jeeper31

Is there a trick to getting the rear inner bearing in? Especially on the drivers side. I have tried about 20 times already and can't get it in. Also the exhaust pipes are in the way so it is difficult to bang it in.

Any tips are appreciated.

SoCal Driver

Huh? What the heck are you trying to do? The ball bearing should just slip into the recess. Then the snap ring and the seal. Put the spacer on the stub axle and jack up the trailing arm just an inch or two. The axle should just slip past the muffler and through the seal/snap ring/ ball bearing.

So what were you trying to do?

jeeper31

Hope I am trying to do the right things. The ball bearings are not just slipping into the recess. They were also a pain to get out. Needed a bearing puller and a slide hammer. I was finally able to get the ball bearings in on the passenger side but it took some hammering with a bearing installer. Everything else went in fine. Getting worried something is seriously wrong (Hope it is not me).

Luis de Prat

Perhaps the old "heating and freezing trick" will work in this instance?

jeeper31

Do you freeze the bearing with the grease packed in? How long do I freeze the bearing?

Luis de Prat

I think heating the control arm is just as important, but I guess you won't be removing it from the car, so freezing the bearings would be your only option.

I the case of the front bearings, you only freeze the races. Not sure how you would go about doing the rears, but if you use a moly based grease it probably doesn't matter whether you pack them before freezing or grease them afterwards.

jeeper31

On the ball bearings that I am trying to get in the races don't come out. Have you ever done your rears? Did your ball bearings just slip in? I am totally frustrated with this. The right side I pounded away. A few times the bearings were sated wrong and got stuck in the opening and I had to yank them out again. Luckily I started it right and was able to hammer them all the way in to where they should be.

Luis de Prat

Here's an old post from the E-Mail lists by Cliff H. about the rear wheel bearings. He's really good at this and did a great write up on it once, but I haven't found it yet.

REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (by Cliff H.)

First, you will need inner and outer bearings for each axle.
Second, you need inner and outer seals for each axle.
Third, you need one O-Ring for each axle.
Fourth, you may need two spacers for each axle.

Here are the part numbers:

Outer bearings (2 each): 113 501 277 A
Inner Bearings (2 Each): 113 501 283
Seals (4 each): 113 501 315 H
O-Ring (2 each): 113 501 291 B
Inner Spacers (2 Each): 113 501 305
Outer Spacers (2 Each): 113 501 303

You should be able to get the bearings and seals just about anywhere (I
got mine from a local imports parts house), but the inner and outer
spacers are most likely a dealer only item.

The main reason to replace the spacers is wear from the grease seals.
The inner lip of the seal runs on the outer surface of the spacers.
Over time the seal wears a groove into the spacers. Not only will you
loose grease, water will collect in the bearing housing, causing the
bearings to rust and fail prematurely. This is what happened to me, and
I had to replace the bearings twice.

You will also need some brake fluid (You have to remove both rear
calipers), wheel bearing grease, some form of degreaser to clean out the
bearing housing, snap ring pliers to remove the inner snap ring, an 8mm
12 point "Cheese Head" wrench for the CV bolts, two new cotter pins, an
air impact wrench, and a 36mm socket (for the stub axle nut) plus the
usual assortment of wrenches and Anglo-Saxon invectives.

For me the most difficult part of this job was getting the stub axle
nuts loose. I tried using a breaker bar and cheater pipe, but all I did
was lift the rear end. I ended up borrowing a compressor and air wrench
from my next door neighbor. A couple of blips on the trigger and the
nuts came right off.

Cliff H.

jeeper31

Thanks luis. If you come across the wirte-up let me know.

jeeper31

I GOT IT!!!! froze bearings and it worked. had to lower muffler though. Hopfully you won't hear from me till the job is done. Thanks to all again.

SoCal Driver

I've always been able to drift them out the back from the front. There are two notches in the housing where you can get through to the outer races. Use a long brass drift.

Never had any problems getting them back in. Don't have to freeze them. Now the snap ring is another matter.

jeeper31

socal,
rings much easier than bearings. Next time i'll do your snap rings if you do my bearings.

SoCal Driver

I don't think your car likes you.

jeeper31

Ok. All done and miraculously enough the thumping is gone. Car rides smoothly and I am breathing many sighs of relief. Thanks to everybody for your help. Hope I wasn't too much of a pain.