Diff bearing or wheel bearing - how to tell?

[cat007]

Hey all

My 1987 Hiace has a solid axel and something in the rear is getting louder and louder as time/km's go on (the van has done 350,000km's).

At about 40-60kmph there's a low pitched grinding that sounds like it's pulsing

Jacking up the back and spinning the drivers side wheel seems normal and quiet with minimal noise. Spinning the passenger side rear wheel how-ever is not so quiet.

I'm unsure how-ever, if it's the wheel bearing, or a diff bearing.

Also I've not worked on a solid axel vehicle since my school years when I had a 1980 XT Corona (3T with twin carb manifold off the 2T but with two larger 3T carbs on hehe), so I'm a little stumped as to how I would even get the axel out....

Can anyone give me any pointers as to a) how to confirm if it's a wheel or diff bearing, and b) tips on how to fix either?

Cheers all

Hunt

[Lloyd]

Jack it up, support it, run it in 4th, climb under and see where the noise is coming from

As for getting axles out... take the wheel off, take brake drum off, take the 4 nuts/bolts off that you can see in the back, disconnect the brake hose and handbrake cable, get a slide hammer on the flange and the whole axle should come out. (not model specific, but work off that and you'll see how it goes)

[85AW20v]

Jack it up, support it, run it in 4th, climb under and see where the noise is coming from

What he^ said. Use a big screwdriver - handle in your ear and blade on the outside of the casing where the bearings are located inside the diff. You'll pick it real easy. Might need the handbrake on a few notches to give some load to the diff.

[Crucible]

generally if the noise fluctuates on and off the gas on the motorway its the diff and continuous noise its a wheel bearing. If it changes pitch loading left to right more likely to be a wheel bearing.

but as stated above run on stands and use a stethoscope or screwdriver to pinpoint it.

[cat007]

Thank you all for your replies

I should have time either tomorrow of the 1st to do some troubleshooting

[cat007]

OK so I have the axle etc out - I've taken the retainer ring off - bug buggered if I can get the bearing off the axle. Flipping it onto its end and dropping the axle onto itself (diff end down) just appears to push the bearing inside the hub assembly even more but it doesn't move on the axle shaft....

Any ideas?

Cheers

Hunt

[allencr]

Any ideas?

Any automotive machine shop will have a bearing splitter/separator and a press long enough to handle your axle. The bearing will be destroyed.

[QikStarlie]

as above, will need to be pressed off. or you may get away with grinding the shrink collar off.(sits in front of the bearing, part the seal runs on) after that the bearing should come off alot easyer. be carefull not to damage the axle if you do grind the shrink ring/collar, as you'l end up with a sweet oil leak...

[cat007]

Thanks for your help

I ground the shrink collar then bashed it off then smashed the axle/hub onto the ground which pushed the 'case' against the bearing, sliding it off.

Then with off - we used a press to press the bearing on - then heated the shrink collar and slid that on.

Done and Done!

Cheers all!

Hunt

[Dell'Orto]

Just hope you didnt wreck your bearing pressing it on They're meant to be heated and dropped on.

[QikStarlie]

long as they pressed it on in the center will be sweet

[Mr Revhead]

Just hope you didnt wreck your bearing pressing it on They're meant to be heated and dropped on.

Never saw a Toyota tech heat the bearing!

[FLAWLES]

heating bearing's wtf?

lol

no sugar on your weet bix today sun shine

but i have a funny feeling i know what you meant

[Dell'Orto]

Just hope you didnt wreck your bearing pressing it on They're meant to be heated and dropped on.

Never saw a Toyota tech heat the bearing!

Says in the manual to heat the bearing to 130 degrees C, well does for T series axles which I assume would be similar in contruction to F series. We used an induction heater, was choice

[Crucible]

IMO The quickest way to remove collars and bearings is with a gas axe. You just need to keep the heat off the axle itself.

I just use the torch at 90 deg to axle and work youre way down the collar/inner bearing slowly. You can see the last of the collar material peel away from the axle. Once you have cut through it will have no tension and just tap off with a chisel.

Have never used heat to install a bearing, just clean up axle with a long piece of emery and press it back together.

If you have a cut off wheel thats another alternative to oxy/acet, but its hard to judge weather youre cutting into the axle or not. oxy/acet is a piece of piss.