Wheel Bearing SCREWUP
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,228
Likes: 698
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Wheel Bearing SCREWUP
Last year decided to change out a rear wheel bearing in his 85. Mind totally out to lunch thinking of other more important things. 99% sure it went back together with limited to no cleaning and no new grease. You wouldn’t believe this could happen, but it apparently did. Drives under 1k a year and no noise. Bad idea to leave it be?
Asking for a friend
Asking for a friend
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,119
Likes: 1,994
From: St. Charles MO
Last year decided to change out a rear wheel bearing in his 85. Mind totally out to lunch thinking of other more important things. 99% sure it went back together with limited to no cleaning and no new grease. You wouldn’t believe this could happen, but it apparently did. Drives under 1k a year and no noise. Bad idea to leave it be?
Asking for a friend
Asking for a friend
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,228
Likes: 698
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,119
Likes: 1,994
From: St. Charles MO
There's not any "etc." And although many people recommend lightly greasing the splines, that's not called for in the Factory Service Manual. There's no plunge involved in these halfshafts in these splines or anywhere else because the halfshafts have to also serve as the upper lateral suspension links. All the grease on the splines does is make it a little easier to get the splines out of the bearing the next time they're taken apart. Leave it alone.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 823
Likes: 106
From: Somewhere near Fort Wayne, Indiana
I had trouble getting my bearings out. I ended up replacing both splined stubs as well, since they were destroyed trying to remove the bearings. My opinion, take them out and put some anti sieze on.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,228
Likes: 698
From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
I'm sure that most if not all put some grease on the splines but equally sure that most don't put anti sieze on them either
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,119
Likes: 1,994
From: St. Charles MO
But also, the factory didn't put anything on them, and yet your friend was able to get the old ones out without a torch. If you/he doesn't mind pulling the halfshafts out again and putting some anti-seize on them (which will probably last a lot longer than plain grease), there's no reason not to. But I sure wouldn't panic over it or pay someone else to do it.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 823
Likes: 106
From: Somewhere near Fort Wayne, Indiana
But also, the factory didn't put anything on them, and yet your friend was able to get the old ones out without a torch. If you/he doesn't mind pulling the halfshafts out again and putting some anti-seize on them (which will probably last a lot longer than plain grease), there's no reason not to. But I sure wouldn't panic over it or pay someone else to do it.
I don't know how mine was treated before, but I'm pretty sure it was driven in all kinds of weather and sat out in the rain.
