Well, getting it out was nary a problem with the great guidance of Joe P.

Now I'm at the 'good part'.....

I assume I've got to get someone to 'press off' the retainer and bearing, put a new seal on it, and then press the bearing and retainer back on, correct?

Since it is between a pressed on bearing and a retainer plate, I assume when you tighten the retainer plate down, IT is what actually pushes the seal up into the axle tubing, correct?

If no on either, advise as to what is right.

If yes, stupid question, but what type of shop presses off and on an axle bearing? Now I'm looking at weekend, and trying to find someone to give one day turnaround on a Friday, which probably ain't going to happen, but I need to get started on it.

There aren't that many 'old shops' around here that do this kind of stuff that I can find. I tried to find a rear end shop a few years ago and never did find anybody that was was a rear end specialist shop.

Thanks for any help.

 

You need to insert the seal into the axle housing with a seal install tool tool (you can find this tool at most auto tool supplies, its a tight fit. or you can use a large socket. Be careful they damage easily.

Most machine shops can press the old bearing off and the new ones one. Check you yellow pages and make some phone calls. Don't forget car dealer ships some of them have machine shops, same for brake repair shops they sometimes have presses.

 

Yes you are correct. To remove the bearing a separator slides behind the bearing to pull it off usually you have to cut the retainer and replace it. In most of the seal replacements we do the bearing is replaced at the same time. No one stocks the lock ring seperate has to be ordered next day or longer making bearing replacement simpler alternative.

 

found a machine shop that did axles. they gave me one day turnaround. got it back in car last night. road test, and so far no sign of a leak.

Thanks for all the help!

used the A-9 bearing, from National. It has a 'seam' in it, around the outer surface, which was 'loose'. not sure what the deal was with that, but I didn't see it until it was already pressed on, so I'll try it for a while. if it comes apart, I'll pull it again. I had another of same bearing as I didn't know if I'd have to replace both or not. it also has the 'seam', but it seems pretty tightly adjoined, and not loose. If he'd have called before he pressed it, I'd have used the other one, but too late now. I'm hoping the fit on the tube, as well as the way the tube is shaped, it'll hold it all together in there.

guess I'll find out, won't I?.....