Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

Latley the past few months ive noticed a noise from the rear passenger side wheel :confused: , I can hear it in the car while driving and it gets faster as I accelerate its like a rubbing or grinding type noise. Someone told me its a bad wheel bearing if so how much are they, and is there 2 (inner and outter) and how hard is it to do Im alright with tools ive always done all my own work on my car and would like to attempt to take care of this. Any suggestions would help.

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

Should be a piece of cake. Remove that wheel, rear end cover, brake drum, and that side's axle. The bearing is right in the end of the axle tube, 4 little bolts with lock nuts on them, lock nuts should be looking at you. Bearing is fairly cheapo, and change the seal while you're in there! No inner bearing to speak of. Well, there IS, but it's pressed on the rear end carrier, and I doubt it's giving you problems.

Good Luck! :D

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

How hard is it to get the axle out? Ive read the manuel, but I'm very nervous about cracking open the rear on our only running car. (I've got a low (almost subsonic) "grumbling" or "grunking" sound coming from my rear, it does change tone during acceleration, but not much (hard to tell due to the exhaust noise), and seems better or worse on long turns depending on directions (left turn is a bit quieter).

Without using "manuel-speak" how hard is it to pull the axle/reinstall? What should you use to pull the bearing? Rent a puller from the store? Is there an easier way?

Are there any steps to determine exactly where the problem lay? I had something similar happen on my 66, but after the bearings were replaced, the car still does it. (has to be the pumpkin itself, Loud rubbing "grunking" sound on tight low speed turns after the car gets warm)

Thanks,
J

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

Yea what he said for now this is my only "running" car

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

Wheel bearings aren't hard to change on these cars at all. Simply, those 4 bolts are all that hold it in. Their not pressed into the axle tube, but sometimes they get stuck. The bearing race, however IS pressed in. If it looks GOOD, leave it alone. If you do need to replace the race, a little effort and a pry bar usually pops them right out. A good dead blow hammer and a block of wood will put the new one in for you.

Removing the axle: Take off the wheel/tire. Then slide off the brake drum, you may have to back off the adjusters a bit. Now, slide under the car. Take off the cover. Spin the carrier until you see the small lock bolt that holds the BIG lock pin. Need a 5/16" SHORT (I use my 1/4" drive set for this, not much room for big stuff in there.) socket. Remove the lock bolt. Then remove the big lock pin. If you have a posi, there's a big "S" spring in there that needs to come out. Trust me here, they come out alot easier than they go back in, but still not difficult. Big scewdriver, small prybar will do the trick. Careful not to bend it. Next, push the axle IN from the brake drum side. Go back to the center section, remove the small "C" clip from that axle. Head out to the brake drum side, and slide that puppy out. Now you'll see the lock plate with 4 lock nuts looking at you. Bolt heads are behind the backing plate. Take out those 4 bolts (No need to even remove the brake shoes!) and you'll probably have the bearing laying in your hand. If not minor coaxing is all it'll need.

SORRY for getting long winded here! :D

As far as what's actually MAKING your noise? :confused: Could be the outer bearing, could be the diff itself. Sounds like the center section to me. Best to make sure. If you take off the cover, and get all kinds of metal, or if the oil looks like Never-Seize, put the cover back on, fill it up with oil, and take it to your wrench. Setting up a rear end really isn't something for a novice to play with (no offense intended) But the axle bearing you should be able to handle with basic hand tools, and an hour or so.

Hope this helps you guys out!!! Good Luck! :D

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

Thanks, the things thats really bugging me is the fact that I dont know what exactly is making that noise and the fact that the drain plug is locked up just adds to my worries because I have no idea how much fluid or what it looks like in the diff. itself but thanks for the suggestion I might just take it to the "rear end" shop since I dont wanna mess up anything on my daily driver and there not expensive at all.

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

Just put some 80w-140 in the guy at the parts store said its better for high mileage diff's, it wasnt that low on fluid anyway so I only added a little.

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

I may try that. Lord knows it hasent been checked in ? knows how long.
BTW, I've started noticing in the last few days that my noise seems louder on cold mornings, and after 5 miles or so goes back to the normal amount of noise. Does that mean anything?
(I doubt I would have noticed this back in tampa, but its getting positivley
chilly here,lol.)

J

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

Yeah pull off the cover and remove the king pin but you do not have to remove the "S" spring. Just push in on the axle and remove the C-clip then the axle will slide out.

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

Thanks Dark. I'm running a spool, and didn't remember if that spring had to come out or not. Now that I think about it, you're right, leave it in there. :D

Re: Think I have a bad wheel bearing
 

Well I checked and re checked everything and while sitting there and just racking my brain I think its the tire, I remember I roatated them and it was a little low on air and it was like a month before I filled it up so I think it wore wrong and now that its inflated its just making the noise