The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 3/4 ton rear wheel bearings

Putting new rear axle seals in my '52 3/4 ton.
My Chevrolet shop manual says to pack the bearings with light cup grease before re-installing. My Motors truck manual does not
mention this at all...so I'm thinking it's not
necessary since they are already getting gear lube? Reason I ask is because it's kind of a pain to press them out of the hub. (full floating) Thoughts?

If you haven't replaced or cleaned the bearings your probably OK. Otherwise you need to insure they are lubed till the gear lube can get down the axle tube to them.
Larry

I have an idea to get those bearings lubed.... Using a floor jack, lift one side up at a time to allow the gear lube to reach the bearing. Sound like a good plan? I came upon the same dilemma, ghostrider.

I would go with the Chevy manual, but if already done, it would not be a problem. just go slow at first and give them a xchance to self lube.

Thanks for the help guys. The rear is out of the
truck and I just flushed and cleaned everything.
The floor jack method sounds like the way to go
when I get it back in the truck.
One more thing...there is a metal gasket between the axle flange and the hub...should I use permatex on this? I know you're supposed to seal
the bolt threads.
Got the pinion nut off last night so I could put in a new seal. What a bear!

I have a full floater job to do tonight! Bigger axle, though.

I do it like this on reassembly. Wipe the seal with a little gear oil so it slides on easy. Wipe a little gear oil on the axle bearing surfaces so the bearings slide on easy. Slide on your drum / hub assembly. Using an oil squirter ( think the of the thing used to oil up the tin man in Wizard Of Oz ), squirt oil in to the area between the inner and out bearing. Just enough so that it just starts to ooze over the outer bearing race. (If you look inside, you'll notice that oil will be above the middle of the rollers on the inner bearing, feeding the bearing and lubing the seal.) Spin some oil on your outer bearing. Install bearing and all lock nuts or washers spinning the assembly while setting the bearings. ( Setting the bearings means snugging the the inner nut, then backing it off to the set position.)

Put some sealant on the mating surface area of the axle flange. Usually, there is no need to seal the threads of the studs or bolts. And unless you actually have a gasket, no need to use one of those if you are using sealant. Install your axle. Just don't do like I do and remember that you forget to bend your locking tangs and have to pull the axle again!! It happens sometimes!

There will be enough oil in there to feed both bearings. No need to tilt anything. Remember, it is a spinning assembly, so that gear oil gets forced to the bearings when driving. When done correctly, you usually won't have to mess with the axle level, it will stay full. (Does it show that I do this for a living??)

Thanks much, MNSmith.
There was a thin sheet metal shim in between the axle flange and hub when I pulled it apart...my manual called this part a gasket. Maybe I'll
lightly seal both sides to be safe. My manual
also says to seal the axle flange bolt threads.

The thin sheet metal was a gasket. If it is in good shape, feel free to reuse it. I just throw them away. With how often we remove axles on this fleet, it is just easier to use some silicone sealant. Either way, a thin coat will do since the machine surfaces will push most of it out.

Typically, the bolts are in a blind hole. If this is not the case on your axle, then a bit of sealant on the threads will seal any leaks. Again, no need to gob it on.

The bolts in question are not in blind holes and do need sealant. I usually put a very thin layer of ultra-black rtv on both sides of the metal gasket with a dab on the bolt threads. Leaving the metal gasket in makes disassembly easier. And Fel-pro still makes the gasket.