1929 Chrysler rear axle bearings

[Jerzjer]

I am doing a brake job on the  Chrysler 77. While I have it apart I decided I might as well clean check and repack all the bearings. I would like to grease the axle bearing but would like to know if I take out the bolts on the rear backing plate that hold in the axle will it just pull out? Are there any problems or tricks in just sliding it back in once I grease the bearings? 

[ArticiferTom]

Did you check on inside of axle some have grease zert to do . Taking apart is some work as there are two bearings sandwiched and felt seals to deal with ,also the rear axle fluid . All that said your model car maybe different . Good luck  .

[Spinneyhill]

Do you have an owners Instruction Book for the car? It should have a cross section of the system.

 

I expect it is as Tom says, which is how my Dodge 8 is and I believe Tom's truck is. You can insert grease at the nipple. Not too much though. The grease will go in between the inner seal and the inner bearing. To grease the outer bearing, remove the outer seal and paste it into the bearing. Of course, if the inner seal is no good, your grease may not go into the bearing at all. You will know if that seal is any good because you will have diff. oil in the bearings (and maybe the drum) if it is not.

 

If you want to get at the bearings and inspect them, you need to remove the backing plate and pull the axle. A slide hammer is good for this; you will pull the axle and the outer bearing and the cone for the inner bearing. The inner cup stays in place with shims behind it to set axle end float. The slide hammer will pull that but you will probably need new shims. Check the end float while in there anyway.

 

When you put that axle back in, use a wee sleeve of paper or light cardboard reaching through the inner seal so you don't cut it with the splines, which can have sharp edges! I actually made a cardboard port hole cover to put on the end of the housing (with the bolts, in place of the backing plate) to keep the axle central so I didn't damage the seal by pushing the rough axle across the bottom of it.

[Jerzjer]

Thanks for all the info.I found the fittings on the axle. There was no fluid leaking from the seal so I think I will just grease it up and rebuild the wheel cylinders and put it back together. 

 

 

 

[FLYER15015]

Jerzjer,

Where did you get the wheel cylinders ?

New or rebuilt ?

Are you doing the master too ?

I'm about to do the same to a '31 Chrysler.

Mike in Colorado

[Jerzjer]

I am rebuilding my wheel cylinders. I got the parts from Andy Bernbaum Auto Parts. There website is,  store.oldmoparts.com. I just bought the  kit for mine and that was $12 for each one,but they sell the whole assembly for my car for $48.00. I am not doing anything with my master cylinder. It looks like your car uses the same wheel cylinders as mine. The master cylinder for your car is $145 and the kit to rebuild it is $29.50.