FJ40 Rear Wheel bearing removal (2 Viewers)

[mrtodds77]

Sorry to post on this again I am not sure of some details. I know the recommended method to get the old bearings out is to destroy the old bearing and lay down a bead but I don’t have a welder. I rented a puller but I am having doubts.

My old bearings are looking old and corroded around the edges. I am worried that if I try to use the puller I am going scratch up the axle housing using the puller.

Also there is a washer behind the bearing. Do I use the puller behind the washer and pull them both out together? Or do I try to tap the washer back and out of the way. It looks like the puller would destroy the washer first before it would ever get the bearing out? See other threads don’t even mention the darn washer.

 

[mrtodds77]

Another thing. The races that go on the axles seem like they are pressed on. They have very little wear that I can see. Can I leave the old ones on? I don’t have anything to cut them off. Is it expensive to have a machine shop remove them and press on the new ones?

 

[Jordan85]

I used a piece of pvc pipe, which fit within the axle housing, and drove out the washer, bearing and race from the opposite side.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

Silver Hammer Slide set should be able to pull that out. It's an OTC tool. I have the 7948 set and with the smaller jaws set reversed will work.

 

[mrtodds77]

I stopped being a wuss and pulled the bearings with the puller I borrowed from autozone. It took about 5 min per side. It came out fine without further damage to the axle housing. I was also able to clean up most of the existing corrosion with some 400 grit sand paper and a gentle touch.

For the bearing race I took it to a mechanic to pull the old ones and press on the new ones. About $75. I don’t want to cut my finger off or ruin the axle.

 

[MoCoNative]

Still a wuss, should have tried the races yourself.

I ordered the OTC axle bearing puller set, nice set, popped mine right out. It did bend the washers some, but the washers are just there to help keep oil in the bearing. I just beat them flat again on a good flat surface with a hammer.

As for the races, they were a pain, I ground them down with a grinder, very hard material, then bought a brand new wide cold chisel, as the FSM shows and tried to crack them. Took several tries and grinding them pretty darn thin before they cracked, and it dulls the crap out of the chisel.

To install, I had everything poised to go in the press. Did each side at a time. I knew I had an old electric skillet somewhere, but could not find it. I was going to use it to heat the races to 300 degrees. Instead I placed the races inside another thin walled piece of pipe on a brick in the yard and used a propane weed burner to heat them. Used a IR thermometer to watch temp, grabbed them and ran to the press. One took a couple pumps of the press to seat, the other slid right down. I pressed on them both a few pumps to be sure they were in the right spot and left some pressure on them as they cooled.

So far everything has been working fine for the past year or so. I did my bearings as the rear seals were leaking slightly, thought maybe original bearings and 180,000 miles was the reason, but really there was no appreciable wear or problems with the originals that I could see, was probably not needed.

 

[mrtodds77]

Nice job MoCoNative. That OTC bearing puller set was like $300. I just borrowed mine from autozone for free. I know I took the machine shop way out on the races but it was worth it to know it was done right.

 

[MoCoNative]

I think I found a good one, pretty sure it was OTC on Amazon for about 180 at the time. Let the wife get for me so she can get her bonus points. Its a nice hammer puller either way, was worth the investment as I have destroyed two the craptastic Harbor Freight hammer puller tools through the years. Figured it may be useful later on for other axle jobs or whatever.

Anymore, to have this kind of custom work done at a shop on older rigs adds up fast, I'm still saving even if I have to buy some tools and take some extra time.

 

[Vettewrench]

Howdy, pulled the rear axle bearings out just by shaving part of a strong washer so as to insert it behind the bearing and the use some 5/8" all thread with fabricating steel "legs" positioned by electrical tape. Quick and economical bearing puller, safe and strong.
A bit late for your application maybe, but I hope other may benefit from this idea.
Cheers....Howard,

 

[kerplunk]

I used some harbor freight tool which I would NOT recommend:

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

Which, like many other HF tools I've bought was forced to work despite it's solid attempts not to. None of the included parts fit the rear axle tube that well, the largest one was too big, and being crooked only caught one side at a time, the next smaller one kinda fit a little better, but on the bearings and not the race. But hammering against the bearing and forcing them against the outside edge of the race managed to remove it, though a bit more hammering than what should be needed, and destroying the bearing.

It was less expensive than the OTC kit, even having to purchase the slide hammer separately. But also now has several large scratches on the parts that didn't fit snug up against the races, being a softer metal than the bearing it was smashed into.

 

[81fj40]

I used a long pipe from the opposite end to drive out the rear wheel bearing. Had to take the diff carrier out. Took about 1 minute to do both sides.

 

[Clutchee]

Also when you get ready to put the bearing in, place them in the freezer, will shrink “slightly” but helps

on the races, heat them possibly in toaster oven, will slide on shafts.
Wear gloves!

 

[81fj40]

Freezer definitely helps. Although be careful not to get your fingers stuck to the frozen bearing

 

[dazerb]

Just did this on my 1974 fj40.
I rented the hammer slide and 2 trips to oreilly to get the right bearing puller attachment.
"Beat it like it owes you money" until they come out.
Had NO RACES on my axle, just thicker integrated race area if that makes sense.
It appears that these bearings are NOT greased, but rather are piled by the rear diff fluid.
Scary hammering new bearings and seals even WITH the right tool.

Hope to help i did this right, got the diff back together and all... nice and foamy coffee color on top of old black oil Embarrassing! Lol

 

[numby]

Just did this on my 1974 fj40.

Had NO RACES on my axle, just thicker integrated race area if that makes sense.

74-80 rear semifloat axles have the integrated inner race. Seams like a bad idea but they must be hardened appropriately.

 

[MoCoNative]

FJ60 is also just the hardened raised race on the shaft. Had the shafts out of my 84 FJ60 to change seals, they showed a little wear after 240,000 miles, but none of it is a very tight fit really. They seemed to be fine, so I did not try to change them.