[Dekuiper]

I brought my new spider to the shop. Looks like both rear wheel bearings are bad and therefore grinding.

Question is: are the bearings pressed on the axle or are they set in the wheel?

Thanks,

 

[Elio Comello]

Bearings are pressed on the half axles.
You will need bearings, a new "keeper" and a seal for each side.
Bearings and seals you can find at any local industrial bearing business.
Keeper, you will need to get from Centerline or IAP, Vick?
Half axles are easy to remove...then take to the shop to press off bearings with special Alfa tool or press out. Be careful if shop wants to flame cut off old bearings that half shafts are not distorted by torch heat.
Elio

 

[gigem75]

most shops at least around here don't have the special tool. Without it rear wheel bearing replacement is to my mine the most difficult repair one can attempt on an Alfa. Spruell sells the retainers and also sells a really good SKF bearing, better that the stock ones you'll normally get from other suppliers. I posted the part number on a thread somewhere. You can find it using google rather than the search engine here on the forum. I've gotten the retainers off in one piece using heat and an air chisel then cut the outer race of the bearing off and use the air chisel again on the inner race. If someone has a better way besides cutting with a hack saw I'd sure like to hear about it.

 

[Alex]

The SKF bearing number that you need is (according to my notes) # 10G-88107.

 

[alfaparticle]

It is a simple job if you have access to a press. I used a Harbor Freight bearing separator to separate the retainer from the bearing, and againnto separate the bearing from the hub. The press pushes on the separator.

 

[gigem75]

how did you get the bearing separator around the studs on the backing plate?

 

[gigem75]

the skf number for the rear wheel bearings with the retainer rings is
SKF BB1B-630560D USA 1400 213E

 

[giulia_veloce]

Hi Guys

Use the special Alfa Romeo tools.
A.3.0394 to remove the bearings.
A.3.0395 to replace the bearings.

I used to do it the hard way 20+ years ago and caused damage to the backing plate that holds the handbrake shoes.
Much easier and quicker to use the right tools,and no heat,banging smashing bearings off etc.
Im sure if you ask around,an Alfa shop might have these.

Robert

 

[gigem75]

Obviously you've never been to east Texas

 

[giulia_veloce]

Hi Gigem75

Nope. i have not been there.
Should I visit ?
Maybe thats an invitation for me to visit and bring the special tools for removing and replacing rear wheel bearings on 105s.
I feel lucky I have 2 sets of the tools,and it makes the job the easiest job to do on 105 axle bearings.
I used to do it the hard way 20 + years ago.
Never again.

Robert

 

[alfaparticle]

Regarding the bearing separator: you tighten down the bolts on either side with the tapered faces at the separation point. Then you give one of the plates a good whack with a BFH. I don't understand the bit about getting around the studs.

 

[Alex]

When I rebuilt my LSD I had to remove the retaining rings and bearings the hard way, i.e. with the very careful use of a Dremel fitted with a cutting disk. Admittedly, I have a hydraulic press to make the rebuild easier, but the photos of this stage of the process can be found here.

Despite two rebuilds I still have a little 'play' in the rear wheels, however, and I'm soon going to take it all apart again to try using some NOS SKF 10G-88107 bearings just in case the modern bearings I used the last time aren't quite right. Incidentally, does anyone know of a factory blueprint showing the precise dimensions of the axle tubes? I'd like to measure everything and eliminate all possibilities. Perhaps Marco Fazio at the archives might have something?

 

[gigem75]

Sure Guilia, come on over and we'll show you some good ol southern hospitality. Since I have the majority of 105's or for that matter any Alfa's in the area the tool wouldn't be cost effective for me. That is why I want to find a used lathe on craigslist and start makeing some of this stuff. Althouh from looking at your photo does the tool work by bolting the flange on the bottom(I can see some nuts wired to the flange) to the studs on the backing plate and then the tube is threaded to tighten down on the tube and pull the bearing off. Does it take both the bearing and retainer off at the same time. Does the backing plate come under any stress? Thanks, just trying to figure out from the photo how the tool works.
AlfaP, are you taking the studs off the backing plate because unless you can show me a photo of a bearing separator with the tapered ends behind the retaining ring much less behind the bearing itself I don't see how one would get around the studs. Call me stupid, a photo sure would help though.

