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Date:         Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:40:32 -0400
Reply-To:     Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Replacing brake rotors '85 Westy
Comments: To: Jay Brown <badkarma@TTLC.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <PNELLDJMDAENDKODABPCAEBLCPAA.badkarma@ttlc.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

You are going to want new wheel seals, and probably new wheel bearings since they aren't expensive and you may find that your bearings are bad when you pull the old rotors at which point you can decide to put it all back together, order new bearings and wait to do the job again later, or leave the van up on jack stands while waiting for new bearings. Either way the van is down for a while and if the bearings haven't been replaced in a long time, they probably will need to be. We have the bearings and seals in stock. You will also need two new front hub nuts (locking).

Packing bearings. When you go to pack your new bearings or if you want to waste a bunch of time cleaning your old ones, then repacking them, you should understand how to do this job. You need good quality bearing grease that is rated for disc brakes. Autozone, etc will have this. I use rubber gloves and put some grease on my left hand, and hold the bearing in the two first fingers of my right. Now you press a side of the bearing into the grease and push it down, keep doing this until the grease comes out the side of the bearing that is facing you. You will see it start to smoosh out like when you squeeze toothpaste from a tube. You just need a little bit to come through to know that it is completely packed in that area. Turn the bearing a little and keep going around the whole circle of the bearing. Wipe the excess grease that squeezed through off of the bearing and back into the little lump you have in your left hand. After you pack the bearings lay them out on a clean paper towel or something until you are ready to install them.

You will need to tap the races out of your old discs (if you aren't getting new bearings), and then tap the new or used races into the new rotors. You can do this with a very large socket, or just a brass drift. It is a bit of hammering but the races are very hard so it is difficult to damage them.

Let me know if I can help you in the future, Ken Wilford John 3:16 www.vanagain.com

Jay Brown wrote: > I am getting ready to replace the pads and rotors on the front of my '85 > Westy. I have Brembo rotors on order and will be getting my pads and > hardware kits from the dealer. What else should I be prepared to service or > replace while I am doing this job? I assume the wheel bearings will have to > be transfered or renewed? > > Many thanks, > Jay Brown > '85 Zetec Westy > >


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