?----Rear axle bearing on my 521----?

[fiveNdime]

How do you press the bearing back onto the axle for the 521?

I got the bearing off but cant put it back on.

Is there an easy way!!! Is there a torque spec for the nut that tightens to the bearing?

[datzenmike]

The rear bearing must be similar to the 620. I got a growly rear bearing on a trip to Ontairo one year. My dad's neighbor's son is a mechanic and sent me around to a couple of shops with big presses but it always looked like it was bending the backing plate so we stopped each time. Then I realized there was one place where they couldn't refuse and also knew how. The Nissan dealer! Went in on a Fri afternoon and told the mechanic I was visiting from BC, stuck here, need help, blah, blah. Picked it up at closing, he tore up the work order and put the $30 for beer money in his pocket. Win win. Been on the truck for several years now.

 

The only nuts used for mounting the axle are the four 17mm that hold the backing plate to the axle tube 39-46 ft lbs.

[yello620]

The Other nuts that he is refering to are the two that hold the bearing onto the axle. One nut is tight against the bearing, then the washer with the bend over lock tabs and then the second nut.

I have a "special" tool for installing these bearings. It is simply a peice of steel pipe with a peice of 1/2" plate welded onto the end to strike with a hammer. So, a peice of pipe and a BFH.

Torque spec from my 1976 629 factory service manual is 108-145 ft lbs. for the lock nut. However, you will need the factory service tool to be able to torque that nut. But that spec should get you close with the hammer and punch method that is always used. Really tight.

 

Jason

[mklotz70]

just like Jason said. Piece of thick wall pipe that will slide over the axle, but still small enough that it will sit on the inner race of the bearing. Do not try to press or strike any other part of the bearing other than the inner race. Tighten the spanner nut with a punch and hammer. When it quits turning, it's tight :)

 

When you are hammering on the bearing to drive it down, put something solid under the face of the axle so that it's not sitting on the lug bolts. Or..put the pipe on the ground and drop the axle into it.....letting it's weight act like the hammer.

 

at least it's not a wgn axle!!

[fiveNdime]

Found out what the problem was. The bearing will press easy but it will still seem loose because the backing plate will wobble a bit. The fix that datsun did here was the shims between the backing plate and the housing. Thats what threw me off. The shims are different on both sides.

I also used the pipe thing and didnt even know thats what you guys would recomend! kinda crazy.

[yello620]

That shim pack thickness is what sets the bearing preload. The axle bottoms out into the carrier in the differential, the the shim thickness tightens the bearing preload.

The factory service manual has a spec for the amount of endplay for that bearing. That is why the thicknesses vary from side to side.

 

Jason