Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:38:36 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Rear wheel bearing replacement...don't do it like this..
In-Reply-To: <CAHTkEu+uMzzkJO6WB9ma_wLZf+tFwhsG5KnewQqoP-XoaQWB4g@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I would say in all cases..
remove the axle first !
it VERY easy to remove the Bearing Housing with stub axle and brgs in it.
just remove axle.
undo big nut.
unbolt the brake backing plate.......( cap the wheel cylinder brake line
with a rubber bleed valve cap ) ..
.don't even undo the parking brake cable from the backing plate/brake
assembly ..
just leave parking brake cable attached and set it aside...cable still
attatched.
then remove housing ...four 22 mm bolts..
then you have a nice unit to work on .
it's also good to take things apart anyway once in a while..that way
you know they are not badly rusted, stuck, damaged etc..
like those CV joint screws.
I usually put the better 12 point CV joint screws in going back together.
I also make sure I get german rear wheel brgs.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
On 4/14/2012 7:56 AM, Don Hanson wrote:
> I Googled the procedure and found amongst all the write-ups one
> outlining doing the rear bearings without removing the stub axle. I tried
> to do it that way. I messed up the outer bearing trying to push it all
> back together as the Shooftie write-up suggested, using the bearing carrier
> bolts to 'press' the bearings into place. This is the first time I've done
> a Vanagon wheel bearing, so I admit to being unfamiliar with all the
> elements, the amount of resistance, etc. I probably should have 'felt'
> the bearing was not correctly seated as I tried to tighten it home...
>
> I used a Harbor Freight 3/4" drive breaker bar with a floor jack handle
> as a cheater. It still took two of us standing on the jack handle to bust
> loose the axle nut, after bashing it some with one of these nut thingies
> and also heating it with a propane torch and soaking it in PB Blaster...
>
> I re-ordered a second outer bearing from Van-Cafe and it arrived in just
> over 24hrs to near Portland, Or. In the mean time I removed the stub axle
> from the CV, a task made slightly more involved since the wheel was totally
> apart (I supported the axle on a jackstand, put the hub back on the splines
> and used a bar through the lug studs to immobilize it to remove the CV hex
> bolts) I should have done this, removed the stub axle, the first time
> around....much better way to get things right. It still took patience to
> get the outer bearing 'started' into the bearing carrier/hub....(I don't
> have a press) I musta 'chased' that bearing around and round for 1/2 an
> hour till it finally 'started' into the seat correctly....and this time I
> was careful only to tap on the outer race, not the roller retention cage.
>
> The worn outer bearing that came out has some slightly melted-looking,
> galled surfaces on the rollers. The inner one I could detect no problem
> areas... Again, being unfamiliar with the tolerances that are 'normal'
> it's not clear to me how far gone these wheel bearings were. With the rear
> wheel raised and spinning in the air, it was quite 'rumbly' while the other
> wheel was quiet. Also I've recently been noticing an increase in wheel
> noise at that right rear under firm braking...that is the main reason I
> went ahead and did the project...fear that something might be amiss with my
> rear brakes. Everything there looked fine.
>
> All in all, not a really tough job, but nasty...with all the grease and
> the amount of force involved and dealing with those fiddly hex sockets
> inside the trailing arm for the CV joints. Hopefully, this experience
> will make the other side bearing job go smoother when I have to do it.
>
> Don Hanson
>
| 
