[FC] Best Rear Bearing Greasing Method

[Dale Dewald]

Hello,

At 02:10 PM 10/7/05 -0400, hauppauge21 at comcast.net wrote:
>I'm about to remove the rear bearing on my '62 Rampside. I've seen the
>following methods which is the best? A) Remove rivets disassemble, use
>common lock nut/bolt to reassemble.

Do not consider the other methods.  I have done six axles (2 from our '65 
GB and 4 others from parts vehicles) this past summer.  It will involve 
some work, but the best way is to remove the axle from the vehicle.  You 
will have to remove the yoke from the end of the axle to get it through the 
suspension A-arm.  The yoke can be removed with carefully placed blows from 
a 2 lb hammer along with heat and penetrating fluid (PB Blaster), or by 
using a good puller or an improvised puller made from a spare yoke and a 
large bolt and nut.

Drill out the rivets and remove the dust shields.  Soak the bearing end of 
the axle in parts cleaner or diesel fuel overnight.  Use aerosol carb or 
brake cleaner to clean out the remaining grease.  Do not blow air to 
dry--use lint-free rags. Inspect the bearings and races; if they are scored 
or look blue (overheated) or feel rough, try to find a new bearing or a 
used axle with a good bearing.  A worn or overheated bearing w/axle might 
be repacked and kept as an emergency spare, a rough bearing will be junk.

Use a needle attachment on your grease gun to pump grease into every roller 
cavity.  The bearing should have plenty of grease in it, but should not be 
packed entirely full otherwise grease will be spewed out onto your brake 
linings when it warms up.  The bearing halves and dust shields can be 
reassembled with 3/16" pop rivets.

>   B) Drill hole fill with grease close
>with sheetmetal screw and silicone C) Drill hole tap out for ZERK fitting.
>Obviously the drawback with the drilling is the possibility of getting
>fragments into the bearing. But it seems it could be done without removing
>the bearing from the axle? (T or F).  Taking it apart ensures that it's
>clean and packed. But are any o-rings easily damaged what size bolt hardware
>is needed?

Dale Dewald
Hancock, (UP) MI