Another Rear Wheel Bearing Replacement Job

[dap930]

I had my 930 out doing some data logs recently and I kept hearing a squeaking noise. I thought it was suspension related. But, then the squeaking turned into what sounded like dragging an exhaust pipe. I got out of the car and looked, but nothing was dragging. I immediately figured was a rear wheel bearing, which it was after getting the car up on jack stands to confirm it. In the course of doing the replacement I found the driver’s side inner bearing seized. The inner bearing grease seal was shot and the grease had turned to taffy. I replaced the bearing on both sides of the car. The inner bearing seal on the other side was also shot, the grease was bad, but the bearing was not destroyed yet.

After researching some of the threads on Pelican, I set out to replace bearings and seals on both sides. I did the job without removing the trailing arms or the emergency brake shoes/linkage. First I needed to gather up some special tools to do the work. The following is a list of items I used:

1. Slide hammer axle puller (loaner tool from Advance Auto/Auto Zone)
2. Harbor Freight Large Bearing Separator, item# 03979
3. Harbor Freight Puller/Bearing Separator, item# 93980
4. Harbor Freight Bearing Race and seal Driver Set, item# 95853
5. 5/8” threaded rod, 2ft (cut a 7 ½” length, 16 ½” length)
6. ½” threaded rod, (two 9” lengths)
7. 5/8” nuts, 6 ea.
8. ½” nuts, 4 ea.
9. 5/8” flat washers, 6 ea.
10. Ύ” flat washers, 4 ea.
11. ½” flat washers, 4 ea.
12. Foundation square flat washers, 2 ea. (best ones at Lowes)
13. 3” Conduit Coupling (available at electrical contractor supply house, I used Graybar)
14. 1 Ό” pipe floor flange (available Home Depot/Lowes)
15. Heat Gun or Propane Torch
16. Dial Indicator Set
17. 1 Ό” x 1/8” angle bar, 3 ft (available Home Depot/Lowes)
18. 300 ft-lb Torque wrench or huge breaker bar
19. 30mm Socket (32mm on later cars)
20. M14 x 1.5 Steel Wheel Lug Nut, 3 ea. (available at advance Auto/Auto Zone)
21. Antiseize compound



List of replacement parts:

1. Outer Bearing, Timken JLM104948 (bearing) and JLM104910 (race)
2. Inner Bearing, Timken LM503349A (bearing) and LM503310 (race)
3. Outer Seal, 999-113-235-40
4. Inner Seal, 999-113-218-40
5. Crush Sleeve, 930-331-609-00
6. CV Joint Bolts, 900-067-118-01 (if replaced)
7. CV Joint Grease
8. CV Joint Gasket, 930-332-297-00
9. Wheel Bearing Grease

[dap930]

Once the car is up on jack stands, remove the rear wheel(s). Loosen the inner CV joint bolts at the transmission.
Disconnect and remove the rear brake caliper/brake line. Set the hand brake tight. Remove the cotter pin from the 30mm (32mm) drive axle nut. (Important: Mark the cotter pin location on both sides of the nut. The nut will end up back at this location when reinstalled.) Remove the axle nut. I used an air impact wrench, but a large breaker bar with pipe extension would work. If using a breaker bar, it will be necessary to install an angle iron (tool item# 17 & 20) lock bar on two of the wheel studs. Drill two 5/8” holes at one end of the angle iron spaced to capture two wheel studs.



Attach the backbone of the slide hammer axle puller to three of the wheel studs using steel M14 lug nuts and 5/8” washers. Attach rod and slide hammer to the backbone and tighten the supplied lock nut. Use the slide hammer to knock the wheel hub from the inner bearing. Remove slide hammer assembly. Remove brake rotor from hub. Disconnect the rear shock absorber from the trailing arm and ty-wrap it out of the way. Remove inner CV joint bolts at the transmission and pull the drive axle assembly from the trailing arm.





Clean up inner and outer bearing areas of the trailing arm. Remove the inner bearing grease seal. Remove old inner bearing. Clean grease from inside the trailing arm.



Grease seal removed. Inner bearing removed.

