replacing rear wheel bearing

[d_j]

Are there any issues I should be aware of in attempting this myself? The manual isn't much help, but then it's pretty useless in general so that doesn't always mean anything! I'm competent enough to do this myself if it is a straightforward job that can be reasonably done at home, but I'm also sensible enough not to try if it's one of those "not for the faint-hearted" jobs. Are any special tools required, or is a hammer and drift sufficient? Any advice/info would be much appreciated!

[slick_red_VN]

i am pretty sure they are allen keyed in but don't hold me to it!!
could be a simple bolt 3 of them by memory

[d_j]

the front hub assembly is held on with three hex bolts, but I'm not sure what the deal is with the rear wheel bearings. I thought it best to find out first whether it's a job worth attempting myself, before going to the effort of pulling the wheel off, etc, and finding it to be a job I couldn't do after all! :-)

[SaGe]

to replace the rear wheel bearings is fairly straight foward, however, u cant fit the bearings onto the shafts without a machine press. so wat u can do is pull out the shafts from both sides and take them to a place where they can fit the bearings on 4 u and then u can bring the shafts home and put them back in.

[hako]

Plus it is different for IRS or solid rear end. If I wanted to do this job firstly I'd check at the wreckers for an axle - most wreckers sell these separately and they cost about $50 and they come with a bearing and seal. This would be a lot cheaper and quicker.

[SaGe]

if u hav a VR Exec then u got a live axle not IRS

why do u need to change ur wheel bearings?
they last for years and years, usally u only need to change them if u hav ova300 000kms to 500 000kms

[d_j]

I was told that worn brake pads can make quite a racket, not unlike dodgy wheel bearings, so checked them first. The rears on both sides were worn all the way down, and have been replaced (bled the brakes while I was at it too). However, the noise is still there, so it looks like it definitely is the wheel bearings, even if they theoretically shouldn't have died yet (180,000km).

Basically, it's pretty fine around town (no noise at all), but get out on the highway and up to around 90kph or higher and there is an intermittant but persistent metallic rubbing/whooshing/grinding type noise, which sounds pretty much the same as the one time I've had a wheel bearing fail previously. Unless anyone has any other ideas, it's sounding like a pretty definitive case to me.

But, in light of advice given, I've decided to leave the fitting of the new bearing to a mechanic - worth paying a few dollars to avoid the probably headaches and general pain-in-the-arse nature of such jobs. Thanks guys, all advice much appreciated! :-)

[hako]

I'd also check the drum handbrake on the rear (inside the disc) as this could be dragging or whatever and causing a noise.

[Harvs82]

I'd also check the drum handbrake on the rear (inside the disc) as this could be dragging or whatever and causing a noise.

I would tend to agree with this also. I have the same sort of noise, need to check whether it is the handbrake or not. I have had the right rear wheel bearing in my car replaced (IRS), ended up costing $280, with $60 for the bearing itself. The old one was completely shot, they had to break it out, and the ball bearings went all over the workshop!

I've also had the right front wheel bearing replaced TWICE, at a cost of $350 each time, as it has the ABS sensors in it. Was also creating the grinding noise, but only when I turned a certain way. Car had only done about 140,000kms when it was first replaced, second bearing lasted less than 30,000kms, so I wouldn't be too sure on the 300-500,000km mark as mentioned earlier...

[digisol]

Rear wheel bearing slop on a disk rear end will usually only become apparent once the caliper / pads have been removed and are no longer restricting the disk rotor / axle / bearing assy from moving in and out, the genuine GM Timken bearings last about 125,000 on a rough average, but with the caliper and pads holding the bearing together you won't feel the slop until they are removed allowing the bearing to move, generally there will be movement in an in / out direction felt and heard when turning corners more than driving in a straight line.

Once you can actually feel the bearing clunk they are realy stuffed, and that can mean the bearing outer may have turned inside the axle housing, big dramas then, as you then need a replacement diff housing, or a s/h complete unit from the wreckers, a good time to get yourself a LSD, the difference with both wheels driving is noticeably better on any slippery surface, no more easy woosy spinning of one wheel, leave two black lines instead if power permits.

Changing the rear bearings is not hard, remove the wheel and caliper and disk, the four bolts can then be undone through the largest hole in the axle plate, most will be tight if been there for a long time, remove the four nuts and put on the wheel loosely with the nuts on 1/4" and use it as a slide hammer, (a spare wheel without tyre good idea) and the axle should come out, just make sure the side your doing is 2" higher than the other or some oil will run out from the diff and contaminate the handbrake linings.

Its a good time to change the diff oil, brake pads and machine the rotors if needed and also fit new handbrake pads "usually" needed as well by the time a wheel bearing is shot, as even when new they seldom work great so adjust em up by the book if they have enough meat left on the linings.

Re-install the h/brake linings / axle assy, adjust the h/brake and your good to go, Note; one axle is substantially longer than the other so mark em L/R with some white out on the outer axle plate, remember they need to be sent to someone with a press, although a length of steel pipe will do the job if carefull, the collet has to be on square and pushed all the way home.