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Rear Axel/Bearing & Axle Seal.\ BJ8 .

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J

Jeffsbj8

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I have a couple of questions about the rear axle bearing & axle seal:
1) After removing rear hub from the car is there a way to remove axle bearing without destroying it? I used a brass bar & a hammer but could only strick the I.D. of the bearing/ causing me to have to replace bearing.

2) When reassembling pressing bearing back into hub how far do you set the bearing back in the hub? I did mine until it was flush with the face of the hub with the spacer on top of bearing.

thanks for the help
 
Jeff, I have put together a written procedure for replacing the rear axle bearing. Contact me at sbyerS@ec.rr.com if you want it.

Here is an excerpt on installing the rear bearing:
14. If removing the bearing and oil seal from the hub, note the way the oil seal is fitted in the recess under the bearing so you can install the new one in the correct orientation. The open side of the seal with the spring should face the bearing. On installation, the bearing must be pressed into the hub only far enough that the outer face of the bearing spacer remains proud [0.001” to 0.004”] of the flange of the hub with paper gasket installed. [NOTE: one way to achieve this dimension is to use two 0.003” thick front wheel bearing shims placed diametrically opposite to each other on the hub flange with a gasket installed. Place the bearing spacer on top of the bearing, and press the spacer and bearing into the housing with a thick, flat metal bar across the hub flange aligned with the shims. When the bearing and spacer are pushed as far into the hub as possible, the surface of the spacer should be at 0.003” above the gasket surface].

It has been a while since I removed a rear wheel bearing, and I've only done it once. I don't recall any particular problems in tapping it out of the hub.
 
The first time I tried this I tapped the bearing out with a flat faced steel punch with good results. The second time I found I had a 3/4 inch drive by 1 5/8" socket that fit perfectly inside the seal to drive the bearing out. If you don't have a bearing press to reinstall the bearing you can heat the hub in an oven or gas grill and cool the bearing in a freezer, the bearing will drop right in. Be careful not to melt the seal. If you're replacing an original seal, it has a metal band in it that makes it hard to remove and you need a chisel or something to break it, be careful not to score the seat. As far as getting the proper extension on the bearing and spacer, place a straight edge across the spacer with the gasket in place and use a feeler gauge between the straight edge and gasket. This takes a little trial and error. There is no guarantee that once you get the hub remounted that you will still have the correct extension. It seems to me that instead of all of this manipulation you could leave the bearing and spacer a little "extra proud" then when you pull the flange of the half axle tight you would have the proper friction fit between the flange and the spacer. This is one of those things that "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and if it is broke you will be time and money head by taking it to a shop that has the tools and has done it before.
 
Thank you all very much , good advice . I did leave the bearing slightly above face of hub maybe a couple of thousands, what is the problem if it is a little to high or possible a little too low? Does it have anything to do with loading the bearing.Also Steve I will give you an email, I know you ,I live in Wilmington.
 
Jeff, the reason for having the bearing spacer proud of the face of the hub is so that when everything is bolted up the spacer will clamp the race of the bearing and so it is less likely to turn in its housing. Having it too high is better than too low.
 
Jeff, just finished doing this job on my 65 BJ8. Never hammer on a berring to remove it. Use a 1 5/8 socket (I made an aluminum arbor on my lathe)and press, not hammer it out. When you re-install, pack the berring with grease for inital
Lube, and press it in. If you try to hammer it in it may get crooked and bind.
 
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