could do with some quick advice please!

[mk1joe]

hi, thanks for reading,
Im having a bit of trouble with my rear axle and i need some advice. i think one of my rear wheel bearings has gone.at first i thought it was the wheel balancing as it makes a horrible vibrating over 30mph, so after balancing all my wheels i rotated the offside one and it sounded very rough. so my question is--- is there anything else it could be maby instead of the wheel bearing? and is it a job that i will be able to do on the driveway or do i need a press? im up for going at it at home as long as it can be beat off with hammers so does anyone have any experience of doing it themselves? also will i be ok driving it a couple of miles to and from work under 30mph without fear of the bearing collapsing?
thanks for all the help
joe

[turbo-tom]

when i change bearings i use my bearing punches to hit the old ones out using hammer etc blah blah , but to put new ones in im pretty sure you have to use a press

your local garage should have a press (must have for garages) , and they should be able to press in the new bearings for a cheap rate

please correct me if im wrong but thats all i really know about bearings

EDIT: sorry chap ive forgot to say i havent changed the bearings on my truck only on a ford escort and trailer my method/advise is wrong i think sorry

[dan_2k_uk]

It needs a press unless someone has a secret method. Ive given a couple of my halfshafts to a mate take to work and press em for me.

If your going to give them to someone to press for you make sure they put the backplate on!!!

Wouldn't like to say how far you could get away with driving

Dan

[mk1joe]

thanks for the quick replies guys,
i would like to be able to do the job at home because i can take all the time i want but if it needs to be pressed than i will have to take it to work to do. its not a big problem its just that i will only have my hours lunch brake to do it in, do you think it can be done in an hour? and are there any tutorials so i know exactly what to do and get it done as quick as possible?
thanks again for the great help

[Highlander]

http://www.suzukiclubuk.co.uk/diy/18-wh ... l-bearings

this one has rear discs but the principle is the same. (although remember the backplate as mentioned)

Angle grinder is the way to get the old one off if you are careful

if you've not got a slide hammer (i've not) undo the hub bolts then bolt the drum back on and hit it with a rubber/wooden mallet to get the bearing/halfshaft out the axle, worked every time i've tried it.

I use an old bit of scaffolding pole to get the bearing back on, again slide the bearing onto the shaft, place the hub on some wood and hammer the pole/bearing down into position.

Easy enough

If you noticed it while driving then its well on its way to failing and I wouldn't really be driving on it i don't think.

You could take the half shaft out at home then take that to work to get the bearing pressed on

[mk1joe]

thanks for the incredibly quick help guys, that's really cool. if there's a possibility of being able to put the bearing on with a scaffolding pole than tbh i would rather give it a go at home, basicaly if worst comes to worst i would rather have the car stranded at home than at my workshop where it would probably upset some co-workers. also does anyone know what will happen if the bearing does give in? i will let you know how i get on with it.
thanks again.
joe

[Highlander]

You'll go round a left hand bend and in your side mirror you'll see the wheel and halfshaft departing from your axle and heading off in their own direction.

I've driven them off road with a bit of play but yours sounds quite bad, I really wouldn't drive it, its dangerous

[twiss]

I've used highlanders method before... with a scaffold pole and a sledgehammer...

Its do-able but its not easy! You can end up bashing it 20 times for a couple of mm movement!
I would ask a local garage if they would do it before you start, that way if you can't get it back on you can just walk round with the shaft and use their press! It will only take a couple of minutes on a press

Just remember to put the backing plate on and get everything in the right order before you press it on!!!

[ScottieJ]

You are doing it wrong then twiss

Place halfshaft on floor, but use something to space the drive flange off the floor so that the studs don't get damaged (impact socket etc.) then hold on to the pole/tube itself with both hands and use that as the hammer, lift it up and slam it down

[twiss]

Tried that, my bit of pipe even has handles attached to it!!!
It's an ex-exhaust pipe with a hangar on either side... I think it's more to do with the weight of the pole though. Done it before with a really thick scaffold pole and its much easier!!!