Rear Hub Bearing Repack

[Forthwithtx]

Searched around a bit for something like this, but all I generally found were arguments about this grease or that grease or how the spacer works, etc. So, I decided to document my rear hub bearing repack in case somebody needs to do this:.

No Zirc fittings. Nothing Special. I may even have done it wrong.

This is the full guidance from the Bentley (half of the page is seal and bearing removal):

This is the grease I used:

The parts:

The clean hub, ready for packing:

Lightly grease (or sloppy - up to you) the inner race. Note: Bearings do not have an inner or outer side. They can't be put in backwards:

I like doing this the old fashioned way...Gitcha a glob of grease:

And thoroughly work it into the bearing:

Place the inner bearing into the inner race:

You can press the bearing in or tap it in, but the bearing must be pressed from the outer edges, not the center or against the cages or needles:

Clean up grease in case (or in my case) a little bit of the brass sheared off the edge of the brass puck I used. Don't want any metal in the grease:

Install the circlip:

Place the spacer (to the right)...

...into the hub...

...and completely fill the space between the hub and the spacer:

Work out air if you can:

Leave some grease in there to bed the outer bearing into:

The outer bearing comes in two pieces (or at least the old and new ones did in my case):

Pack the outer bearing with grease. By this time, you may be tired of swapping gloves, as I was:

Place the bearing in the outer race:

In this case, the height of the assembly was too much for my itty-bitty press, so I did it the old-fashioned way:

I cleaned up again (just in case) and to inspect the depth of the installation (no measurement):

Put some grease down for the outer grease seal to bed into and back-fill the seal:

Grease the edge of the outer grease seal and press into place to flush:

Press the squeeze out into the cavity formed by the outer bearing and the outer seal:

Flip over and repeat:

I hope this is helpful!
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Cheers!
-Karl

'84 GL with 2001/2004 Subaru 2.5L

[IdahoDoug]

Karl,

You are a sick man. To take the time to do that so perfectly, clean things so well, every thing looks sano, and not a fuzzy picture. Definite signs you've got it bad.

Seriously, bravo. Another absolutely stellar thread on "how to" that outdoes the Bentley to the 10th power. Thank you in advance, as I will be doing this one day.

Doug
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Forthwithtx]

I used only one tube of the grease for this. I bought two, just in case, but didn't need the second. I'm sure it will get used, though.

You know, this site has been a great help to me. Just trying to pay back a little.
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Cheers!
-Karl

'84 GL with 2001/2004 Subaru 2.5L

[rubbachicken]

or you could drill and tap the hub for a zerc fitting, put it all together dry, and pump it full of grease

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lucy our westy

lucy's BIG adventure

meet 'burni'


markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.

619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182

[rubbachicken]

or you could drill and tap the hub for a zerc fitting, put it all together dry, and pump it full of grease

_________________
lucy our westy

lucy's BIG adventure

meet 'burni'


markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.

619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182

[metropoj]

Bookmarked ! Thanks Karl for the amt of time you put into this. Taking pics while getting continually covered with grease is no easy feat !

This is so on my to do list, but the damn list keeps growing on me !
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John.
86 TiiCo powered Westy.

[BillM]

I never use that much grease especially filling in around the spacer. Have always assumed room was needed for expansion.
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Bill M
87 Westy

[MarkWard]

Nice documentation. My feeling is a grease fitting is better suited for maintenance versus doing the job and not prepacking the bearings as described above. Packing by hand, ensures all the wear surfaces are fully coated with grease prior to moving off for the first time.

I haven't tackled the rear bearings on a vanagon for some time, but I usually try to have the area where the grease seals seat and the outer edge of the seal itself free of grease. All to often the seal fit seems to be aggravated when there is grease. Obviously, this was not the case above.

Thank you for taking the time to document the job. It makes it seem like a DIY project for most.
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☮️

[Forthwithtx]

I can't say that the condition of the hub was "factory" when I tore it apart, but every cavity was full of grease. My thinking was that "more is better" and whatever grease may want to leave the bearings during use, will have nowhere to go. Time will tell. That was my reference at the beginning to possibly having done it wrong. In the Zirc fitting scenario, the complete filling of the hub is implied.

**EDIT** See first step under Figure 7 in the Bentley shot.

-...fill space between inner and outer bearings with multi-purpose grease
_________________
Cheers!
-Karl

'84 GL with 2001/2004 Subaru 2.5L

[pablum]

I hope this gets linked to in the FAQ. Well I bookmarked it anyway.

Great commentary, and I hope the pics are safe!
_________________
The wise man learns from history, the fool from experience.
-
I see [a cat] in the street and i aim for the pest with my car. -- bluebus86

[bobbyblack]

I think this is an awesome document, thanks!

Just one bit I'd like clarification on: You set the races into the hub with the bearing in place. I guess I was brought up being taught to seat the race with the bearing out. Any feedback on this? Is that covered by the type of tool you are setting the race with? Very thin, covering only the race, and not putting force on the other parts of the complete bearing?

Thanks for the thread, I hope, someday, to do as nice a write up.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[Abscate]

7 mil or even 9 mil gloves will last longer while still giving that natural feel.

NSFW thread, very quickly.

Grease doesn't need to expand, you can pack it that tight anyway,

I concur it's better to hand pack a new bearing, then use the zero to maintain. It
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.ssS!

[Forthwithtx]

[ZsZ]

Nice and detailed dectription.

Maybe worth to compare to how shops do it: https://youtu.be/q_EyutHLY2A
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Zoltan
1.9 MTdi 2wd Multivan (ex Caravelle)
Van since 2006, engine since 2008

[Forthwithtx]

[CinnabarVan]

Thanks for the write up and pictures plus the validation that I did right the first time. Redoing a noisy bearing with 500 miles on it. Anyone else had bad luck with Febi brand? My outer bearing went out. Replacing it with FAG bearings

Thanks
Joel
87 Syncro 2.5 Suby

[tpinthepack]

Karl
What was your strategy installing the stub axle back to the housing? Hammer or use the press and hold the bearing race from shifting etc. The famous "Preload" we hear Terry talk about is what comes to mind so I just wonder what you did?
Thank and awesome job.
Tony
_________________
TP in the Pack (I am a cyclist)
1968 Manx N.O.S. w/ Barrett Chassis
1960 Single Cab 1914 w/ 40 DLRA's
1990 Vanagon DOKA
1972 Super Beetle
1979 Super Beetle Convertible
2011 Porsche Cayenne

[CinnabarVan]

I used a press to press the stub axle into the inner bearing. I put the outer bearing sleeve/run onto the stub axle as far as possible. Drove and Tightened the axle flange with the 46mm nut to snug. Put the wheel back on and lowered it. Tightened the snot out of it by jumping on a cheater bar to get 360 '# torque.
Pretty easy job as they go on the van.

Thanks
Joel

[Italjohn]

Excellent job there
Only one small thing, the inner oil seal shall be pushed all the way in to the circlip.

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[Sodo]

Very nice pics Karl!