Nuts... or studs.. Oh Err Mrs...

[Adrian Southgate]

So I spent my sunny weekend doing odd jobs on the car, Decided it was time to fit the metric studs in the back axle.

I bought the studs before I bought the car, sat in a bag covered in oil in the garage for a while. Out comes the blowlamp, big 'ammer and other bits and bobs to get it sorted. Old ones were a nice tight fit but came out with just a few carefully placed whacks with a 2 1/2 lb'er. Got the new ones ground to the same length and fitted. Checked all the back brakes while the drums were off, all fine. Put the wheels back on yesterday and decided a test run was the order of the day. Sets off from home onto the A6. as soon as it hits 35 I have weird feelings coming back through the steering so pulled over and checked the wheel nuts, all tight. Set off again. Weird wobbly feel is still there, drove through it and it stabilised about 45 ish. Drove to work today with care but still it played up so tonight I decided to have the whole lot down again to find out why.

Put the car on axle stands and thought thats stable enough for a running test, so fired it up and gently eased the clutch up in second. Left hand rear wheel is now making a horrible noise, gets out to look and the wheel is wobbling by about 1/4 inch at the rim. Thats not right I thought, maybe the wheel has been buckled slightly by all the potholes. Took the wheel, spacer and drum off and tried again. Still making horrible noises and it looks as if the halfshaft is bent. I have tried different wheels, swapping drums, new clean spacers and it still wobbles. Lowest common denominator = halfshaft.

Now I had issues with the half shaft bearings in the old sierra and ended up changing the whole axle as the shafts would not budge. Its in the garage still with the half shafts stuck in the holes. I still have the bearings I bought to do the repair with too. Problem is I really don't want to strip the axle down two weeks before the lakes trip, or replace it for that matter. But its looking more than likely one of the two is going to have to be done and soon.

I love my Legerra!

[Adrian Southgate]

Gear torque are less than a mile away so I may heave the spare axle into my van and get them to strip it down, do the refurb myself on the stripped unit.
When I tried before it would not budge so maybe it needs a machine press to get the old one out.
Diff recon kit £60, wheel bearings £40, all SKF or Timken bearings, so dropping them £50 to get the shafts out is still cheaper than having them source the parts and do the recon.

[Dave Adams]

I would be passing bolton tomorrow had you needed it. getting the bearings to release from the axle tube can be a bastard, heating the bearing carrier with a gas axe will help but do not over heat the steel as you may knacker the tube. I have striped the back plate down and put a chisel through the hole where the wheel cylinder was and beat the back of the hub with it using a large lump hammer, it gave up eventually and came out, spraying the bearing with WD40 cannot hurt either.

[Adrian Southgate]

I'm in Bolton Snowy, but already have a slide hammer. I bought it when I was trying to get the halfshafts out of the Sierra axle about 4 years ago. I appreciate the thought though.
At the moment the spare axle looks like being the one to attack with the tools, See how I get on with rebuilding that one. I will set it up with a blowlamp pointing at the bearing part to try and loosen it up.

[Dave Adams]

What you need to get the half shafts out is a slide hammer, which I just happen to have. Where are you?

[Dave Adams]

funnily enough this weekend i also did my rear wheel studs (they were mkII cortina standard) so imperial and short, problem is since the new longer panard rod has been fitted the O/S tyre now just catches the chassis on tight corners at speed (car corners flatter and more sure footed though) so i got longer studs and new wheel nuts M12 X 1.5mm X 63mm and fitted 3/4" (19mm) wheel spacers. i had to remove the half shafts to fit the longer studs. Now the pay back....on the way to work monday morning i noticed that the N/S wheel bearing is a bit noisy so the half shaft has to come out again. I think the wider track is responsible for the suddenly noisy bearing. (to be honest it was slightly noisy before, it definitely is now!)

[Adrian Southgate]

I have no idea until I get the halfshaft out Dave.
To be honest I am seriously thinking about getting the diff / shafts/ bearings done by geartorque as Steve suggested. Once its all done I can forget it for a few years. If I do it myself then I bet it'll have to come apart again to be re-shimmed or have new inners at some point. If I have to drop the axle then I could take the chance to fit new bushes and a spilt handbrake cable too. At least if they do it I will only be duttonless for a day or two.

[Dave Taylor]

I have a bearing splitter, not to cut the bearing but clamps behind is tapered and you tighten the 2 bolts, should do the job. I'll go and find it now. is it the halfshaft bearing outer?

[Adrian Southgate]

Now that sounds like a plan Steve, although doing both sides would cost nearly as much as the car did!
I already have bearings from the failed attempt to sort out the Sierra axle four years ago.
I will google them...
Still could do with a second opinion though Dave... I think the bearing is stuffed and me whacking it with a hammer probably didn't help matters.

[Adrian Southgate]

Absolutely fine with me, I'll have the kettle on.

[Dave Taylor]

OK I'll be up after Tea, may bring Charlotte to see the cat's if that's OK