What does it take to replace your rear wheel bearings?
#1
Drifting
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What does it take to replace your rear wheel bearings?
My rear suspension/brakes need some refreshing... and I think I have some brearing noise. Either way they have 122,000 miles on them, what do they take to replace?
Do they need to be pressed in by a machine shop?
Do they need to be pressed in by a machine shop?
#2
they can be knocked out with a punch and hammer - but make sure you get the inside on the inside and the outside on the outside - my buddy put them in backwards on his '83, and they failed within a couple of months!
#3
Tabor,
On the later units with aluminum trailing arms the bearing needs to be pressed out. You can take your arm off ans take it to a shop to have them pressed in and out, it will requir a wheel alignment when your done. Or, your can use a tool made for front wheel drive bearing removal, works great and you leave the arm on the car, no need for realignment. I bought one of these a few years back for my VWs. If you want I'll try to look up the part number and who I bought it from. It certainly has saved me the costs of the shop work and some serious downtime since you can press the bearing out and press the new one in in less than 20 minutes. You just need a big wrench and strong arms!
Mike
On the later units with aluminum trailing arms the bearing needs to be pressed out. You can take your arm off ans take it to a shop to have them pressed in and out, it will requir a wheel alignment when your done. Or, your can use a tool made for front wheel drive bearing removal, works great and you leave the arm on the car, no need for realignment. I bought one of these a few years back for my VWs. If you want I'll try to look up the part number and who I bought it from. It certainly has saved me the costs of the shop work and some serious downtime since you can press the bearing out and press the new one in in less than 20 minutes. You just need a big wrench and strong arms!
Mike
#4
Drifting
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Mike, thanks, but don't worry. I will also be replacing my torsion bars at the same time so I don't really need to worry about the re-alignemnt.
I just wanted to know what I am getting myself into.
I just wanted to know what I am getting myself into.
#5
Track Day
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Hey Mike, can you check on that wheel bearing tool for me? I'd love to not have to remove the rear arm! <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />
Thanks in advance,
Wookie
Thanks in advance,
Wookie
#6
Wookie,
Pelican sells a bearing puller that they claim will work on the 87- aluminum trailing arms. If it does work like the one Mike used then removal would not be required. I am seriously considering buying it and doing mine with the use of Tabor's procedure. The tool costs $225.00 and is available on their website. Yes, that is expensive but I have gotten a few estimates in the area and they range from $600-$800 parts and labor. Makes a Saturday and $300 in parts seems pretty damned cheap.
Regards,
Max
Pelican sells a bearing puller that they claim will work on the 87- aluminum trailing arms. If it does work like the one Mike used then removal would not be required. I am seriously considering buying it and doing mine with the use of Tabor's procedure. The tool costs $225.00 and is available on their website. Yes, that is expensive but I have gotten a few estimates in the area and they range from $600-$800 parts and labor. Makes a Saturday and $300 in parts seems pretty damned cheap.
Regards,
Max
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#8
Wookie,
Don't order from Pelican just yet. After some decyphering of Pelican's part numbers I determined that the tool they are selling:
PEL-TOL-SIRB 90-P2, is actual a Sir Tools Company tool part #: B90-P2. The best part is that I found a website that sells the tool for $75 bucks less than Pelican.
<a href="http://www.samstagsales.com" target="_blank">www.samstagsales.com</a> they only want $150.81 + shipping. Yes, I will fully chronicle my adventure after I do the wheel bearing. I am appreciate of Tabor's procedure but my procedure will cover the part that most of us would like to be able to accomplish, bearing R&R without trailing arm R&R.
Regards,
Max
<img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />
Don't order from Pelican just yet. After some decyphering of Pelican's part numbers I determined that the tool they are selling:
PEL-TOL-SIRB 90-P2, is actual a Sir Tools Company tool part #: B90-P2. The best part is that I found a website that sells the tool for $75 bucks less than Pelican.
<a href="http://www.samstagsales.com" target="_blank">www.samstagsales.com</a> they only want $150.81 + shipping. Yes, I will fully chronicle my adventure after I do the wheel bearing. I am appreciate of Tabor's procedure but my procedure will cover the part that most of us would like to be able to accomplish, bearing R&R without trailing arm R&R.
Regards,
Max
<img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />
#10
I just had my rears done on a 87 924-S with aluminum trailing arms. After getting quotes of the 600 - 700 range, I finally bought the bearings myself and was looking for the tools to do it in place. I saw a snap on dude in front of a local shop. I got his catalog, and decided to get a quote from the guy. He did it for $240 with me suppling the bearings.
I was just about ready to but the Pelican tool.
I was just about ready to but the Pelican tool.
#11
I just had my rears done on a 87 924-S with aluminum trailing arms. After getting quotes of the 600 - 700 range, I finally bought the bearings myself and was looking for the tools to do it in place. I saw a snap on dude in front of a local shop. I got his catalog, and decided to get a quote from the guy. He did it for $240 with me suppling the bearings.
I was just about ready to but the Pelican tool.
I was just about ready to but the Pelican tool.
#12
Three Wheelin'
I have this tool and it works very well. You do have to be very careful to make sure the bearing goes in straight. It is a relatively straight forward procedure.
Remove the nut on the hub before jacking up the car and disassembling everything! The nut is torqued to 369 ft-lbs, so you will need a cheater bar extension for your breaker bar, or a fairly stout impact wrench. The nuts are a one time use lock nut, so replace them too. You will need some big strong snap ring pliers as well. I found a pair of S-K's at a local auto parts store. You will break the bearing removing the hub, so do not be surprised about that. I has been more than a year since mine were done, my memory is fuzzy about the exact sequence. Go for it!
Remove the nut on the hub before jacking up the car and disassembling everything! The nut is torqued to 369 ft-lbs, so you will need a cheater bar extension for your breaker bar, or a fairly stout impact wrench. The nuts are a one time use lock nut, so replace them too. You will need some big strong snap ring pliers as well. I found a pair of S-K's at a local auto parts store. You will break the bearing removing the hub, so do not be surprised about that. I has been more than a year since mine were done, my memory is fuzzy about the exact sequence. Go for it!
#13
Drifting
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Having done it the "other" way, I suggest you buy the tool if it is only $150. It cost me $100 just to get my bearings pressed in by a shop (with the arms off).
Note: Porsche wants the arms heated in an oven before you press the old bearings out and the new ones in. How safe is it to do without heating? I don't know. But for the hassle it saves you it is probably worth a try.
PS <a href="http://porsche.pdxmax.com/wheelbearings/index.php" target="_blank">My Rear Wheel Bearing Replacement Procedure</a>
Note: Porsche wants the arms heated in an oven before you press the old bearings out and the new ones in. How safe is it to do without heating? I don't know. But for the hassle it saves you it is probably worth a try.
PS <a href="http://porsche.pdxmax.com/wheelbearings/index.php" target="_blank">My Rear Wheel Bearing Replacement Procedure</a>