1988 GL cant get new CV through wheel bearing. Anyone else experience this? Have tips?

[BestCar/OnlyCar]

P.S. the reason I think it is making a funny noise is the lower ball joint. I ordered two and am going to put new ones in. The old ones are so stuck on the lower control arm I will have to cut and drill them off or get some other lower control arms from the junk yard I think. I did not try that fork shaped thing to get them off, but I did try a car jack and it did not have enough force. ..I dont think it helped them any though! (fix one thing, break something else. Thats my M.O.)

Edited July 29, 2014 by BestCar/OnlyCar

[thornleyjacob]

http://www.harborfreight.com/24-oz-neon-orange-dead-blow-hammer-68981.html

 

This tool came in handy for when I just recently did my first axle change.

[Willy Fisterbottom]

I heat the bearings up with an electric heat gun to 120°Celsius (248° Fahrenheit) & the shaft slides in by hand :-)

Also before I do that, after greesing the new bearings, I put them in the freezer overnight so the slip in the housing by hand.

[BestCar/OnlyCar]

Maybe I will try that next time. It sounds like a good way to do it. 

[Gloyale]

I heat the bearings up with an electric heat gun to 120°Celsius (248° Fahrenheit) & the shaft slides in by hand :-)

Also before I do that, after greesing the new bearings, I put them in the freezer overnight so the slip in the housing by hand.

 

My Girlfriend would kill me if I put greasy bearings in our freezer.

 

it's a known trick for installiing bearings and valve stems.........but not really nessecary for axles.....just need 2 hammers.

[jono]

thornleyjacob, that is one sexy colour for a BRAT ! Have you got pics to share ?

 

Seeing two thermal tricks in here for bearings

 

Bestcar/onlycar put his bearings in the freezer, Willy heats his up with success

thinking of the inner hole of the bearing in this application it looks like even though metal expands with heat the hole does get bigger. The metal expands is not swelling the same so therefore reduce the ID of the hole ? Or is it that as it heats up and expands, the circumference increases allowing ID to increase ? Boggles the mind eh ?

 

I guess Willy has to let bearings cool before going in the housing ....er, whoa...Willy says he heats the bearings, but also says he sticks bearings in overnight in freezer. Is it grease bearings, freeze overnight to install barings in housing, then once them is in, heat to 120C to slide axle shaft through ?

[Ibreakstuff]

I assume you would use cold bearing to fit the outer bearing race into the knuckle, then heat the inner race to fit the axle? Not sure I would want to put flame to the bearing grease, but it sounds feasible. Perhaps freezing the axle, similar to rear axle stubs, would help too.

Or go 5 lug and be done with the EA front knuckles for good.. and never have to struggle again. There are even bolt in bearings options for EJ front knuckles.

Edited August 1, 2014 by Ibreakstuff

[Willy Fisterbottom]

I freeze the bearings before they go in the housing, you can also at heat the housing for more clearance. Once the bearings are in you heat them up with an electric heat gun (not a flame) be careful not to burn the seals or greese. bearing will expand and the shaft will slide in by hand. This is how I build many components on large marine diesel engines e.g. small end bushes into conrods etc. etc.

[BestCar/OnlyCar]

I put my wheel bearings in the freezer to try to get them to go on the axle because I am an Idiot and I thought that would make them contract and the hole in the middle bigger. It did not work. However, I did put them in a plastic bag in the freezer. thus keeping the freezer clean, and they are easier to handle with the grease cold and stiff it stays packed and does not get all over. 

[BestCar/OnlyCar]

I should go five lug. The four lugs are a pain. 

[Gloyale]

4 lug EA wheel bearings are WAAAY easier than 5 lug.

 

I can do them in 1/2 hour with a big punch and a hammer.

 

Installing the axle takes one more hammer.

 

I only use the freezer for chilling beer.

