[jusjay]

Hi Keith, can you tell me where to put the puller jaws to remove the wheel bearing, right or left? As you can see I have 2 sets plus the ones in the car now that need to be repack. You want a part time job!!!!

[mechanickeith]

Jay, Puller goes between the washer & axle.

[azkeebler]

Jusjay,If you're just repacking them, all you need to do is drill the the two rivets holding the bearing together and unfold the tabs on the side. The hub will slide forward from the bearing assembly enough to be able to clean and grease up the bearings without removing the bearing altogether. I've performed repacking this way numerous times on the vehicle and pretty certain Keith does the same procedure.

Removing the bearing only to repack may deform enough to not be able to reinstall securely on the axle again. Just trying to save yourself from unnecessary labor.

[jusjay]

Thanks guys, I'll try the easy way first!

[TempestFugit]

Interesting... on the vehicle too!? What kind of service life do you get on a repack?

[azkeebler]

Well, on the vehicle simply means I didn't remove the entire axle from the arm. The bearings seperate completely when you unrivet the assembly. No different than your typical front bearing. Like Keith, every few oil changes or so, regrease the bearings, had no failures yet. Only a few thousand miles on each car, but are daily drivers to work and club functions 60% of the year.

[mechanickeith]

I have repacked them on the axle, but I remove the axle so I can get at them better. When I pack them for the first time, I press them off, do a total tear down, inspection & repack, then press them back on. I usually pack them at least once a year, sometimes twice, depending on the amount of miles I put on the car.

[TempestFugit]

once a year yikes! Well I guess they they get easier to work with when they come off and on that often. The one I pulled recently was on there for at least twenty years and fought me every inch of the way. Anybody use those rebuildable aluminum ones from Clarks? I wonder how long they last between rebuilds.

[mechanickeith]

I have the splines on the U joint yokes & axles very clean & I slather anti-sieze on the splines. On the trip to Norwalk, my left axle bearing started to rumble. From the time I stopped & started to unload the trunk to get at everything, to the time we were back on the road was maybe 40 minuts. When I took the yoke retaining bolt out, I used the ratchet with socket still attached & tapped the yoke. It fell off on the ground!! When I do pack the bearings, it usually takes me a full afternoon to do the job.

I have never used the clarks parts. They say they are rebuildable with normal parts store stuff. They also say they pivot. I have never seen a bearing that is made to pivot except the factory one. Only other thing I can think of that can pivot is an industrial pillow block bearing.

[TempestFugit]

My blue convt spent most of it's life in California and Alabama the axles came apart with a couple of taps on that car. My red car is 49 years in the rustbelt. The yoke snapped in half before letting go and the suspension bolts just break off.