Doing my rear wheel bearings, shop wants $330 just to put the bearings I already bought on the axle shafts I already have removed. Anyone got a good way to do it?

 

I made a tool from an old axle housing. Cut about a foot off one side and welded ears onto it. But without a hydraulic press and a tool like I made I don't think you'll be doing this one at home. You have to bolt the tool to the axle, press the axle out, press the bearing out of the backing plate, then reverse the process. I saw a write up once where they did it by whaling the end of the axle into a concrete floor to get the bearing off it. But I have no idea how they intended to get it back together. Not to mention you could damage the axle.

 

Do a search. I have seen it done before by leaving the brakes and drum in place, and slamming the end of the axle on concrete floor, with a board under it to keep from ruining the splines.

 

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/rear_axle/wheel_bearing/

Thanks, this is going to be a bit of a pain in the butt. I hate shops. One of the shops I called pretty much said it was too hard for them to handle.

 

Just where do you live ??

Places must have way to much work.

I do like the idea of charging $ 330.00 for a 30 to 45 minute job. Wish I could get away with that!!

Maybe they quoted the flatrate for the whole job.

It is a pain to do but you have done the hard part

Not sure why you would need to make a special jig my press works fine for the few times I need to do these kind of jobs

 

I live in Alaska, that shop does get a good bit of business doing import auto work. I told them I already have my axle shaft out and I already bought the bearings for it but he may have still gave me the cost for the whole job. He said it would take them 4 hours. I might see if I can get someone else to do it cheaper with the right tools before I go banging it on the ground though haha.

 

Go buy a press and an axle housing you can cut up. Build an SST, do it yourself. And if it ever needs to be done again, you can.

 

4 hours my ass. The local machinist I took my axel to had the job completed in less that 10 minutes. That included pressing new bearings in. Obviously he already had a fabricated tool for the job. Still charged me 58$ though.

Id like to see someone slam the bearings out and that might give me the nerve to try it once my other side goes out.

 

A tool like this works great! You may have to put some heat on the old bearing so it'll pop off though.

 

I took my axle to a friends shop to use his press.
Before setting up the press I tried the slamming on a piece of wood on concrete.

It worked well and was quicker than setting up the press.

 

Sometimes the "cave man" method just works best.

Just be careful not to damage the splines, and you should be good to go.

 

I did this job last year. I pulled the axle shaft from the axle. Got a local auto parts store that also does machine work to press apart the shaft from the backing plate and replace the bearings. They did it for $35. Putting it back together was not difficult.

 

In the midst of this job now. I used the caveman method of slamming the backing plate and axle into a scrap piece of 2x4. It took some time and sweat but went smoothly. Dumb auto parts store ordered 1 bearing instead of 2 but its half done now. I used a scrap piece of 2 inch diameter 1/8th wall thickness galvanized pipe about 1.5 ft long to pound the bearings in. The size is just right so if there is any flare to the end from cutting it, it will bind up when you get close to pounding it all the way in. I had to file out the inside and it was perfect.

Honestly I expected putting it back together to give me some snags but it really didn't. I knew getting the bearings out would be simple but a lot of work and that was correct.

Tomorrow I have to do the other bearing, seal up both sides, bleed the brakes and put the wheels back on. Oh joy

 

yeah, rear wheel bearings are cake, don't need no special tools or a press.