Dear All,

I would like to service the rear axle bearings, but I am not sure how. It looks like I should pull of the bearing cover as seen in the photo below. Is this correct? If so, how do I remove it. If not, what do I do. The service manual is presently no help. It just tells me to remove the wheel and bearings, repack and replace.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,

Tom

Not sure about your 733 but if it has a double tapered roller bearing set like 1934, you just attach a slide hammer under the axle nut and just pull the axle out; the seal and bearings and outer race come out with it, and you'll have to use an inside puller for the inner seal. There may be shims behind the inner race, used for adjusting axle shaft end play.

The 54's are that way, use a slide hammer on the end of the axle shaft and the outer race will pull out with the axle... just keep track of the shims used or you will have to reset the end play on the bearing, which is not a bad idea to check after wards too...

Thank you all for the reply. I am on the hunt for a slide hammer. One more question: how is it that you measure end-play of the bearing?

Thanks,

Tom

There are a number of ways, I made a small tool resembling the ones usually pictured in manuals for this job. Take a piece of sturdy steel strap, perhaps 1/4 or 3/8 thick. Make a bend and drill a hole so you can mount it to one of the backing plate bolt holes. Bend it again so the you have a right-angle bend about 1 inch away from the end of the axle and parallel to it. Drill and tap this end for a threaded bolt with locknut which will face square to the end of the axle shaft. Before you mount it, use a brass or rawhide mallet and tap the axles in towards the far end of the car. Mount the bracket and run the threaded bolt to within 15 or 20 thousandths of the end of the axle and measure the gap with feeler gauges. Then go to the far side and tap the axles back towards your bracket, measure the gap again, and subtract the two readings; difference is the axle end play.

Owen,

Cool tool. Thanks,

Tom

I'm assuming the gauge tool is bent in a sort of 'Z' shape, not a 'C' shape, correct?

Correct.

Thanks,

Tom, I have a slide hammer if you still need it. Give me a call. John