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scot1337
Senior Member
119 Posts |
 Posted - 02/12/2018 : 1:43:08 PM
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| I am replacing S cam bushings on the rear of a 2008 BB All American. My question is, should I repack the hub bearings since I have to take the hub off to pull the cam shaft? This is my first time replacing cam bushings and the best I can tell is that I have to pull the axles and hubs. Anyone have any tips or tricks, or is it pretty straight forward? Let me know if there is any further info you may need. |
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krmvcs
Advanced Member
362 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2018 : 2:01:25 PM
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| Youre right about the axles and hubs and it is pretty straight forward. Those wheel bearings should be oil bath in the axle too if im not mistaken. Also, unless youve already bought tools for the bushings I made myself a cheap press tool out of some all thread and pvc unions. Have fun. |
-Ken- |
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valleybusman
Top Member
USA
807 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2018 : 2:34:11 PM
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| Yes repack the bearing with grease !! It takes a little while to get the gear oil back to the hubs . I knew a guy who cleaned everything up . Looked real pretty . Drove about 1/8 of a mile and destroyed the whole rear end . |
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scot1337
Senior Member
119 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2018 : 3:35:59 PM
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Thanks for the responses.
krmvcs-I haven't purchased any tool to install the bushings, I wasn't sure how they came out or went in yet.
valleybusman-I figured as much with repacking the bearings, I guess I was just looking for verification lol. I have heard similar horror stories about that.
Now I have a new issue, while taking off the axle flange nuts, one of them just spins on the stud! It wont loosen or tighten. So now I get to torch it off. Does anyone know if those studs are replaceable? |
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Fastback
Top Member
1500 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2018 : 05:28:55 AM
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| Not familiar with what axle is under your Bluebird but we don't pack our bus rear wheel bearings with grease. We oil the bearings, fill the hub to the level of the bearing cups, assemble, before replacing axle shafts, jack each side till oil begins to run from axle tube, install axles and top off oil. Also some hubs are equipped with plugs or a bolt instead of stud in one position of axle flange, if so fill there and rotate hub to verify oil level and skip the jacking step. |
Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback |
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bestguessrepairs
Active Member
24 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2018 : 05:47:24 AM
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| Kind of curious as to the reasoning behind replacement of the bushings? I have done hundreds of bushings and s-cams. Never once have I packed grease into bearings on an oil based hub. Depending on the style of bushings you have you may or may not have to remove the hubs. |
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krmvcs
Advanced Member
362 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2018 : 07:46:40 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by scot1337
Thanks for the responses.
krmvcs-I haven't purchased any tool to install the bushings, I wasn't sure how they came out or went in yet.
valleybusman-I figured as much with repacking the bearings, I guess I was just looking for verification lol. I have heard similar horror stories about that.
Now I have a new issue, while taking off the axle flange nuts, one of them just spins on the stud! It wont loosen or tighten. So now I get to torch it off. Does anyone know if those studs are replaceable?
