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Changing '89 rear hub: how to?

3K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  Dr Rock 
#1 ·
Hi everybody,

I am after a heads up guide before I tackle changing the rear hubs on the '89. The RH one has a notch in it at around 5 o'clock when I rotate the hub, so that is what is makng the noise I am hearing. I think I am correct in thinking the bearing cannot be changed, unlike on the earlier cars? I know how to get the caliper and disc off, but not the hub.

Is it integral with the axle?

TIA

Fraser
 
#2 · (Edited)
It is well posted and written that.........


the hubs are not serviceable. However, I have been lucky enough to actually service and repack the hubs on my '93.
Unbolt the caliper, remove handbrake cable and set to one side gently and support it. Remove disc. Remove 'hub' cap and undo axle nut, this will be requiring a large torque bar to achieve this. Once undone, hub will slide off.

This not a text quote but procedures (for a better word) I did..........
With hub in one hand, inset two fingers from other into the 'outer' inner race ( the one with the rubber seal).

Rotate back and forth in, say, an arc of 90 degrees while pulling hub and inner race away from each other at an angle of say, 30 to 45 degrees. (It is difficult to predict just how much force to apply at this point............. ). I tend to believe that the grease in the hub will have gone hard and what this rocking motion is doing is just unseating the balls enough from the cage to allow the inner race to be freed. Once the inner race is out, simply put both thumbs down middle of the hub to the other inner race and gently push out ( may need gentle rotating as well).

If you are at this point and both inners are out, you will find that the inner cage has come out with the inside inner while the outer cage needs to have each ball removed from the cage while the cage is IN THE HUB! Then it gets down to basics and you just proceed to clean all the parts thoroughly and inspect and decide the course of action to take.

KEEP THE SETS OF BALLS SEPERATE. DO NOT MIX INNER'S WITH OUTER'S!

If you were to re-assemble then this is how I completed the re-assembly.
Assuming all parts to be dry and usable, generously grease the cage to go into the outer and install into hub, then insert balls back into cage. Apply more grease to the assembled cage and outer inner and gently reinsert inner into the hub. This will need some manipulation to the cage and balls, from the inside, as the balls will tend to stay in the cage now that they are greased and will want to stay in their sockets.
Re-inserting the inside inner is not so difficult but the final seal and shield do need delicate care.
*****When the inside inner came out the black seal would have easily been removed and cleaned. The shield however must be removed from the inner in order to be able to re-install the SEAL. I removed the shield by placing the inner loosely between jaws of a vice and gently tapping the inner while rotating at the same time. It goes with saying that one cannot afford to let the shield become distorted as this is an important part to help keep the seal in place.*****
To install the inside inner, I assembled the balls into their cage and put the greased assembly into the hub. Once again, manipulation of the cage assembly, from the other side, is needed to allow the inside inner race back into position. Then the seal needs to be installed carefully so that the outside of the seal is inserted into small lip in the hub assembly.

This is 'lump in the throat' stuff as once again, the seal is not replaceable and critical to keeping grease in and foreign matter OUT! I used a piece of 'well greased' stiff rubber tube to work the seal back into position all the way around the hub.
Lastly, I supported the hub upside down, inners on a large socket, and gently tapped the seal shield back onto the inside inner.

Reinstalled the hub onto the axle, ie: reversal of disassembly.... disc, caliper, wheel etc.


I posted recently that the balls out of a SKF 6306-2Z were the same size balls.........but even better than buying a box of 6306-2Z bearings, in the last 24 hrs, I have discovered a bearing shop who will supply me with replacement balls. EVEN BETTER!
 
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