Ok instead of installing the bearing into the trailing arm first what about installing it onto the hub first. Maybe someone has already done this, but I did it tonight and it worked really slick.

I used my 12 ton press and pressed the bearing onto the hub, went on really smooth and sqaure. Now if your going to do this you need to put on you bearing retaining plates onto the hub first.

I then took the hub with bearing installed and inserted it into the trailing arm. Now with the hub and bearing plate on it seem to go straight in, no problems. And I dont have any play in the hub.

Maybe I just got lucky but out of the 4 or 5 bearings I have done this was by far the easiest and I didnt ruin any bearings trying to install them.

Maybe others have done the same???

Sorry no pictures.

How did you press the bearing and hub onto the trailing arm?
I'd think that if you press it in with the hub the bearing would break because you would be putting pressure on the inner race instead of the outer race.

How are you going to put in the bolts for the retainer plate?

QUOTE

How are you going to put in the bolts for the retainer plate?

Thought ahead and did it before I put the bearing on.

How are you going to tighten them?

According to the factory manual, they should be torqued with a torque wrench.

I just do it by touch. Havent had a problem so far.

Yep. Bearing cover plate nuts can be removed and installed with the hub in place. Just enough room to get a box wrench in there. No real need to torque them - it's not a fastener whose torque is critical.

Demick