Does anyone have a trick to remove the bearing from the trailing arm without ruining it?

I ran into a problem while doing my 5 lug conversion.

It's accepted that the process of removing the bearing will ruin it.

You really need a press and a proper sized drift to distribute the load evenly across the available bearing surface to get it out without (hopefully) damaging it.

If'n it were me, I'd write of the $50.00 clams as an edu-ma-cation fee and get a new one.

More than likely that's what going to happen.

I refurbished a set of trailing arms and for some reason they sit differently than the set I had on the car.

The tire in rubbing on the inside of the fender well and I have a huge gap on the outside. Just on the drive side.

I was hoping to get the wheel bearing and hub out and install it on the original trailing arm.

How about the trailing arm bushings. Has anyone removed and reinstalled them?

Nope, but if they are original they are most likely shot too...

Search the threads here and on The Pelican site.

All the previous respondents are absolutely correct, and then some.

No shortcut on the trailing arms, especially after the crud sets in and you have rubber bushings.

I keep 2 sets of bearings in my garage fridge - fully aware that I will NEVER attempt to save trailing arm bearings again - shudder at the visuals of the first couple of attempts

Note that Eric is a serious "Pro" and has accomplished this more times than he probably wants to remember, and has all the correct tools needed. And, he still has an extra set of frozen bearings next to his cold brew - I'm assuming that last part. And I just shipped him some of my headaches to boot

I have said it before and will say it again - heat & PB Blaster are your friend, as well as a 3/4" impact wrench and impact sockets to fit...

There are great threads on our site, just search "trailing arms" or similar...

Good luck and wear safety goggles.

Dave

To add to the chorus. The very act of pressing the hub from the bearing destroys the bearing, as the inner race comes out with the hub. If by some chance it doesn't, there's something wrong with the hub, as the "press fit" isn't.

The Cap'n

Cap'n have you heard of any wheel bearing failures from a car sitting in one spot for years? like 17

the same why ya put them in ...press the outer race and you will be fine ...ya dont press them in with the center race do ya ...no...if its old ya need new one`s anyway so who care`s....JMO have fun B safe

Hey Wes,

If it sits for 17 years in a dry climate you might be cool.

In the South, they sit for 5 years in the humidity and you break off 3 studs in a hub just trying to get the damn wheel off...

Um, from what I've heard..I wasn't here, I don't know that person who had that issue

"...Hijack Free Zone ..."

I remember someone (a loooong time ago) posted a factory looking drawing of a rear trailing arm with all its measurements and angles.



That would be a perfect blueprint to find out if a trailing arm is bent *before* one goes through all the trouble of installing it.

There are many bent trailing arms out there ...

Just order new bearings now. Ask me how I know.

Actually, you CAN press them into the trailing arm using the inner race, IF you use a press or threaded tool and steady turning pressure. I don't, but you can. You MUST, however, apply pressure ONLY on the inner races to install the hub.


The Cap'n

one of the bearings dropped right into the trailing arm with very little to get it to seat completely. bearing was cold, training arm hot.

I thought if I could make a part that would span to the outside of the bearing where it contacts the trailing arm I might be able to tap it out. getting the gap to insert the tool would be the hard part. I would not have to press out the hub flange as that would go into the freezer with the bearing and the whole assembly back into a different trailing arm.

More than likely a new bearing is in order.

Pretty hard to unbolt the cover over the bearing with the hub, but it can be done. The big issue is the stop or flange that stops the bearing on the inner side. It covers the outer race and there's NO way you can press on it to enable you to remove the bearing.

The Cap'n

You have the hub in there already? Scrap it and get another bearing.

If it were just the bearing chances are it could be pressed out, again, using a press and maximum surface area on the backside of the bearing. Even that's not recommended though.