Rear bearings - failed at the start!

andystone · Post by **andystone** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 10:31 am

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As you can see I’ve failed to change my rear bearings at the first hurdle! I cannot get this to budge! Any ideas? It’s currently soaking in penetrating fluid and the 30mm socket slips.

maxman · Post by **maxman** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 10:42 am

Looking at that ,you will probably have to apply heat to loosen..

andystone · Post by **andystone** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 10:48 am

I only have a diy plumbing torch. Will that be enough heat?

PDJ · Post by **PDJ** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 11:17 am

From my experience of having just done a full strip and re build of the rear sub frame and trailing arms including the wheel bearings.

This job is not for the faint hearted.

I gave up and got a garage to remove the drive shafts from the hubs and remove the bearings.

I rebuilt it all my self.

I made the job harder by removing the trailing arms from the car.

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Back to your situation you need to remove the nut, these are tightened to 200NM so not that tight but tight enough, my suggestion would be to try and clean the nut up a lot better than it is removing all the rust with a small wire brush in a drill then try and find a socket that fits try imperial and whitworth ones (showing my age) to get a good fit try and hammer it on tight if possible then also try and jam the breaker bar or impact gun in so it can not jump off (4” by 2” wood levered against a wall of something solid) you will probably get one go at it so set it up the best you can if that fails you can try to chisel the nut free you will get 2 goes at it. You will need a good steel chisel and at least a 4lb hammer and make sure the hub is supported in a solid manner so the energy goes into turning the nut not bouncing the hub around.

If that fails you are into die grinding the nut down to weaken it to either split it or turn it to get it off.

Back to when I did mine the nut was the easy bit they came off with an impact gun, the drive shafts where seized solid. That will be your next bit but if you get the nut off you can replace the nut and drive it for repair, once the hub is off you are committed to finishing the job.

PDJ · Post by **PDJ** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 11:19 am

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Photos may be of some help

Jfgoldfish · Post by **Jfgoldfish** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 12:40 pm

A plumbing torch will probably help but a mapp gas or acetylene torch would be best. Lots of heating and quenching with penetrating oil will give you the best chance of shifting that nut.

Are you hitting it with the correct 12 point socket? Unfortunately if it has slipped it might be game over and time to take it to someone who can weld a socket onto the knackered nut and pull it off with an impact wrench.

Best of luck, I know how frustrating these old stuck nuts can be

javis20 · Post by **javis20** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 12:55 pm

Make sure you have a properly fitting socket. Many cheap sockets do not have the proper taper to completely fit the nut. Thus, they slip off or strip.

Smartbear · Post by **Smartbear** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 2:01 pm

Make sure it’s not a l/h thread before you get serious with it

Rob

andystone · Post by **andystone** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 10:00 pm

Quick update; opted to get my mechanic do it. Proper pain to do apparently!

firebobby · Post by **firebobby** » Thu Jun 04, 2020 11:05 pm

That is one hell of a rusted nut.

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Fri Jun 05, 2020 12:07 am

andystone wrote: ↑Thu Jun 04, 2020 10:00 pm Quick update; opted to get my mechanic do it. Proper pain to do apparently!

A wise choice. Good the hear your making progress.

andystone · Post by **andystone** » Fri Jun 05, 2020 7:34 am

firebobby wrote: ↑Thu Jun 04, 2020 11:05 pm That is one hell of a rusted nut.

My mechanic said every single inch was rusted. Nearly 3 weeks he had her (was sorting her between jobs), but only charged me 2hrs per side.

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