Machine shops in my area were quoting $100-150 per axle to remove and press on axle bearings- this didn't include parts nor the removal of axles. Silicon Valley is starting to irritate me more every day.
I watched a ton of youtube videos and read postings here and the chevy world.
I took a risk and decided to do it the hill billy way (no offense to any hill billies on this forum):
1) Used cut off tool to cut outer race , peeled off bearings and then carefully cut into inner bearing sleeve and keeper. I cut about 3/4 of the way down and gave them both a gentle rap with a sharp chisel- no fight no swearing, both clicked and gave up the fight immediately.
2) Acetone clean up and steel wool on surfaces- everything looked great and clean.
3) A buddy had a set of bearings and seals from a never completed project- Timken seal and BCA bearings.
4) While the wife was out I slid the axle into the freezer for 2 hours then heated up the bearing and sleeve in oven to about 200 degrees.
5) Quickly grabbed axle, added a shot of wd40 and slid the bearing on. One gentle rap with a 4 foot section of 1.5" galvanized pipe and the bearing bottomed out perfectly.
6) I cranked the heat up to 400 degrees for the sleeve ( I heard they were a tighter fit)- slid it on a minute later and with 4 or 5 aggressive raps the sleeve was bottomed out.
Amazingly - I did not forget the retainer plate and I'm pretty sure all is good in the world.
Free parts, free labor and I can put it all back together this weekend.

Now....I'm wide open to hearing that my approach is bad. Not sure if this is an acceptable approach or wrong. Let me know either way.

Worst case - I pay the machine shop an arm and a leg to do it all over again.

 

A perfect example of "necessity is the mother of invention". Absolutely nothing wrong with what you did.

 

An excellent solution that may be better versus a press as it put less stress on the bearing. Nice work!

 

Cool- for once my lame brain idea pans out.
Came damn close to forgetting the retainer plate..... this forum gave me many reminders.

 

I am certain that his wife wouldn't agree with you, if she found out that he used her oven and freezer. She might even want them both replaced with new units, just on principle!!!

 

They are pretty tight fit, my hydraulic press was reading ~5,5 metric tons when the bearing&retainer bottomed.

 

Nice work.

Your installation method is the same as they used in a milling plant I worked in. They couldn't freeze the 8" shaft but they heated the bearing in a 400° oil bath, used heavy gloves and slid it on the shaft.

Removal was easy too. The shaft was rifle drilled and cross-drilled in the bearing land area with a shallow groove under the inner race. Removal required a grease gun to inject grease between the land and the inner race. The grease pressure also caused the inner race to expand. One person could pull the massive bearing from the shaft.

 

Coming together quicker than expected.....

 

If those are 68 brakes, your missing parts, have wrong parts, and they are assembled wrong.

 

And then there is this...

 

Eric- thanks for calling that out. Kind of a funny story. A buddy came over last night after the kids went to sleep. We hadn't done a brake job on an old school car in 20 years. Beer courage was up so we dove in.
I was going to double check my work this weekend. I'd never drive on drunk brakes.
Would you be willing to share details of what parts are wrong and how my beer induced installation went south? My ears are wide open- Without this forum I'd be totally out of luck

 

Your missing all the self adjuster parts and you have mostly wrong springs.. These are all the parts:



There are kits available, heres one from OPGI:
https://www.opgi.com/chevelle/MPA371/

 

Fascinating. Some numb nut got in there before me. That teaches me for duplicating his work. Whats the saying - crap in, crap out.

I'm guessing the last brake guy was on shrooms when he did this one.

Thanks for the heads up. Much appreciated

 

Rockauto has the drum brake self adjuster kit, $16.10 for R and L rear. The spring hardware kit combined $6.66. Both plus freight.

 

Winner winner chicken dinner.
Love Rockauto - quick delivery, good quality and low prices.
Thanks again.

 

Check your fronts, they may be screwed up also.

 

Fronts are complete redo with modern discs- I'll check in when I get there.

You saved me a ton of money with the rock auto reference- I never thought they would carry detail parts like that.
Thanks

 

Don't forget the Rock Auto 5% discount code... Just google it..

 

Right on- Thanks.
Now the wife will be 5% less pissed off when she sees the credit card bill!

 

The biggest problem is the star adjuster spring rubs on the star and you do not have a auto arm adjuster as stated. Just get those left and right adjuster kits and a new hardware kit so you have all the correct parts. Jim

 

If there would be "like" button..

 

Those are basic parts the were used on just about every GM rear drum brake vehicle for, well almost forever, and as such are EXTREMELY common at auto parts houses.

 

I picked one of these from the dumpster at work. Only needed some wiring to repair.http://www.industrial-toolcrib.com/B...FQ-GaQodqHYNgQ

 

Now that's a cool dumpster dive find!

 

Yea, if I was not so honest, the stuff they left abandon and unused in one shop I worked in would have been very handy. Everything from a 6 inch micrometer set to a Miller AC/DC TIG machine.