CHAPTER 9 Wheel Bearings and Service REAR DRIVE AXLE CLASSIFICATIONS There are three rear drive axle classifications: Full-floating Three-quarter-floating Semi-floating These classifications indicate whether the axle
shafts or the axle housing supports the wheel. The category of a rear drive axle is determined by how the wheel and wheel bearing mount to the axle or housing. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 2 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. REAR DRIVE AXLE CLASSIFICATIONS FULL-FLOATING AXLE THREE-QUARTER-FLOATING AXLE
SEMI-FLOATING AXLE FIGURE 925 A typical full-floating rear axle assembly. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 3 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. REAR DRIVE AXLE CLASSIFICATIONS FIGURE 926 A three-quarter-floating rear axle. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 4
FIGURE 927 A semi-floating rear axle housing is the most commonly used in light rear-wheel-drive vehicles. Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. REAR AXLE BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENT The rear bearings used on rear-wheel-drive vehicles are constructed and serviced differently
from other types of wheel bearings. Rear axle bearings are either sealed or lubricated by the rear-end lubricant. The rear axle must be removed from the vehicle to replace the rear axle bearing. There are two basic types of axle retaining methods: Retainer plate-type C-lock Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 5 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved.
REAR AXLE BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENT RETAINER PLATE-TYPE REAR AXLES The retainer plate-type rear axle uses four fasteners that retain the axle in the axle housing. To remove the axle shaft and the rear axle bearing and seal, the retainer bolts or nuts must be removed. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 6
Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. REAR AXLE BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENT FIGURE 928 A retainer plate-type rear axle bearing. Access to the fasteners is through a hole in the axle flange. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 7 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. REAR AXLE BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENT
FIGURE 929 A slide hammer-type axle puller can also be used. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 8 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. The Brake Drum Slide Hammer Trick To remove the axle from a vehicle equipped with a retainer plate-type rear axle, simply use the brake drum as a slide hammer to remove the axle from the axle housing. If the brake drum does not provide enough force, a slide
hammer can also be used to remove the axle shaft. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 9 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. The Brake Drum Slide Hammer Trick FIGURE 930 To remove the axle from this vehicle equipped with a retainer-plate rear axle, the brake drum was placed back onto the axle studs backward so that the drum itself can be used as a slide hammer to pull the axle out of the axle
housing. A couple of pulls and the rear axle is pulled out of the axle housing. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 10 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. REAR AXLE BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENT C-LOCK-TYPE AXLES
Vehicles that use C-locks (clips) use a straight roller bearing supporting a semi-floating axle shaft inside the axle housing. The straight rollers do not have an inner race. The rollers ride on the axle itself. If a bearing fails, both the axle and the bearing usually need to be replaced. The outer bearing race holding the rollers is pressed into the rear axle housing. The axle bearing is usually lubricated by the rearend lubricant and a grease seal is located on the outside of the bearing. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman
11 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. REAR AXLE BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENT FIGURE 931 To remove the C-lock (clip), the lock bolt has to be moved before the pinion shaft. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 12 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved.
REAR AXLE BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENT FIGURE 932 The axle must be pushed inward slightly to allow the C-lock to be removed. After the Clock has been removed, the axle can be easily pulled out of the axle housing. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 13 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. REAR AXLE BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENT
FIGURE 933 Using a hydraulic press to press an axle bearing from the axle. When pressing a new bearing back onto the axle, pressure should only be on the inner bearing race to prevent damaging the bearing. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman 14 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved. REAR AXLE BEARING AND SEAL REPLACEMENT FIGURE 934 Removing an axle seal using the axle shaft as the tool. Automotive Brake Systems, 5/e By James D. Halderman
15 Copyright 2010, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1995 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 All rights reserved.
