REAR WHEEL BEARING....fading fast

[CrowBar]

Buzzing and hummin'...time to replace it. I know the DeDion is a single unit comprised of welded castings, and I do not own a machine press. Does anyone have any ideas about an EASY way to replace this?

_CB

[Publio]

Well it is not an easy job. If you do it you might as well replace a whole slue of things underneath. I can give you the whole deal I went through from wheel bearings to bushes. I replaced it all. I even did my second gear synchro while the DeDion was out.

[CrowBar]

CRAP...I need better news than that. I have a lot of Christmas traveling to do.
--CB

[Publio]

Well I have heard of people doing it while the DeDion is in the car. Which side is it? You'll need a slide hammer and the tools the international sells to remove the bearings. Be warned it isn't easy and with the DeDion in the car it isn't gonna be any easier.

[CrowBar]

Driver's side, U.S. At least I think so. The noise vanishes in a hard left turn (weight off of driver's side rear). The bearing is BAD now, and I have a parts car that I am debating changing the entire tube off of.

If I only had a machine press.

-CB

[Publio]

That is really the delema that I had. I had the time so I took my Spare DeDion changed the bearings, put poly bushes on the DeDion and the Watts, new Trans mounts, and had the trans freshened with new synchros. For fast I would switch the DeDions.

[alfajim]

Replacing the bearing is not really that hard. You will need a tool to stop the stub axel from turning to get the nut off. Then you will need the socket used to remove the ring nut to get access to the bearing then a puller or slide hammer to remove the bearing. I can't remember if the nut is the same as the Alfetta, if it is then I have the socket.

[Publio]

I remember it being quite a pain. Jsu tthe slide hammer itself was a pisser to use. You have to have the right tools for this job, and don't expect it to be a snap. I researched it real well before I did it. I even talked to Greg Gordon and his dad to get the best knowledge on it. It can be done, dont get me wrong. It is not impossible but it can be difficult for the at home mechanic. If I were you, I would replace the bearings in the one you have out and then put it into your Milano, but I don't know what kind of facilities, experience, or tools you have. If and when you decide to do it....reasearch what you need and what you will have to do. Don't go into it blind or you will be unhappy. That can really apply to anything you do.

[CrowBar]

Well, my experience with this specific problem was with an Audi GT, which had pressed bearings in the front and CV joints tied into them. I remember that I had to remove the strut towers completely, take them to a machine shop, and had to listen to the shop owner curse me as his press practically exploded trying to remove the outer race of the bearing. I DO NOT look forward to this.

-CB

[alfajim]

There is plenty of room to access the bearing in the car once the half shaft is out of the way. I have replaced about 8 of these bearings and have only had one that I would call a pain in the ***. The worst case was using some heat and a puller took some time but doable. The factory tool to remove the bearing would be nice but the dealership I worked at did not have that tool so we improvised. Removing the DiDeon tube just to replace a bearing seems like way too much work.

[CrowBar]

Can you give me a quick synopsis on the improvisation? Tools, technique, etc.... I know I can get the inner race out, but I need specifics on the outer race removal, as well as inserting the new one (which is on its way from IAP)

Thx
-CB

[Publio]

I believe international has the tool to take the bearings out. I would look at GTV6.org and check their BB on it also. Check your torque settings also for replacing the halfshaft. Remember don't hammer the bearings. Good luck.

[AlfaRs]

I'm not sure how far you have gotten on this since the
last post was several days ago. I had to do this on my Verde
a little while ago. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to
be. I too tried to order the tools from IAP but they didn't have
either of them in stock. I had to make a few tools but it really isn't
very hard.

There are two types of retaing rings for the hub. The "newer"
style on my milano's is sort of shaped like a bolt head. You will
not find a tool to remove it. The older style is a spanner type
nut. If you order a new nut it will be the old "spanner" style. I
found a socket at auto zone made to remove 4wd hubs that fit
fine with only a small amount of grinding. I used a dremel and
cut a slit in the old ring and hit it with a chisel. It split very easly.

I don't remember what size the nut on the stub shaft was but it
was something I already had (32mm or 36mm?).

I took a piece of bar stock and drilled a couple of holes in it to
make a stop tool for the shaft. Just leave one end long enough
to catch the diedion tube (check the manual for a picture of what
you need).

For a hub puller I used an old front rotor and pressed out the
studs. You could easly do this with a hammer. I then welded up
a center "disk" that I could thread in a slide hammer and made my
own puller.

The bearing it's self is a sealed bearing and the inner and outer
races should come out as an assembly. I can't remember what
I did to pull the bearing. It wasn't really hard I may have just
used a punch or maybe I used some bar stock and a slide
hammer. You should be able to figure it out if you get that far.

[CrowBar]

Invaluable advice sir! Thank you!!

-CB