Rear axle bearing help needed....

[Denny B]

1965 Beetle, stock transmission.

I purchased a rebuilt transmission with axles & tubes installed from one of our vendors. I received it Monday.

According to the "Bug Me Videos" the rear axle bearings are supposed to be installed with the sealed side towards the transmission and the open side (balls showing) towards the wheel. Unless these bearings are sealed on both sides, these bearings are installed backwards.

Also, one of them is noticeably "cocked".

I have done a search on our site and found many old posts about how to remove them.....but, these bearings have the seal on the outside so I can't get a puller in between the balls or vise grips on the outer edge to try the "Pull and hammer method".

Anybody got any ideas?

Thanks.

PS: The transmission is already installed in the car. I didn't notice the bearings until I went to install the backing plates and end caps.

[VW_Jimbo]

Can you unbolt the tranny from the mounts. Lift it up a few inches. Then unbolt the axle tube cover from the tranny? Then you could get a big enough puller to wrap over the axle bearing housing and slide the whole thing off.

Or.....pull the bearing seal and pull the bearing as designed. Call the rebuilder and ask for a new bearing.

Or.....call and ask the rebuilder what course of action you should take, since it is their warranty that you may need to rely on down the road.
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[Denny B]

[[email protected]]

Did the video say WHY the cage is supposed to be to the transaxle? Anytime I've ever reused that style of bearing, I've installed it the way it is in your trans. There shouldn't really be any issue either way because the gear oil is on both sides of the bearing. However, the source of the gear oil is from the transaxle up the tube, so I would leave it the way it is so the balls get the most exposure. As far as the bearing being crooked, there is play in the bearing, and the bearing fit in the tube isn't a press fit, so it can move around. Try test fitting one of the backing plate caps without the backing plate to see if the cap will draw down equally. I'd put it together with the bearings orientated as is.

[estilholliday]

I ran into this when I was doing a refurbishing on my rear axles. unbolted the axle tube retaining plate from the tranny and that allowed enough freeplay of the axle tube to use as a sort of slide hammer to knock the bearing off enough to get behind it by other means.

Or after unbolting axle tube retaining plates, use a soft mallet to tap the axle tube with bearing outwards, then tap axle tube back in leaving the bearing out by itself to be able to pull off from behind.

[Denny B]

Thanks for those suggestions.

As far as "Why" it supposed to be oriented with the seal on the inside the video really doesn't say. He just says the seal should be on the inside.

I also agree that it's an oil bath. When I think about it almost seems like the open side should be towards the tranny so the oil can fill the bearing.

I'll keep you guys up to date as to how I move forward.

[chrisflstf]

Just dont pull on the axle or you risk having the fulcrum plates slip out of position

[Denny B]

Update

Okay, I got both bearings out. Both sound and feel like they have small rocks in them for bearings. I paid for a "Rebuilt" transmission and they used old, junk bearings. I have ordered new bearings from JBugs.


I found I was able to remove the plastic seal easily with a metal pick and all it is, is a plastic cage that has 8 pockets that the 8 balls snap in to. So, if you ever need to remove a bearing that has the seal on the outside it is easy to remove the seal and replace it if you plan on re-using the bearing. I removed the bearings by using the "Vise grip and brass mallet method"


As far as "Why" the seal is supposed to be towards the tranny...I have no idea. I can see the balls can easily get oil form either side.

Actually, it really isn't a "seal" it's just a cage to hold the 8 ball bearings equally distanced apart.

Now, after seeing the condition of these bearings it really makes me wonder what the rest of this "Rebuilt" transmission is like.

Oh....here's the good part...this company brags that every transmission they rebuild is installed in a real car and driven to check everything out. These bearings and axles are "Bone Dry" plus one bearing was cocked and never seated…???????

Note: Okay...as to the above statement....I accept the builders statement about the tranny being tested with modified axles which would explain the dry bearings in the swing axles. Also I verified that the tranny was filled with fresh, clean gear oil and later drained leaving residual oil.

[VW_Jimbo]

Hey man, looks like you got it out! Great job!

Any shop who chooses to use previously used parts to rebuild with should always stand behind their work and their decision to use previously used materials.

When I worked in an ACVW independent garage, we were not allowed to use “rebuilt” parts. The owner had a golden standard for parts, either refurbished or new, and always the better of the two depending on availability.

Would love to know who you purchased from, as all of us are in this boat together and have to rely on the vendors out in the marketplace to have quality stuff. No one here wants to buy crap like that, ever. Was it a big builder or some small shop you knew of? Curious.

Regardless, we all need to remember to check vendor reviews and then do our own due diligence when talking with these vendors.

Sorry you got stuck with the job of changing out axle shaft bearings after paying someone else to do it!

Hope everything turns out good!
_________________
Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[estilholliday]

[estilholliday]

[Denny B]

[bluebus86]

[[email protected]]

Hi Guys!!!

The rebuilt transmission came from me at MOFOCO. First, the buyer is quite upset at the time it took to get a complete transmission(35 working days from the date of the order to shipping) which had 3 weeks of holidays in it. Even though I apologized immediately through email, offered a $250 credit to order any extra parts needed, he has continued to pound the keyboard about how awful I am. Life is not perfect, especially when rebuilding 50+ year old products, and I AS ALWAYS stand 100% behind what I do. If anything is unsatisfactory and needs to be replaced, I have a one year, unlimited miles warranty.

Now, as for the specific issues described above, I will always use a good use German axle bearing over a new Chinese bearing. I heard the bearings spin myself before they were installed and they made no noise. If he wants new ones, I am happy to send them free of charge. Second, we do not test the full unit. The transmission itself it tested and then the axles are installed. Mofoco is still the only company in the world that rebuilds transmissions and installs them in a vehicle. The builder drives it, the supervisor drives it and I drive it before we ship it out.

Please let me know if there are any other questions I can answer or anything else I can do.
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[Cusser]

I bought a rebuilt IRS transmission from MoFoCo last April, and it was delivered promptly and has been fine. I understand that swing axles are different though...
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[viiking]

[estilholliday]

[[email protected]]

[motofly196]

I know Roy already stated it....but I attest to his statement. I ALWAYS use good used German bearing before putting in inferior Chinese bearing. There looks to be nothing wrong with your rear axle bearings. I'd even send you Chinese bearings in exchange for your German ones.
The bearing shop I use won't even stock Chinese bearings anymore. They do have Japanese bearings (Koyo) which I have used on several occasions in transaxles and front drums with great experiences. But they aren't cheap...

[wcfvw69]