So today I got everything back together. I froze the bearing and heated the bearing seat and the bearing just slipped right in with no fuss.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1337645732.jpg

I was pretty happy after that. Then I installed the brake assembly which was easy except for that damn e-brake cable. I found that I was finally able to get the nut on if I didn't attach the spring arms to their respective posts. After I got the nut on I manuevered the arms to their posts.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1337645932.jpg

I then attached the bearing plate and tightened down the 4 bolts. NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO TIGHTEN DOWN THE BIG AZZ NUT, which I didn't and caused me some pain later.

I was disappointed to find out that the hub would not slide in as easy as the bearing did. I had frozen the hub and heated the bearing with a blow dryer but the hub still had to be pressed in with my Wavey tool. It worked good but made a few scary noises as it slipped in.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1337646282.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1337646295.jpg

I found the worst PITA of this project was the re-attachment of the drive shaft. I hate that fricken driveshaft!!

As far as the big azz nut goes, I incorrectly hand tightened it and after I had the hub and rotor on I had the worst time trying to re-attach the caliper. I was about to give up, but when I tightened up the big azz nut the caliper slipped right into it's place.

I might try not removing the brake assembly on the other side, just the bearing retainer plate.

Did I mention I hate that fricken drive shaft?

Test drive went great, half the noise, now it's time for the right side rear bearing:mad:

Blow dryer? You need at least a heat gun.

I used a heat gun on the bearing seat for installation and removal. I was told not to use a flame on the bearing, is that incorrect?

No flame on the bearing.

OK Gents and Ladies,

I did the whole right side bearing from start to finish in just about 3 hours, went very well. I beefed up my Wavey tool with a few more washers to support the back of the bearing during hub press in.

But the bigggest lesson learned was putting the drive shaft back on:

This time I used my jack and jacked up the control arm of the hub assembly so that this time the drive shaft is more level and straight-up aligned with the six holes for re-attachment. Last time took me an hour or two to line up the nuts, this time I was finished in five minutes!!!!

Still hate the drive shaft but not as much. :cool:

Took the P car for a test drive and the rear end was MUCH quieter. There still is a slight noise back there that annoys me some, most prominent around 10-20 MPH, maybe it's CV joints, however they seemed fine on visual inspection, no tears or leaks.

Any other ideas of the noise? Tires? Or just me being paranoid.

Thanks again for all the replys.

I have followed this post with much interest as I have planned to R&R my bearings for some time now. As usual, thanks to all Pelicans for such great advice...especially the photos (something about being worth 1000 words...!)
I have all the parts and tools ready to go including the luxury of having access to liquid nitrogen. I plan to immerse the hubs before installation into the bearings but am not so comfortable about doing the same with the bearings before I install them into the housing. I'm thinking the sub zero temps will damage the non metalic components of the bearing assembly. Should I stick with just heating the housing and pressing the bearings in at ambient temp?
Also, does the parking brake assembly have to come off?

Yes, the parking brake assembly HAS to come off. It's real easy to take off after you pull the little cotter pin out of the cable nut and hand turn off the little nut.

Make sure your Wavey tool has washers that are the exact thickness (by putting a few together) of the housing area behind the bearing to support the back of the bearing while pressing in the hub. A supercooled hub will help. Mine pressed in nicely with the tool.

Just put the bearings in the freezer, heat the housing area for about 5 minutes. Use your 2 inch electrical conduit and hand push the bearing right in (with the conduit in your hand). Mine slid in like butter and I heard it hit the back of the housing nicely. Hold in with conduit for 5 minutes or so while all the temps equalize. Heat is HUGE in this job, almost impossible without, butter with!!

Do one side at a time so you can use the parking brake to hold the hub/tranny in place at various times when you need to.

Don't forget to jack up the whole hub assembly a few inches for ease of reconnecting the drive shaft to the tranny.

Have fun.

So how does this "backing plate" come off. I'm afraid I'll bend it if I pry too hard.
Also, I assume the inboard CV joints have to be removed in order to remove the axle shafts, yes?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1338520362.jpg

Yes, you'll need to unbolt the cv joint from the axle shaft for it to come out. You'll need that area clear to remove the bearing with the tool.

As for that plate, it should just slide off. after you've removed the four bolts and the castellated nut for the parking brake, there's nothing holding it on. Yours looks to have a bunch of rust on it though. So, perhaps it has rusted itself in place?

PM sent

Liquid nitrogen option
 

I just finished up installing rear bearings and wanted to share my method for re-assembly to install the new bearing and hub by hand with no tools whatsoever.
I do have the benefit of having access to liquid nitrogen where I work (we are a distributor) so that is very convenient, but it is available to the public if you can find a welding/compressed gas retailer that carries it.
Not rocket science here...I simply "sub cooled" the parts before installation. I partially filled a styrofoam cooler with the N2 and submersed the bearing and hub just prior to installation.
I only partially submersed the bearing as I was afraid af getting it too cold and damaging the non-metallic seals. I applied about 2 minutes of heat around the housing with a MAPP torch and (using leather gloves) slid the bearing all the way in and held it for about 30 seconds until it started expanding.
The hub was equally as easy but I could totally submerge it without fear of "overcooling" and damaging anything. I let it sit in the N2 for a few minutes (until it stopped "boiling") and just slid it into the bearing and held it for a little bit...only "tools" needed were a pair of thick gloves!
I used the home-made tool to extract the old bearing but figured this method eliminated the need to apply any kind of pressure or heat to the new bearing and possibly cause damage upon installation.
Again, thanks to everyone (especially Whiz!) for making this entire job much easier!
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1338725922.jpg
Hub submersed in N2.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1338725993.jpg
Thats one cold hub (installed).

Wow!! That is one cold hub! Nice work!

a concern - liquid nitrogen method risk permanent damage to the bearing lube? However I like it.
I used freezer and heated the hub to get the bearing slid in most of the way, then tapped in the remaining small distance with a fitting contacting only the outside race

It's not critical to push the hub all the way into the bearing at this stage.

Once the axle is re-inserted, torqueing the axle nut will pull the hub in the rest of the way, and the axle will essentially do the pulling for you with the force being applied to the inner race, right where it should be. I used a little grease on my frozen hub, pushed it in by hand then used my home-depot hub/bearing tool to get it most of the way in. The axle install took it all the way home.

Still, the cryogenic hub looked pretty cool.

Sweet! Love the LN2. :cool: