Re: '54 Rear Wheel Bearing Repack Oddities

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2013/10/18 22:42:31

I'm wondering if end play and shims are really that important.

Extremely important to long bearing life!!

So I'm wondering if the old seal is insalled incorrectly

Open face of the seal should face the liquid, i.e. should face inwards towards the carrier.

how to remove the inner seals as I have no puller for that,

A slide hammer with outward-facing jaws, or just improvise a tool like the one pictured in various manuals from a length of band steel, doubled over with outward-facing jaws. Some folks have drilled small holes in the seal and used a slide hammer with a screw on the end. But most often you can just pry them out with something like a very small crowbar or nail puller.

if there are any tricks of the trade to reinstall the bearing cup or outer race.

Its got to be pressed in very evenly; you can work gradually around the circumference with light taps using a brass drift against the edge. Alternatively you could install the backing plate and sequentially, just a bit of a turn at a time, tighten the retaining bolts to force the cup in. Then check the end play, which can be adjusted at either side as long as only a small thickness (less than 0.050 inch) of shim is required. Remember it's the TOTAL end play (both shafts s a unit assembly), side to side, so if you install a shim after the cup is pressed in, you'll have to tap the opposite side axle to drive the cup back up against the backing plate on the far side to obtain a true measurement of end play.

If the contrary is the problem (the cup is too loose a fit), then just use a center punch and uniformly and in complete circles "stiple" the surface of the housing bore.