Removing a vehicle’s rear axle bearing is significant. During the vehicle’s lifecycle, there are chances of facing issues with its axle bearing. So, how to remove rear axle bearing without a puller?
Round-shaped axle bearings are pushed on/off the shaft of axle, which is a rod that helps to rotate the vehicle’s wheels and balances the weight of the vehicle. The axle spins due to the bearings.
Latest vehicles are not allowing easy bearing replacement. The parts of bearings are attached. That’s why these require to be changed at the same time. This is different from the headline tire bearing.
In this DIY process, using slide hammers, including a puller to eliminate the rear bearing, is needed. People follow their technique to finish this. Here knowing the vehicle’s year and model and other information is a must.
A complete guideline on removing rear axle bearing without puller with the steps is given below. Let’s check it out.
What is a Rear Axle Seal Leak?
A rear axle seal leak can be a serious problem on your car, and if not repaired, it can lead to complete loss of vehicle functionality. When this happens, you’ll likely notice decreased fuel economy, irregular engine performance, and increased noise. In the worst cases, a rear axle seal leak can even lead to a collision.
How to Remove Rear Axle Bearing Without a Puller – Full Guide
Removing the rear axle bearing is quite possible without pullers. With the help of little trickiness, this task can be done very easily. Complete preparedness is suggested before proceeding.
We just need to know some factors before we may start. For example, how much time does this job require? Or how costly it is, and most importantly, how can this be done?
So let’s start knowing all these.
1. Select The Right Surface
– Make sure that you select a surface that’s easy to hit with the slide hammer. Avoid hard, porous surfaces or materials that might damage the head of the tool.
2. Apply The Vehicle’s Parking Brake
-application of the parking brake will help to prevent sudden movement that could damage the tool.
3. Use A Car Jack To Raise Your Vehicle
– Use a car jack to raise your vehicle as high as possible before you begin drilling. This will make it easier for you to hit the target area with the slide hammer.
4. Place Jack Stands Under Your Vehicle
– Place jack stands under your vehicle before you begin drilling. This will help to prevent the vehicle from moving while you’re working.
5. Remove The Tires
– Remove the tires before you begin drilling. This will minimize the risk of damage to your vehicle’s bodywork.
6. Unbolt The Caliper And Remove The Brake Pads From It
– Unbolt the caliper and remove the brake pads from it before you begin drilling. This will help to protect against damage to your vehicle’s rotors.
7. Remove The Vehicle’s Disk Rotor
– Remove the vehicle’s disk rotor before you begin drilling. This will help to protect against damage to your vehicle’s brake system.
Cost
The cost of replacing the bearings can be different depending on the category of different cars and depending on whether the front or rear wheel bearings require change. Different bearings require different costs.
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Duration: This task can be done from within a half-hour to a whole day, depending on the type of the vehicle and type of the bearings.
Tools Needed to Complete The Work:
- A hammer
- A punch
- Gloves
- Safety glasses
- Car jacks
- Car manual
- A torch
- A piece of scrap wood
There is an important note, no matter how many tools we have, the most important thing that we need to have is the car’s manual. This manual will play a significant role in completing the task.
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Slide Hammer
Slide hammer is a tool that’s used for pounding and driving in metal or plastic. It consists of a handle and a head mounted on an adjustable arm. The head is fitted with a small, round, impact-resistant striking face. The striking face is made from hardened steel and it has a conical shape that helps the slide hammer fracture glass without damaging the underlying surface.
Steps to The Removal of Rear Axle Bearing From The Shaft Without Using a Puller
Choosing an Appropriate Surface
Choosing the appropriate surface is very important before removing the vehicle’s rear axle bearings. The car should be leveled on the ground before removing the bearings.
This requires a leveled ground. Furthermore, we need to choose a smooth ground. Angled driveways should not be used for this task. It is better to choose a flat grounded garage.
Applying The Car’s Parking Brake
In this DIY process, the car’s parking brake needs to be applied before doing it. This will help avoid the vehicle’s wheels from spinning or moving as the vehicle will rise. It is also important to find out while removing bearings.
Using A Car Jack for Raising The Car
There are different types of car jacks for different usage. These jacks have a connection with the cars. All the information will be available in the car’s manual.
Using the jacks in the right way is a must; otherwise, it can create trouble. Placing jacks in the wrong ports may tear the wires.
The car needs to get raised with the help of the appropriate jack. Extracting the fuel in the car with a manually functioned fuel pump can be needed in this procedure.
Setting The Jack Stands Under The Car
If we want to avoid using a press to remove tire bearing, then jack stands are required. When we want to replace the wheel swiftly, stands are more suitable than carjacks.
But it is unsafe to use those while changing rear axle bearings. It’s important to set those under the car frame, not under the fuel tank. It can be dangerous if they are placed on any wrong points.
