Rear Axle Shafts & Bearings: Installation
- Lightly lubricate seal surface of seal with grease, and press onto shaft so that seal lip will be toward differential when axle is installed. After thoroughly cleaning inside diameter of bearing cone and axle taper, snap cone onto axle taper by hand. Be sure that large end of cone will face differential when axle is installed.
- Install new seal in seal retainer. Install axle shaft assembly and lightly tap bearing cup into place. Install original shim pack or new shims of equivalent thickness on end of axle housing flange. Insert backing plate bolts to retain shims. Install brake backing plate, wheel bearing retainer, and seal retainer. Install bolts and tighten evenly.
- Grasp opposite wheel and pull outward. Using light strokes of slide hammer on serviced axle, tap it outward to be sure that bearing cone is seated in cup. Measure axle shaft end play and shim as required.NOTE: Some models have bearing adjusting shims on right side, some on both sides.
- Place key in axle shaft. Install hub on shaft and secure with washer and nut. Tighten nut and insert cotter pin. Do not back off nut to align holes for cotter pin; tighten nut more instead.NOTE: Jeep Only: Install hub on shaft before installing key.
Recheck end play.
- Install new seals in axle housing. Install double-lipped seal in retainer or adjusting ring with short lip of seal toward flanged end of shaft. Lubricate all seal lips with light coating of grease. Install on axle shaft, bearing adjuster ring and seal assembly (right side) or bearing retainer (left side), press on bearing cup and cone, then press on clinch ring. Do not attempt to press on bearing and clinch ring in one operation.
- Adjust adjuster ring so that only two threads engage seal assembly. Install shaft into housing, tighten bolts evenly, and coat threads of adjuster ring with waterproof sealer. Adjust axle shaft end play by mounting a dial gauge to read at axle shaft flange. While an assistant rotates left wheel, turn adjuster ring in until no end play exists. Ring is adjusted with screwdriver through axle flange access hole. When no end play exists, back off adjuster ring two castellations and check for correct end play (see specifications). Bend tang of locking ring into a castellation of adjuster ring. Install brake drum, retaining clip, and wheel.
- If old bearing is to be reused, lubricate it as follows: Push retainer and seal towards flanged end of shaft.NOTE: Be careful not to push seal lip off machined seat on shaft.
Fill cavity between seal and cone with grease. Wrap masking tape around seal and cone to contain grease. With masking tape in place, pull seal towards bearing cone, forcing lubricant between rollers and through cone assembly. If grease does not appear at small end of rollers, repeat procedure.
CAUTION: Be sure that no grease is on flange side of seal. - On disassembled axle, install retainer and carefully position seal on machined seat on axle. Press bearing onto shaft making sure that cup rib ring is towards flange end of shaft (see illustration). Press new bearing retainer ring on axle shaft with narrow end toward splined end of shaft. (Bearing and retainer can be pressed on at same time). Bearing and retainer must be pressed into seat on shaft so that a 0.0015" feeler gauge cannot be inserted between seat and bearing or between bearing and retainer.
- Install seal and bearing cup into axle housing if old bearing is being reused. Install seal only into housing if new bearing is used (cup was installed on shaft with cone). Install shaft in housing making sure that splines do not damage seal lip. Install backing plate mounting bolts and finger tighten. Tighten nuts evenly and alternately to specifications in 15 ft. lbs. increments. Install drum, retainer clips, and wheels. There is no axle shaft end play adjustment.