S10 rear axle bearing: puller advice, please

[kornjulio]

Long story short, the rear end of my 180K S10 needs a little love. Fluid is leaking out the axle seals, brake spring hardware is rusted & falling off. Going to rebuild the rear brakes, pull the axles & replace the bearings & seals.

I don't have tool to remove the bearing. Recommend me one, preferably made in USA. Throw in a seal driver set, too.

 

[Outlawmws]

Long story short, the rear end of my 180K S10 needs a little love. Fluid is leaking out the axle seals, brake spring hardware is rusted & falling off. Going to rebuild the rear brakes, pull the axles & replace the bearings & seals.

I don't have tool to remove the bearing. Recommend me one, preferably made in USA. Throw in a seal driver set, too.

You need a slide hammer ideally, these can be bought or rented.

The bearing (If it really needs replaced) will need to be taken to a shop to be pressed off and the new one back on, along with the retainer ring (Also a press fit).

What makes you think the bearings are bad? Is it loose/noisy?

 

[regguy1]

That S10 has a cage roll bearing that will use the axle as the inner race. Axle slides out after removing C washers in main diff. Many times the axle area where the bearing rides is worn, you can buy an "offset" bearing that will ride on an unworn area of the axle slightly out from where the original bearing rode, this saves buying a new axle/s. These offset repair bearings have an integral seal in them and an o-ring to seal where they go into the housing.

Here's what one looks like (I used 1998 S10 4.3 as you didn't mention yr and engine) http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1838222

A large slide hammer can be used to remove the bearing from the housing once the axles are removed.....however there is a method to get around that if you don't have a big slide hammer. (you need a welder) Remove the cage and rollers from the bearing and clean off any gear oil, run a bead of weld 1"-2" (more is better) around the race, as the weld cools it shrinks the bearing and you should be able to tap it out with a seal puller..or even by hand if you're lucky. I've found that cooling it with water while it's still hot from welding seems to make it shrink a bit more. I've used this method many times on bearing races that have no access for a puller. A trick I learned from an old construction equipment mechanic.

 

[kornjulio]

Thanks for the replys. The truck is a 2WD '99 2.2 motor. I don't know that the bearings are bad - but I'm positive the seals are gone. Figured as long as I was pulling the axle, might as well do the bearing, too.

I don't have a welder, so I'll need a slide hammer. Any one in particular? And is there a good way to check the bearing? Up & down play? Not getting any noise that I can discern...

 

[regguy1]

Thanks for the replys. The truck is a 2WD '99 2.2 motor. I don't know that the bearings are bad - but I'm positive the seals are gone. Figured as long as I was pulling the axle, might as well do the bearing, too.

I don't have a welder, so I'll need a slide hammer. Any one in particular? And is there a good way to check the bearing? Up & down play? Not getting any noise that I can discern...

Before disassembly check up and down play (some in and out is normal, just the c washers moving) then inspect the axle where the bearing rides and look at the rollers for pits or other damage.

 

[outcast]

those have up & down and in & out play. this is normal.

its not making an noises :
pull the cover and check for chunks of metal and/or a lot of powder metal on the magnet. some powder metal is normal.
now pull the axles. are they pitted ? if not, and no chunks on the magnet, leave the bearings alone. replace the seals.

if you need to replace the bearings. knock the rollers out, pretty easy to do. now use a dremal with a cutoff wheel. cut a slot on the race till it goes through and a chissel to loosen it out.

 

[outcast]

those have up & down and in & out play. this is normal.

its not making an noises :
pull the cover and check for chunks of metal and/or a lot of powder metal on the magnet. some powder metal is normal.
now pull the axles. are they pitted ? if not, and no chunks on the magnet, leave the bearings alone. replace the seals.

if you need to replace the bearings. knock the rollers out, pretty easy to do. now use a dremal with a cutoff wheel. cut a slot on the race till it goes through and a chissel to loosen it out.

 

[outcast]

darned computer .....

 

[scott4]

Advance has this set for a loaner.

Works nice. I've pulled about 5 sets of outer wheel bearings with one.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Use a seven foot piece of 1/2 inch pipe and drive it from the other side, they just pop out that way. I use a pry par to hold the end of pipe against bearing while someone else taps on the pipe from the other side. I have tried slide hammers and they really work you hard for nothing. Like they said if axle is rough it needs to be replaced. Pry bar is actually a truck tire lock ring remover. 5/8 steel with about one inch hook on end, just anything to keep the pipe against the bearing instead of the race. Make sure you grease the new bearings(hand pack) as I have seen them burned up before grease could get to them from rear end.

 

[bgott]

http://www.tooltopia.com/kd-tools-41710.aspx

http://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-6540.aspx

If this is a one time deal I'd go cheap...

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=axle+bearing+puller

http://www.harborfreight.com/17-piece-heavy-duty-slide-hammer-kit-5223.html

 

[Techniker]

http://www.tooltopia.com/kd-tools-41710.aspx

http://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-6540.aspx

If this is a one time deal I'd go cheap...

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=axle+bearing+puller

http://www.harborfreight.com/17-piece-heavy-duty-slide-hammer-kit-5223.html

I'll second those. The rear axle bearing pullers are the only way to fly.

 

[Red Green]

For the question I have the leslie seal/race driver set and have been very happy with them. I dont know the coo. I dont have a recomendation for the bearing puller. I use a 1/4 air grinder and very carefully grind the race down thin enough to bend it with a screwdriver.

I have probably taken 50 gm 7.5 rearends apart. Maybe 5 needed axel bearings.
post some pictures of where the bearing rides and the guys on this board will be able to tell you if you need the offset bearings.

While you are working on this be sure to inspect the rear cover. The most common problem with this rearend is the cover rusting out and letting the rearend run dry and cooks all the bearings and gears.

 

[Ign]

I've got an OTC slide hammer my dad gave me. Probably a "Silver *******" (not sure what marketing genius came up w that) but it doesn't say.

I needed to pull the bearings on a Ford 8.8, but didn't have the right attachment. I just grabbed a small pc of flat bar, first making sure I could slide it in thru the bearing ID and then square it to the bearing. Once I knew it fit thru but could be positioned such that it wouldn't just pull out, I drilled a hole in the center and tapped for whatever the threads are on the end of the slide hammer (don't remember now). Worked awesome

 

[kornjulio]

While you are working on this be sure to inspect the rear cover. The most common problem with this rearend is the cover rusting out and letting the rearend run dry and cooks all the bearings and gears.

Yep, I'm on my 2nd cover. First one got pretty soft a few years ago....

 

[Jay H 237]

I've seen people pull axles without a slide hammer by putting the drum on backwards with the lug nuts just started and using the drum as a make shift slide hammer.

 

[bgott]

I've seen people pull axles without a slide hammer by putting the drum on backwards with the lug nuts just started and using the drum as a make shift slide hammer.

You would do that on an axle like a nine inch Ford where the bearing was pressed onto the axle and held in with a retainer. No "C" clips on those axles. You can also use a twenty foot boomer chain. Bolt each end of the chain under a lug nut and whip the chain.