[dap930]

Several of the race drivers in Harbor Freight (HF) Bearing Race and Seal Driver set (tool item #4) will be used with the 5/8” threaded rod for removing and installing the bearing/races. The center holes in the yellow(39.5mm), purple(50mm), gold(59mm), gray(65mm), blue(72mm) and black(81mm) need opened up to 5/8” diameter.



Fabricate a special puller disk for the outer bearing race using one of the foundation washers (tool item #12). Using a new outer race for the inner bearing (LM503310), trace its outline onto the foundation washer. Next, locate a straight line on each side 2 5/8” apart. See photo. Cut the shape out using a jig saw with metal blade.




Hand file the outer circumference such that the disk can be placed behind the outer bearing race and capture the race lip. See photo.



Install the special disk with HF gray 65mm race disk as backup on the long section of 5/8” threaded rod. Install assembly behind the out race in the trailing arm.



Installer the conduit puller (consisting of 3” conduit coupling, 1 Ό” floor flange, foundation washer, 2 ea Ύ” flat washers, 2 ea 5/8” flat washers, and 5/8” nut) against the outside edge of the trailing arm. Lubricate the threaded rod with anti-seize compound. Begin tightening the nut and make sure everything is aligned. Apply heat to the outer edge of the trailing arm. Tighten the 5/8” nut to pull the outer race from the trailing arm. See photo.



Remove the special disk from the threaded rod, but leave the HF gray 65mm disk installed. Insert assembly facing transmission to capture the lip of the inner bearing race. Install the conduit puller assembly against the inner side of the trailing arm. See photo (after race was removed). Hand tighten the 5/8” nut on the puller and ensure everything is aligned. Tighten the 5/8” nut to pull the inner race from the trailing arm. It is not necessary to apply heat to get the inner race to come out.

[dap930]

Clean up the bearing race surfaces in the trailing to receive the new races. Install the HF blue 72mm driver disk on the threaded rod. See photo. Wrap five layers of masking tape to the tapered area of the race driver (not shown in photo). This will keep the new race centered on the race driver disk as the driver is a little undersize.



Set the new inner race in place in the trailing arm just enough so it will not fall out. Install the HF blue disk assembly through the trailing arm to capture the race. Install the conduit puller at the outer side of the trailing arm. Hand tighten the 5/8” nut and verify everything is aligned. Tighten the nut to draw the inner bearing race in place. No heat is required. If the nut gets so tight it can not be turned, the race is cocked. You will have remove everything and tap out the race with a punch and hammer, then start over.

Remove the blue HF 72mm driver disk from the 5/8” threaded rod. Install the black HF 81mm driver disk on the threaded rod with taper facing the long end of the rod. Set the new outer race in place at the outer edge of the trailing arm. Insert the driver assembly toward the transmission to capture the bearing race. Install the conduit puller assembly against the inner side of the trailing arm. Hand tighten the 5/8” nut on the puller and ensure everything is aligned. Tighten the 5/8” nut to pull the outer race into the trailing arm. It will be necessary to apply heat to the out lip area of the trailing arm to assist with installation.

New races installed.

[dap930]

To remove the outer bearing from the hub, install the HF Large Bearing Separator just under the roller cage and snug up the bolts. Attach puller yoke and jacking screw from HF Bearing Separator kit (tool item #3) using two ½” threaded rods, ½” flat washers, ½” nuts (tool items #6, #8, #11) and a piece of flat metal against the end of the hub. It was necessary to grind the yoke opening slightly to allow the ½” threaded rod to slip in. See photo.



After the pulling rig is installed very everything is aligned. Tighten the jacking bolt to remove the bearing. Note that it takes a lot of force to remove the bearing, but it will come off. After the bearing is removed, clean and polish the hub machined surfaces for installation of new bearings and seal.



Grease the new outer bearing. Apply a liberal amount of bearing grease inside the trailing arm. Set the outer bearing in place and install a new grease seal. Use HF black disk (81mm) tool to seat the grease seal.



Install HF purple disk (50mm) on 5/8” threaded rod with a nut and washer on each side such that the smaller tapered diameter will rest against outer side of the hub. Insert threaded rod through the hub. Install HF yellow disk (39.5mm) with taper against the inner side of the hub. Install 5/8” washer and nut, and tighten. See photo.



