJ+2]

That's warm not heat
Oh, and I'm lucky enough to own a freezer .

[MarkDa]

A press is not essential - both dismantling and reassembly can be done with judicious use of a large soft faced hammer. Take care to only use the correct section of bearing when driving/pressing back on.
You might need to shave down the excess lip on the seal of the large beaing to ensure the dust shield can be reinstalled deep enough to get the circlip back in.
The whole job takes a while and getting the outer circlip loose can be a pain, but it is straightforward enough.
Bearing cement is recommended in the alloy seats.

[rgh0]

When reassembling you need to make a three pronged spacer to fit past the drive shaft arms and push on the outer race of the inner bearing as its fitted into the bearing housing. if you press on the shaft you risk damaging the bearing.

cheers
Rohan

[alan.barker]

Hose clips to compress and adjust bolt holes
Alan

[davidwinegar]

I thought I would update my experience with this job for others looking for advice in the future.

1. I found it impossible to do without removing without removing the shock - this is not an easy job as the bolts holding the shock at the upper point is really difficult to get at. I replaced the shocks earlier on my car and remembered that in order to actually get at the bolt, we had to make a right angle open box wrench - luckily still had that.

2. After removing the whole assembly getting the bearings out proved to be impossible without some specialized tools. I had purchased a hub puller from SJSportscars that was designed to work by inserting a solid steel piece that lines up with the center of the hub axle. You then should screw this down to push out the axle. This just didn't help a bit - couldn't budge it using that method. The bearings were just too tight and stuck. It is also very difficult to find a way to hold in place the aluminum housing.

3. Ended up taking it to a garage. Sadly here not too many imaginative people to help. Had to go to 3 places before someone would actually make an effort to find a solution. What we ended up doing is connecting a puller to the outer steal cup with the drive pegs and then pushing it out with screw and air wrench. Was afraid of breaking the cup, but it luckily held.

4. Next was removing the bearings from the shaft. Also very difficult. Mine were so stuck on the shaft and the inner bearing required cutting off.

5. Today will put it all back together.

That is my experience. Hope it gives some insight s

[davidwinegar]

I thought I would update my experience with this job for others looking for advice in the future.

1. I found it impossible to do without removing without removing the shock - this is not an easy job as the bolts holding the shock at the upper point is really difficult to get at. I replaced the shocks earlier on my car and remembered that in order to actually get at the bolt, we had to make a right angle open box wrench - luckily still had that.

2. After removing the whole assembly getting the bearings out proved to be impossible without some specialized tools. I had purchased a hub puller from SJSportscars that was designed to work by inserting a solid steel piece that lines up with the center of the hub axle. You then should screw this down to push out the axle. This just didn't help a bit - couldn't budge it using that method. The bearings were just too tight and stuck. It is also very difficult to find a way to hold in place the aluminum housing.

3. Ended up taking it to a garage. Sadly here not too many imaginative people to help. Had to go to 3 places before someone would actually make an effort to find a solution. What we ended up doing is connecting a puller to the outer steal cup with the drive pegs and then pushing it out with screw and air wrench. Was afraid of breaking the cup, but it luckily held.

4. Next was removing the bearings from the shaft. Also very difficult. Mine were so stuck on the shaft and the inner bearing required cutting off.

5. Today will put it all back together.

That is my experience. Hope it gives some insight to others.

[alan.barker]

Sounds like you had a very difficult time.
Maybe i have always been lucky because the Hub has always come off the Drive Stub Shaft. Using the special extractor tightening + a little heat + a few taps with a hammer. Always leaving the Strut in place to stop things moving around.
For removing the inner bearing from the Drive Stub Shaft sometimes i have had to split/grind the inner part of the bearing race.
Good luck with the assembly
Alan

[Hawksfield]

HI David

My experience of play in the rear wheel bearings is between the outer bearing and the hub, if small it can be cured with Loctite bearing fit .

to fit bearings : Outer to shaft, freeze shaft in plastic bag in domestic freezer (don't tell the wife) warm the bearing using hand heater then simply drop on the bearing. Inner : freeze the bearing warm the hub then fit into hub. to fit the shaft warm the hub outer after freezing the shaft and bearing, again domestic freezer is enough install the shaft and bearing into the hub whilst supporting the inner bearing on the inner race with a steel tube long enough to accept the drive taper. I set up the hub on the bench whilst sitting on the steel tube it went in easily only tapping with the wooden shaft end of a hammer.
Don't forget circlips and inner dust seal. I if I remember correctly I heated to around 70/80 oC
I have used Loctite on the nearside bearing outer as there was a small amount of play.

Its worked for me twice

Good luck on your choices

[david.g.chapman]

I removed my old rear wheel bearings on my +2 with a Dremel and a cutting wheel.

I just cut though the outer and inner races, being careful to stop just before I met the shaft. I tapped the slot with a thin chisel or flat screwdriver and I was done. I angled the cutting wheel to clear any projecting metal on the shaft.

The cutting wheels make short work of the bearing metal - I found it quite quick.

Dave Chapman