Can someone set me straight on these back wheel bearings?

[harpon]

I have an Aspire if that makes a difference. So late last week I had the wheel and axle off and got a new outer bearing onto the rear brake drum without pulling the drum off or changing the bearing race. I was running out of day and the drum seemed tight otherwise on the pads- I was afraid it would not go easily back on

If I go in again- or simply to understand the repair- WHERE are the rear inner bearings located? Are they on the back of the drum? or are they further in? Do the pads have to come off to get to the inner rear bearing ? And where is the race and which way does it point?

I have seen some crude schematics but not sure what they indicate.



for instance #4 here appears to be the bearing. What are parts 6 and 7- is 6 the race? does it sit up against the drum or against part #8- and face inward or outward- i.e. is the race toward the car like the outer bearing or in the drum with the bearing tapered toward the car?

What is that gnarly looking part 7?

thank you.

[harpon]

OK never mind-

answered my own question I think and finally made sense out of the old No Nonsense Manual.

apparently the bearings ARE in the back of the drum and covered by a seal- correct me if I'm wrong-

so the brakes don't necessarily have to be done.

How hard is it generally to get the drum back on. Often a problem? Can I pound it with a hammer and wood block?

[nonamekid]

That is correct, both bearings are in the drum. The drums should slide on and off easily. They should also spin easily. If you have to beat the drum on, it won't spin. If the drums are hard to get off, you should check out the adjuster on the parking brake lever: these like to seize and cause the brakes not to release. Most of the time they can be freed back up with lubricant and some persuasion.

[rmoltis]

You have to remove the drum completely.

When you first take the wheel off.
You will see the grease cap on the outside of the drum.
Now take that off and underneath it you will see the stake nut with the cap and cotter pin.
Now when you remove said cotter pin and nut cover you will then remove the nut itself.
And underneath said nut there will be the outer wheel bearing.

Now a wheel bearing is comprised of the inner roller bearings.
And the race. The race is the smooth flat surface used for the bearings to roll on

So the portion of the bearing that sits inside the race will pull right out.
Once it is removed slide the whole drum off, alternatively you could remove the bearing after.

The race for that outer bearing will have been pressed into the drum on that font side.
To remove it you will flip the drum upside down and use punches on the backside of that race
To tap it out. Make sure and tap evenly in a circle while removing as not to mess up the drum surface the race tucks into.

Next up will be the inner bearing it is on the inside portion of the drum located similarly to the fronts, just inside.
To get to them you will have to remove the grease seal first.
It is usually pressed in after the inner bearing is installed to seal the grease in.
You can use a screwdriver or something to pry it out if it just getting replaced anyways.

Then you will have access to the inner bearing itself.
Remove it then you will have access to the inner bearing race.
Tap it out also from its opposing side, working in a circular motion with the punch as to not distort the drum.

Once all of that is done, use a solvent to clean the inside of the drum where the grease is held.
You want to remove it all so the dirt, debris and possible metal shavings from the old bearings get removed.
If not they will slowly wear down your new bearings making you replace them again later down the line at a decreased service interval.
You want them to last as long as possible.

Once all grease is dissolved, removed and cleaned.
Proceed with the installation of both races do one then the other.
Once that is done fill the inside of the drum with your (new) bearing grease.
I know it doesn't have to be completely full. May even require space, but I stuff it all the way full anyways.

Then you will want to grease the new bearings.
Everyone has a different method, but the method I prefer is.

I take a zip lock bag, put a big nugget of grease inside.
Then I place 1 wheel bearing inside and zip it shut.
Then I use my hands outside the bag to roll the rollers and squeeze grease completely into the bearings.
Once done I remove and install into the fresh races.

You'll want to start by installing the inner bearings followed by grease seals.
This will prevent the inner bearing from falling out once the drum needs to be flipped for the installation of the outer bearing.
(Grease Seals get lightly tapped into place similar to the races, except you don't use punches, you will want to press them in.
Sometimes the right size socket does the trick.)

I like to install the drum once the inner bearing and seal is done then I install outer bearing once it is on the spindle.
Then I top off the grease around the outside of the outer bearing b4 grease cap goes back on.

Once everything is complete I install the washer and stake nut.

I then proceed to tighten this nut down until I can't anymore.
(Not forcefully) the goal hear is to use the nut and washer like a press to remove any slack from the installed components.
So once everything moves inward and the nut "bottoms out".
Then you will back it off until the wheel just barely starts to spin freely.
You don't want resistance from an over tight nut.
But on the flip side you don't want it loose either because it will allow the entire wheel to move in and out.
For example you kick the left side of the wheel it cocks slightly in that direction.
Then you kick the right side and it cocks thatway.
This loose wheel is bad and cause damage/problems over time being driven that way.

So spin the drum as you untighten it slowly.
You will feel the point where it breaks free.
and if that point is too far out slowly tighten it and note if the drum encounters resistance.
If it does encounter resistance back it out slowly until it spins freely.

Hope this all helps

If you are having trouble reinstalling drums over pads.
Use the self adjusters to loosen the pads from the drum surface then reinstall drum and all.
The self adjusters will automatically readjust against the drum as you drive.
I would make sure to spray the rear drum brake system with brake cleaner just to make sure everything is in working order first tho.


Make sure and keep some brake cleaner on hand through this.
When you accidentally get grease on the brake drum friction surface that the pad rides on.
You will want an effective way to remove it

[harpon]

Thanks for the thorough explanations-

In hindsight I realize- Yes, I had the parking brake on- when I couldn't turn the wheel after putting on the new bearing I let off the parking brake and it spun- so I was trying to pry the drum off of a hand braked drum! DUH!

Anxious to have a lok at the pads and I guess spraying a little brake cleaner and cleaning up a bit wouldn't hurt.

[firebush357]

Awesome Walk through. Thanks Rmoltis

[harpon]

Oh "Our Mo El T Is"

Hadn't caught that- 'bout as funny as Coach Lynch was

have a blood on your hands Christmas Motor mouths!

I don't really want to hurt YOU because I know how often real men hurt themselves (cheer cheer!)

I won't be standing with you then no matter what the scuttlebutt says

FYI- I replaced all four back bearings myself- facilitated by purchasing new drums- think they were about $44 delivered

and so having the bearing races hammered in before the drums were taken off- W/O the parking brake on!

You know, this forum can take a lot of the usual snidely whiplash questionable and sometimes outright trippy faulty advice of REAL cretins

or it can accept the knowledge and questions of someone with a little experience in 62 years and degreed in EDUCATION who is sincere and well intentioned

or it can turn itself into Jerry Springer

I've suffered a lot of "Our Mo El T Is" from a lot of what becomes legless most geniuses on the net

and I am kinda tired of that. Call me a drama queen. Tell us we TG people want "special treatment"

at least we know the difference between a Nazi helmet, and when an American helmet stood for something other than a big mouth and a high income

If you could see reality through my eyes, you'd see how many times over you are wrong with your disrespect and inciting to violence comments and attitudes.