Place the threaded rod/hub assembly through the trailing arm with the hub against the new outer bearing inner race. Install the conduit puller at the inner side of the trailing arm. Hand tighten the 5/8” nut while rotating the hub assembly to verify alignment with the outer bearing inner race. Tighten the 5/8” nut to draw the hub on the outer bearing. See photo. Note that this is the hard part. Wrenching the 5/8” nut is hard work. Movement will stop, then it is necessary to tap the outer end the threaded rod (install a 5/8” nut to prevent mushrooming the threads) with a hammer and drift. Then the nut will continue to turn until it binds again. Repeat hitting threaded rod with hammer. Continue this process until the bearing is seated. Remove puller rig



Install new crush sleeve on the hub.



Pack bearing grease around the sleeve. Grease the new inner bearing. Place bearing in the trailing arm. See photo.



Install HF purple disk (50mm) on short 7 ½” threaded rod with washer and nut on each side. Tapered side is to face the outer hub. Insert threaded rod/disk through the hub. Install HF gold disk (59mm) large side against the inner bearing. Install 5/8” washer and nut. See photo. Hand tighten nut and verify alignment of components. Tighten the 5/8” nut to draw the inner bearing on the hub until it is seated. Remove threaded rod/disks.



Pack inner bearing recess with bearing grease. Install new inner grease seal. Use HF black (81mm) disk tool to seat the seal. See photo.

[dap930]

Install drive axle into the hub. Install the inner CV joint at the transmission and hand tighten the bolts. Install the washer and 30mm (32mm) nut on the stub axle. Use some antiseize on the threads for the torque sequence.
Install the brake disk on the hub. Install angle iron stop bar on the wheel hub using two 14mm steel lug nuts (tool items #17 & #20).

Install dial indicator to read the inside surface of the brake disk. Torque the axle nut to 250 ft-lbs. Check end play. If too much end play, back off the axle nut and torque to 275 ft-lbs. Check end play. If end play is too much, back off nut and torque to 275 ft-lbs again. Repeat this process until end play reads with .001 to .0019 inches. Note that it takes a lot of torque to shorten the crush sleeve. Each torque sequence will shorten it a small amount. When you finally get there, guess what? The cotter pin alignment marks (marked when disassembling) on the axle nut will line up with the hole in the stub axle. So you may not need a large torque wrench and dial indicator set to do this job as long as you know what .001 - .002 movement feels like. This is because roller/taper bearings are manufactured with great precision. Replacing them should put everything back to where it was originally installed.

Torque the inner CV joint bolts. Reinstall the rear shock to the trailing arm. Reinstall the bake caliper and line. Bleed the brakes. Done.

[WERK I]

Dennis,
Very nicely done. Great pics and writeup. I look forward to the installation.

[WERK I]

Wow! That was fast. I post a quick reply as you were posting the installation. Thanks again. Great work.

[dap930]

Thanks Dave,

I had this written up in Word after completing the job. Copy and pasted for this post.

[MikeD930]

Good job putting this tutorial together.

[timc]

Excellent write-up, and just in time! My pass side failed last night....i'll be doing both rears in the next couple of weeks, not looking forward to it though, but I am sure your detailed write up will make this as painless as can be....


tim

[slow&rusty]

Awesome step by step tutorial and pictorial - thank-you!!

[T77911S]

Originally Posted by dap930

Install drive axle into the hub. Install the inner CV joint at the transmission and hand tighten the bolts. Install the washer and 30mm (32mm) nut on the stub axle. Use some antiseize on the threads for the torque sequence.
Install the brake disk on the hub. Install angle iron stop bar on the wheel hub using two 14mm steel lug nuts (tool items #17 & #20).

