Replace wheel bearings 87 brumby

[BrisBrumby]

Hello, I’m looking to replace the front wheel bearings in my brumby. Trouble is, I can’t get the axel nut free! Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

[Silverbullet]

Hey BrisBrumby,

36mm socket is required and a big long breaker bar, remove the split pin (duh), with the car on the ground and handbrake applied, jump up and down on the breaker bar you might even need an extension pipe to break it free. Once it is cracked then jack the wheel up before you remove the nut entirely. Take note of which way around the flat washer is placed under the nut, this is important on re-assembly. Torque setting for that nut is something like 196 Nm.

[El_Freddo]

As above. The jumping bit is fun. Do not use anything smaller than a 3/4 drive breaker bar (invest in one!)!

Have fun!

Once you’ve got the drive shaft out, hammer the bearings out via the side they reside on. There’s a ridge cast between the bearings in the in hub knuckle. A decent pin punch will help out with this.

Cheers

Bennie

[BrisBrumby]

Thanks for the helpful info, Turns out mine needs a 41 mm socket and I have borrowed a breaker bar from a mate. Fingers crossed...

[El_Freddo]

I’ve never heard of a 41mm castellated nut on any Subaru before! Someone seems to have done a dodgy there.

Are they all the same size on all hubs?

Cheers

Bennie

[BrisBrumby]

Yes they seem to be. I’m beginning to realise it could be Franken-brum, but I love it anyway!, so, I got the hob and rotor off and the book says you have to take the knuckle and drive axel to a workshop to separate and to press bearings out/in - do you know if this is right. I have bought every tool know to humanity, including a bearing press and a ball joint press thinking I could di it all as easy as ChirsFix on YouTube, to be fair though, he has a Ford... any helpful advice greatly appreciated

[El_Freddo]

No need for a workshop!

You can carefully hammer the driveshaft out with the hub in situ. Or, use your bearing press, that’s what a workshop will use. The trick is getting the hub level and secured enough for the press to do its work - and the press to be larger or high enough for the drive shaft to clear everything under it.

I hope this makes sense!

Cheers

Bennie

[Silverbullet]

Personally I've never had an issue getting the drive shaft out of the wheel bearings/hub/steering knuckle. It's always just slid out or maybe needs a little tap with a plastic hammer. If it is really stuck you should be able to use something like a hub pulling tool.

Once you get the knuckle off with the bearings in it, you will see there is a spacer in the middle between the two bearings. Just push the spacer to one side so it is halfway across the hole and then press on the spacer in your bearing press. The bearing on the opposite side will fall out along with the rubber grease seal. Then it's easy to flip the knuckle over and press the other bearing out. Both bearings and seals then go in the bin. As Bennie said the hardest part is supporting the knuckle flat and level in the press but I manage it pretty well with the plates that came with my $180 hydraulic press.

A word on the new bearings, avoid the "sealed type" bearings at all costs, they don't have enough grease in them, the seals will leak the grease out in short order and the bearings will fail in a very short time (ask me how I know!!) if you did already buy them pull the plastic sealing discs out of them and grease them yourself with plenty of good axle grease.

When pressing the new bearings in, always use something that will press on the outer race of the bearing, never press the inner race (this will damage them) one of those cheap universal bearing press kits will do the job nicely. And remember to put the spacer back in the middle before you press the second bearing in! And of course the new rubber seals go in last.

[El_Freddo]

A word on the new bearings, avoid the "sealed type" bearings at all costs, they don't have enough grease in them, the seals will leak the grease out in short order and the bearings will fail in a very short time (ask me how I know!!) if you did already buy them pull the plastic sealing discs out of them and grease them yourself with plenty of good axle grease.

Ah, now there’s a trick with the sealed bearings that I’ve used without issue for years! Remove one of the bearing seals on each bearing, add good quality grease (ensure that factory grease is flushed out). When fitting the bearings turn the side without the seal inwards. Before adding the spacer and second bearing, throw a dob of grease in there. Prime the outer seals with rubber grease and fit. This goes well for a very long time

And if those bearings and driveshafts are factory fitted, they’ll be pressed in there really well to say the least. The driveshaft *should* have a tight fit, but with aftermarket bearings and shafts it’s not always possible.

Cheers

Bennie

[BrisBrumby]

You guys know everything, thanks,

[El_Freddo]

Nah, I’m still working on the next jackpot winning lottery numbers... no success yet! :P

Jokes aside, thank you BrisBrumby. Many of us spent the better part of a decade or more tinkering on these machines And anything we can share to make the work of others’ easier/quicker should lead to more enjoyment of their vehicle too.

Cheers

Bennie