Had the classic bearing growl when turning so I thought replacing the bearings would a good shelter in place project. I was able to get the wheel hub off with a slide hammer with a lot of difficulty. The main bearing would not budge using the slide. So after dinner and a beer I had an idea to use a wheel puller and a bearing race set from Autozone to push the bearing out. Well I got it to move so all I need to do now is keep adding shim thickness until it comes all the way out. I will continue tomorrow.

Click to view attachment

Once you get it to move, spray some lube on the outer circumference of the bearing and the inside of the trailing arm where the bearing was seated. Push the bearing back in (it should be easy with the lube and then use the slide hammer (should be really easy now that a large surface is lubed).

Thanks! Just sprayed some WD40 and will hit it tomorrow.

Thanks for sharing the picture!
I will be doing the same thing now
Cheers

I see you're in Michigan. If you still cant get it out, I made a tool to pull them. Could maybe meet you half way.

O, and heres a spoiler alert. They go in worse than they come out.

Thanks for the offer. I was able to pull the right axle bearing today using my pictured tool. Right now I am having trouble removing the left half shaft from the hub even after pulling the shock. I removed the outboard CV joint fasteners but having trouble separating it. I really don't want to drop the SSHE. Starter and shift mech is in the way.

Here is a picture of the final pull on the right side.

Click to view attachment

wd-40 is a cruddy cruddy lube.
not really a lube.

I like kroil so much better because it actually works.

I recall I could gain enough room to stuff the shaft over the trans by Jacking up the trailing arm and then sliding the assembly out of the trailing arm and over the trans

Not if you freeze the new ones ahead of time. Mine literally slid right in.

I just removed mine a few days ago and don't think I could get enough play in the axle to go over the back half of the trans. I was removing my trailing arms anyway, so that's how I got it out, but if not, I would have removed the starter. A couple of wires and two fasteners, one of which is a b to the itch but doable.

I had mine in the freezer, I warmed up the trailing arms, used grease...still a super tight fit and had to squeeze them in with a tool

"While I'm in there" I thought I would clean and inspect the CV joints. One was obviously replaced by the PO (still good) but the other three had wear divots and were probably a disaster waiting to happen. I ordered three Lobro kits from PMB which looks like the bast option.

Click to view attachment

By the way I found that I could pull the driver half shaft by jacking up the trailing arm and then pulling the shaft out of the trailing arm as far as possible. I could then disconnect the HS from the stub axle which provided enough room to remove the half shaft from the vehicle. The other options were to remove the starter or the SSHE.

While waiting for the axle bearings and CV joints I had a look at the rear calipers. I could not budge the piston to get the new pads in place. All locked up. All I wanted to do was fix the bearing growl. New calipers now on order. I hope that's all for now.

Click to view attachment

just wondering if you tried to adjust the piston using the adjustment allen bolt? for inner one it is from the left side of your picture where the hole is and for outer was the one at the middle of the caliper with black cap.

https://youtu.be/dm_DnizKOZM

agreed
not that rebuilding will hurt anything
but they may or may not be frozen
you need to set the caliper venting clearance and see if its frozen

Might as well 5 lug it while you're there. Lol.

Thanks for the suggestion on DIY rebuild. Between the axle bearings and the CV joints I needed to speed up the process and let Eric's crew help me out. The car as received a year ago had spongy poor performance braking. I replaced the master cylinder which firmed the pedal and new front pads which helped the performance although I have yet to do the burnishing process. I was waiting to replace the rear pads first.

I also wanted to get the car on the road since I still am in the middle of a cottage re-model. Good thing I finally retired in December.

What method are you using to refit the new one ?,a have seen a few different ways that pretty much do the same job,however some could damage the bearing I feel.

Once I get the new bearings I will press them in with the puller in the picture. I rented some different size bearing plates so that I can press on the outer race. I will use a smaller plate to pull the smaller hub into the inner race. No hammers allowed.

Yep now that makes sense ,thanks,no place for a hammer except for knocking the old bearing out IMO.
I don't have the great tools you have and will use the method showed in my attachment below.
Click to view attachment
Thinking I will freeze the hub also to get a good start into the bearing which has been in my freezer for ever .

Excellent drawing. You can use the same concept to press the outer race in as I"m sure you know.