Install dial indicator to read the inside surface of the brake disk. Torque the axle nut to 250 ft-lbs. Check end play. If too much end play, back off the axle nut and torque to 275 ft-lbs. Check end play. If end play is too much, back off nut and torque to 275 ft-lbs again. Repeat this process until end play reads with .001 to .0019 inches. Note that it takes a lot of torque to shorten the crush sleeve. Each torque sequence will shorten it a small amount. When you finally get there, guess what? The cotter pin alignment marks (marked when disassembling) on the axle nut will line up with the hole in the stub axle. So you may not need a large torque wrench and dial indicator set to do this job as long as you know what .001 - .002 movement feels like. This is because roller/taper bearings are manufactured with great precision. Replacing them should put everything back to where it was originally installed.

Torque the inner CV joint bolts. Reinstall the rear shock to the trailing arm. Reinstall the bake caliper and line. Bleed the brakes. Done.

question
if 250# is not enough, why back off the nut then tighten to 275?

i have a dial gauge but not a 300# torque wrench. the nut can be tightend until you get the .001-.002 play?

does it need to me checked after driving.

[boosted79]

I would not use a torque wrench to crush the sleeve despite what the shop manual says. A torque wrench should not be used as a breaker bar. Use a breaker until you get the right end float but then back off and tighten the castle nut to the proper torque with the torque wrench IMHO. The torque wrench is necessary to get the right preload on the bearings. Too much or too little and you risk bearing failure.

[dap930]

T77911S,

I started at 250 ft-lbs to see what would happen. I had over 1/16" play after the first torque sequence. I increased torque to 275 ft-lbs. It closed up the end play some more, but still had a ways to go. I backed off the nut and tried again. It closed up the end play some more. I did not want to go further up in torque on the wrench so as not to damage it. Each time the running torque will shorten the crush sleeve some more until the wrench stops moving. If you have a long enough breaker bar, you could just tighten the nut until .001 to .0019 end play is met. But you will put more than 300 ft-lbs on it to do it in one sequence. Thinking about this some more, it probably is not necessary to replace the crush sleeve. But I did because that is what the shop manual said to do.

If you mark the original cotter pin hole location on both sides of the nut prior to disassembly, the nut will come back to that location after you get in the correct end play range. Going one notch beyond the original mark would make the end play too tight, while one notch before that would likely be too loose. This because the manufacturing tolerances on roller/ball bearings is very tight. So, in theory, the replacement bearings should not change the final location of the tightened axle nut.

I don't think it would be necessary to recheck the end play or torque after driving the car. It is the same as the front bearings. You do not recheck them.

[boosted79]

I used a 3/4 breaker with a pipe on the end. It doesn't really matter what the req'd torque is as long as it's enough to crush the sleeve. I just hate using an expensive torque wrench as a breaker. The sleeve needs to be replaced to allow for any dimensional differences between the original races and the replacements. Any way you do it, this job is a PITA. Nice write up.

[timc]

Interesting that the Pelican Technical procedure on the 930 rear wheel bearings does not discuss replacing the spacer/crush sleeve. Just talked with another tech at a Florida shop, and they only replace the sleeve if it has been damaged by the failed wheel bearing, otherwise, they just torque to 230 and let it go, just like the article below....

In the process of doing mine, and I'll most likely replace the sleeve just to be safe, but the below makes me wonder if it is really needed.

Pelican Technical Article: Replacing Rear 930 Bearings

[930/66]

Thank you for the Illustration, much greater effort than the front axle

[boosted79]

That write up is wrong. With tapered rollers you HAVE to set the correct end float or you are going to have early bearing failure. That write up makes no mention of measuring the end float. There will always be dimensional differences between the old and new bearing races and the depth of seating. If a shop tells you they simply torque to 230 without checking the float with a DI then find another shop. You may get away with using the old spacer IF you can obtain the proper end float with it. If not, then you have to take it all apart and install a new spacer and then crush it until you get the .001 float as measured by a DI on the stub shaft. Once the proper play is achieved then you loosen the castle nut and then do the final torque. The torque required to initiate the crush on the sleeve will be much greater than 230.

[T77911S]

so when you tighten the nut to set the float, the holes on the nut and the axle may not line up at this point. then you would remove the nut and torque it and then the holes "should" line up to put the pin back in.
otherwise if you do all this and you cant put the pin back in, what do you do.

i suggested to tim to put the old sleeve back in and torque, check the float and if good leave it. if not pull it out and put the new sleeve in.