DC4_Dad

It's my first time doing the rear wheel bearing. The front were pretty self explanatory. Are the rear ones just as easy? Just making sure I won't need any special tool to get the job done. I have the whole hub assembly so I don't have to press the bearings in. And yes I have the 32mm socket with a breaker bar to remove the axle nut...

speedjunkie_g35

It's far easier than the front. If you have the hub assembly then it's a matter of like 3 bolts holding rear hub on.

TheRealTegger

Way easier. That big 32mm nut is all that's holding the entire hub on. Remove that and the hub just slips off.

This is what it looks like with the bearing off:

DC4_Dad

I heard the inside of the bearing gets stuck on the axle and you have to cut it off.

TheRealTegger

Where'd you hear that? It slides off as easy as you please, even when rusted.

DC4_Dad

Mine's to the point where I can move the wheel when its off the ground. I'm away at college and I have minimal resources so I don't wanna take it all apart just to find out I need a chisel to get the bearing off or something. Lol I'm gonna have to jack it up and set it on 2x4's to keep it steady when I break the axle nut because I don't even have jack stands.

TheRealTegger

Do not try and break the nut loose with the car raised. That will not only be dangerous, but likely ineffective.

Pull the hub cap to expose the nut, but leave all 4 wheels on the car.

Leave the car on the ground with the parking brake set as hard as you can. That way you'll get maximum possible leverage on the nut.

Now break the nut loose (drive out the stake first!!), THEN raise the car and remove the wheel.

Trust me, the hub will slide off really easily.

DC4_Dad

I can't do like that because I have LS meshies, not steelies. And the back hub has a dust cover over it, so I would have to remove that, put the wheel back on, lower it and then do that... But the pin that the bearing sits on doesn't spin so why would putting the parking brake help at all?

CleanLikeJdm

Can't take the center cap off the meshies and reach in with a pick to take the small dust cover off?

Also it'll be a lot of torque to break loose, being the reason for putting the brake one.

TheRealTegger

It keeps you from rocking the entire car back and forth, which would waste energy and force.

You do it whatever way you like. All I know is how to do it easy and fast, and I'm telling you how to do that.

DC4_Dad

Thanks for all the help guys, I got it done in the parking lot at my college today.



So, it happened to me...





The inside of the bearing got stuck to the pin





But I persevered and there she is all shiny and new!

TheRealTegger

Huh. Wow. I'm in the north-east and we have terrible rust problems. I've never personally seen it get stuck like that.

I wonder if part of the problem is that your bearing was very loose instead of just noisy. If it's that loose, there's nothing holding the inner race to the rest of the bearing.

How did you get it off?

DC4_Dad

Haha yeah tell me about it, the struggle is real here. Its no wonder why we can't have nice things... But yeah I'm sure that's why it was loose the way it was. I soaked it in PB Blaster then wedged a screwdriver in the crease and whacked it with a hammer until I could wedge it completely off.

TheRealTegger

I see Binghamton in your information. Then you must be in NY near the PA border. I'm just across the lake in Canada. Rustwise, we're brothers.

THIS is what I had to deal with when I replaced my rear bearings:

DC4_Dad

Hahaha holy ****. This is a perfect picture for a car meme. I'm about to make one if you give me permission to use this picture.

DC4_Dad

TheRealTegger

It's all yours as long as my name doesn't appear on it. Have fun.

spAdam

iTrader: (1)

Not uncommon for that inner race to get stuck on the axle like that. I've had it happen even down here on Florida-only cars. My CTR rear spindles were also like that when I got them, they were never even installed on a car in the states. Fortunately the grip isn't quite as tenacious as when the inner race sticks on the front hubs.

Glad you got it loose.

DC4_Dad

I just wanted to make sure you didn't want your name on it before I posted it on social media lol.

DC4_Dad

Yeah I was kind of expecting it to happen. I got it off eventually. I've replaced both front ones and never had a problem though.

TheRealTegger

It's got to have to do with folks who let the bearings get wobbly-loose, where the ***** let go of the inner race.

I'll bet the inner race would pull right off the spindle if you used a screwdriver at opposite points of the circumference and "walked" it off the spindle.

OP has about as much (or less) rust than I had on my spindles. But then my bearings were not loose, but merely noisy on account of rust on the ***** and races.

TheRealTegger

I'd have been OK with my name on it if you hadn't used a swear word.

I will not use profanity in print. Maybe that's old-fashioned and prudish, but that's me.

DC4_Dad

Lol I understand, it's immature of me to use a swear word. I feel like with the amount of rust on that old brake dust shield, it was suitable. Maybe not necessary.