[Prwa101]

I just ha my buddy pick up my front bearings at McGuire bearings. 1.98 ea. 6207 2RS C3

 

I though he was messing with me on the price at first. Napa wants 25$ ea for unsealed ones.

 

Prwa

[BestCar/OnlyCar]

PRWA 101. I will check  McGuire bearings out! 
 

Gloyal: "4 lug EA wheel bearings are WAAAY easier than 5 lug.

I can do them in 1/2 hour with a big punch and a hammer.

Installing the axle takes one more hammer."
I am thinking changing the axles will be easier...not necessarily the wheel bearings. but just for the sake of interest, do you take it all apart and press your wheel bearings in, or do you just use a big socket or something to hit against and pound them in? If you just pound them in how do you get the seal on the inside to go in and seat all the way? I wanted to use a flathead screwdriver and gently hammer mine in but I was afraid to and just put them on the new CVs and let them get pulled in, but now they are squeeling and I am going to have to sort it out again. 

[Gloyale]

I just use a punch to hammer the old bearings out.

 

To install, I take an old bearing...cut the outer race so the inside can come out......this leaves just the outer race with a small slice in it......I use that as a tool for driving the new bearings in.  The slice allows the piece to pop out and not get stuck after the bearing bottoms out.

 

Seals I use push them in by hand first then drift them the rest of the way with the tip of a 1/4 extension.

[BestCar/OnlyCar]

Gloyale: thanks. 

[subaru1988]

Maybe this can help in some way if you're still at it? Haven't got around to doing mine yet, and it kills me how some of you guys say you can do it in 30 mins and with the wheels on!

 

Edited August 9, 2014 by subaru1988

[BestCar/OnlyCar]

Yes, I was looking for this video before, but with this title it always pulls up a mislabeled miles fox vid of a parkinglot meeting. What I want to know is -you know how on the roter there is bolted on a plate...maybe called the hub?...held on by four bolts, and through it go the lug nut studs. Why can't a person swap that out for one made with a five lug nut pattern instead of having to switch out a lot of parts to change over to five lug nut?

[Ibreakstuff]

Yes, I was looking for this video before, but with this title it always pulls up a mislabeled miles fox vid of a parkinglot meeting. What I want to know is -you know how on the roter there is bolted on a plate...maybe called the hub?...held on by four bolts, and through it go the lug nut studs. Why can't a person swap that out for one made with a five lug nut pattern instead of having to switch out a lot of parts to change over to five lug nut?

 

Hub would be the correct terminology, swapping for EJ parts is less expensive than having custom hubs fabricated.

[djellum]

technically everything in that bearing assembly is supposed to be press fit.  the bearings should be pressed in and the axle should be pressed into the bearings.  hundreds of people have changed both themselves so its possible, but the tighter the fit the better.  if anything is too loose then you should probably fix/replace it.  how easy did that replacement bearing go into the hub?  if it went in easy I would look into that.

 

I just bought 2 axles from MWE in Colorado.  good knowledgeable folks, but I havent actually got them in the car yet since im gathering parts to do a bunch at once.  they used turbo inner and outer joints, with new CV's instead of rebuilt, Legacy shafts that are 1 inch longer than GL's to relieve some of the axle stress, and thick high quality boots for the passenger side where the exhaust heats them up.  I will be pushing the shaft end of the DOJ boot up the shaft a bit.  I should have them installed in a few days to a week, so ill let you know.  currently I have a 2 inch strut push with no engine drop.  I want to see how the axles fit in before I drop it, since the axles will need the suspension to remain a bit over stock due to length.  I do plan on dropping it at least some if the axles can take that without binding on the upswing.

 

I havent really had any joint problems, though I have eaten a few boots up since the lift went in.  I have a bin full of used axles so I have just been throwing them in and driving them up till I could get the front end parts I need to set it up the way I want it. at a minimum I would slacken the boot if you have a lift, doesnt hurt anything and only costs $5 for the bands.