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Four off the wheels should be risen for safety and accuracy while removing or replacing the bearing without a puller. If all the wheels do not raise, the car may lose balance and fall.
Taking Away The Casings Along With The Trays
The casings and trays must be removed as they may obstruct the task. At first, the undertray should be removed if the requirement arises.
It is sometimes seen that several cars might not have an undertray because this is not swapped after getting removed. The plastic casing along with the transmission pan gasket needs to be removed.
Removing Wheels
The wheels need to be removed first to get in contact with the axle bearings. Axle bearings should be replaced simultaneously because it can be another one getting bad just after one is removed. So the accurate wheels must be taken out.
Softening The Calipers’ Bolts And Eliminate The Brake Shoes
Due to a caliper pressure in brake shoes, the car’s disk rotor is observed. The caliper attaches along with the brake strokes, and it gets permit by hydraulic pressure.
The caliper needs to get out of the way temporarily. It is not suggested to remove it fully from the brake shoe line.
Discharging The Holding Place of The Car’s E-brake
Discharging the e-brake is important here. The car’s e-brake of parking is attached with other parts, and they need to be removed.
Removing the Disk Rotor
Bolted disk rotor to the brake shoe must be unbolted. For pressing off axle bearings, using some lubricant is suggested, and this is a crucial step.
There might be an impact driver required to help the broken shoe loosen the rotor when it’s getting tough to remove. Neither the bearing removing tools nor the steering assist system is needed here.
The screws or nuts attaching to the wheel shaft need to be loose. Generally, it is four fourteen screws or nuts. Gently hitting the axle shaft using a hammer will remove it.
Here Are Some Tips To Diagnose And Repair A Rear Axle Seal Leak:
- Check the fluid level – Make sure the fluid level in the rear axle seal is correct by checking the fluid level in the reservoir. If it’s low or at the bottom of its range, you may have a leak.
- Check for fluid leaks – Check for any fluid leaks around the seals and other areas where they meet. This includes under the car, around bolts, and at joints.
- Repair or replace seals – If there is a significant leak, you may need to repair or replace the seals. Replacement seals are available from many suppliers and typically cost around $100 per set.
- Check for damage – If there’s evidence of damage to any of the seals or components near them, replace them as well. Damage can include tears in the rubber, cracks in metal, or other signs of wear and tear.
- Use an engine diagnostic tool – If you suspect that a rear axle seal leak is causing problems with your vehicle’s performance or emissions, it’s best to use an engine diagnostic tool to verify the issue. These tools can identify problems with your engine ranging from low oil pressure to fouled air filters.
Conclusion
Rear-axle bearings are vital to performing a car efficiently. They must be on taking care and keep on good quality for always.
If there are problems with the bearings, they can be removed and replaced. It is deliberated about the removal of the bearings without using a puller.
The DIY method is very suitable if it is sensibly monitored in the emphasized steps. I hope now you understand how to remove rear axle bearing without a puller.
Though there are various techniques for this task, it requires knowledge about the car properly before continuing, i.e., figuring out the car’s model and information about it earlier starting the procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I replace a wheel bearing myself?
With the help of some essential tools, replacing the car’s wheel bearing is proved as an intermediate task to do at home.
It just requires knowing some basic steps. By following the given steps, this task can be done very easily.
2. How to Inspect the Rear Axle Bearings?
The main causes of the axle-bearing disaster are noises or leaky kinds of stuff. The noise is sometimes tough to gauge because of the wheel bearing.
The huge figure of axle assemblage makes it difficult. Whenever such noises are detected, it requires checking out as soon as possible.
3. What is a Rear Axle Seal Leak?
An axle seal is the portion of the car that attaches the axle with the rear disparity or the mechanism by which power is transmitted from the engine to the car’s wheels.
The actual usage of the axle seal is to preserve transmission fluid from leaking and escape depletion.
4. How to Remove a Trapped Rear Axle Bearing?
Place axle in a place that permits to use of heating. Grip the heat on the car’s bearing to let it heat. A hammer with light taps can be used.
If it is possible to get a lathe machine, set the shaft and change it as the heat was given to the bearing using the heating tip.
5. How to Take Away A Trapped Spindle Bearing?
Taking out a trapped spindle bearing requires a press as well as an oxy torch. Though, this process might not be appropriate on behalf of lesser inches because of less growth space. For this, it may need to push the spindle.
Conclusion
Rear-axle bearings are vital to performing a car efficiently. They must be on taking care and keep on good quality for always.
If there are problems with the bearings, they can be removed and replaced. It is deliberated about the removal of the bearings without using a puller.
The DIY method is very suitable if it is sensibly monitored in the emphasized steps. I hope now you understand how to remove rear axle bearing without a puller.
Though there are various techniques for this task, it requires knowledge about the car properly before continuing, i.e., figuring out the car’s model and information about it earlier starting the procedure.