 

[lightweight]

When I did my rear axle bearings, a local shop that I've had good luck with for my wife's RX7 said that the Alfa rear axle was very similar to vintage Jeeps. I had them then use their tool to deal with pressing off my old bearings, after I took out the Alfa axles and brought them over to them. Their top mechanic, if I heard him correctly, said that they had fabricated their press attachment part out of old exhaust pipe. Work that one does oneself is always easier to verify potential issues, but in two years I've had no apparent trouble with the result.

 

[eedneco]

This may or may not be useful, but to the original poster, a small warning - try checking for bearing noise while both rear wheels are being rotated together, so that the differential is eliminated from the equation. I believe that I went through the trouble of changing a set of wheel bearings out for not much reason as I thought they were noisy - when in fact the noise I was getting while rotating the wheels while they were off the ground was from the diff.
(I assume that your main reason for changing them is noise, rather than slop, as you only mentioned "grinding".)
Cheers
Neil

 

[Elio Comello]

Failing rear wheel bearings will show first axial play, then noise.
They are sealed bearings, good for radial loads, but not real good at axial load.

Running the car with the rear wheels both raised (axle stands). A stethoscope will plainly tell you if they are bad (best to replace both).

Yes the Alfa tool uses the brake back plate to separate the bearing and keeper.

Elio

 

[Dekuiper]

This may or may not be useful, but to the original poster, a small warning - try checking for bearing noise while both rear wheels are being rotated together, so that the differential is eliminated from the equation. I believe that I went through the trouble of changing a set of wheel bearings out for not much reason as I thought they were noisy - when in fact the noise I was getting while rotating the wheels while they were off the ground was from the diff.
(I assume that your main reason for changing them is noise, rather than slop, as you only mentioned "grinding".)
Cheers
Neil

I actually was pretty sure that it was differential UNTIL it was lifted and while spinning each wheel, you could hear noise in the wheels. That may be why the sound was pretty consistent even while cornering - if one is bad you can really tell on a corner but with both bad, the sound didn't change too much.

 

[eedneco]

Noise travels very well indeed down solid metal parts, so just be careful about where the sound is really coming from. I like Elio's suggestion about driving the (lifted) rear wheels. I simply moved both wheels together while underneath, and the diff sound from the spiders turning disappeared.
From my small sample, I would agree with Elio, they'll get slop in them and still be relatively quiet.
Just try to be sure you're attacking the real source of the noise, to the best of your satisfaction. Nothing is more frustrating than going through a lot of work on not having any results for it.
Cheers
Neil

 

[giulia_veloce]

Sure Guilia, come on over and we'll show you some good ol southern hospitality. Since I have the majority of 105's or for that matter any Alfa's in the area the tool wouldn't be cost effective for me. That is why I want to find a used lathe on craigslist and start makeing some of this stuff. Althouh from looking at your photo does the tool work by bolting the flange on the bottom(I can see some nuts wired to the flange) to the studs on the backing plate and then the tube is threaded to tighten down on the tube and pull the bearing off. Does it take both the bearing and retainer off at the same time. Does the backing plate come under any stress? Thanks, just trying to figure out from the photo how the tool works.
AlfaP, are you taking the studs off the backing plate because unless you can show me a photo of a bearing separator with the tapered ends behind the retaining ring much less behind the bearing itself I don't see how one would get around the studs. Call me stupid, a photo sure would help though.

Hi gigem75

You are correct.
The 4 nuts,wired to the tool,are used for attaching the backing plate to the tool.
I usually smash off the lock ring with a hammer and chisel,and then withdraw the bearing with the tool.
Refitting the bearing and retainer is done with the hollow tube pictured.
2 litre axles have a shrink ring,and all others have a threaded lock ring.
Job takes about 5-10 minutes with the special tools,after the axle is removed
I guess my customers are lucky that I have the tool. 2 of each actually.
Might take a pic later with the removing tool attached to the axle to give you a better idea.

Robert

 

[giulia_veloce]

Just took some pics of the removal + refitting tools ,fitted to a 2 litre axle, for you Gigem75.
The refitting tool is just a hollow tube.
The removing tool has a threaded top section to withdraw the bearing.
I usually remove the brake disc to make it lighter to work with.
I guess you want dimensions of the tools.
Maybe later,after I have done some work.

Robert