you just pop each of them out from the opposite side. I use a very long air hammer bit and before anyone says anything my technique is flawless :) and gently push them out. there is a shoulder in the scam tube that they press in against. As for the oil/grease thing well, mechanics are people too and we all have our ways of doing things. I myself just rub the bearing with assembly lube, fill the hubs if they have a large enough cavity, and set the bearing play. if the hubs dont then I do as the other guy suggested and tilt the bus each way and top off the diff. Do what works for you. |
-Ken- |
Edited by - krmvcs on 02/13/2018 07:55:58 AM |
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scot1337
Senior Member
119 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2018 : 10:54:11 AM
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| Does anyone have any fancy tips on how to get the cone washers to come free on the axle flange? They are stuck and not budging at all. I have soaked them with some penetrating oil overnight and still nothing. I have never had these stuck like this before! |
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aaronwilmoth80911
Top Member
538 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2018 : 11:07:37 AM
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| As far as your cones, I have always had luck with hitting the axle flange and they normally will pop. As far as bearings, I would do like lots of guys have suggested and just refill with oil and lube the bearings before install, tilt when done and top off diff. I have had some luck on doing s cam bushings without pulling hub, and instead removing s cam tube and working the cam and bushing out. To each their own. |
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kummins
Active Member
41 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2018 : 11:12:57 AM
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these work great for removing the conical washers, the 'sharp' side goes into the split and squeezing opens the washer
https://www.amazon.com/OTC-7077-Axle-Stud-Plier/dp/B0002SRF4E
i've seen some mechs smack the center of the axle flange with a sledge hammer until they pop out. i use the otc pliers |
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Fastback
Top Member
1500 Posts |
Posted - 02/13/2018 : 11:29:40 AM
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| I use an air hammer on the axle end to pop the cones. Be careful, if stuck they can really fly when they pop, best bet is to leave the nuts screwed on a few threads. |
Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback |
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Mechan1c
Top Member
USA
853 Posts |
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bestguessrepairs
Active Member
24 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2018 : 05:27:08 AM
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| As Fastback said use a Air Hammer |
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valleybusman
Top Member
USA
807 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2018 : 10:29:26 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by aaronwilmoth80911
As far as your cones, I have always had luck with hitting the axle flange and they normally will pop. As far as bearings, I would do like lots of guys have suggested and just refill with oil and lube the bearings before install, tilt when done and top off diff. I have had some luck on doing s cam bushings without pulling hub, and instead removing s cam tube and working the cam and bushing out. To each their own.
You get a large sledge hammer and just smack the crap out of the center of axle . I leave a nut on because sometimes the axlle will come flying out of there . I gears and try and fill the hub with oil |
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scot1337
Senior Member
119 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2018 : 11:35:04 AM
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| Thanks guys. I ended up having to have a mobile guy come by and give it a go. Beating it with a sledge for 2 days just wasn't working, never had one give me this much trouble. He even tried and couldn't get it to break free. Ended up having to remove the studs to get the axles out. I was looking at trying to take the cam tube off and trying to work the shaft out but since I had a bad stud on the hub I figured I might as well remove the hubs anyway. As far as the bearings, when I first started in the industry that is the way I was taught when replacing them. Not sure if that was just to save down time or just extra cautious. I was given first hand examples of bearings being smoked by just coating with oil. Either way, thank you all for the input! |
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dferrell
Senior Member
102 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2018 : 11:58:21 AM
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I have a big 20lb sledge that i use just for this. I haven't found an axle I couldn't break loose yet.
As far as lubing the bearings, I always just use gear oil on the bearings when the hub is being assembled as well as filling the hub to the bearing level. I would highly suspect the bearings be adjusted too tight if they burned up right after installation. |
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torque
Advanced Member
Canada
358 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2018 : 12:48:50 PM
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I don't know what is different, but I always loosened the nuts, but left them on to save the cones from flying, but the Visions we have after beating the axle until it was deformed, decided to just weld the nuts, remove the nuts and studs together. I have had a couple come hitting the axle, but usually, the first time, we end up welding the nuts to the studs. Replace them and put antisieze on the cone We prelube the bearings, put a bit of oil in the hub, top up the level in the diff and make a couple sharp left and right turns on the road test to get the hubs filled.
Our IC's, I love the idea of the bolt instead of stud, going right into the hub. Remove the bolt to drain the hub, and use the same hole to fill the hub when done. What a great and simple idea. |
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dferrell
Senior Member
102 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2018 : 1:01:20 PM
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| When i was working on trucks, I remember seeing some hubs that had a 1/2" plug in the middle of the hub that you could remove and fill with oil to lube the bearings. I haven't seen any like this in a long time. That was 25 years ago. |
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Fastback
Top Member
1500 Posts |
Posted - 02/14/2018 : 2:20:56 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by scot1337
Thanks guys. I ended up having to have a mobile guy come by and give it a go. Beating it with a sledge for 2 days just wasn't working, never had one give me this much trouble. He even tried and couldn't get it to break free. Ended up having to remove the studs to get the axles out. I was looking at trying to take the cam tube off and trying to work the shaft out but since I had a bad stud on the hub I figured I might as well remove the hubs anyway. As far as the bearings, when I first started in the industry that is the way I was taught when replacing them. Not sure if that was just to save down time or just extra cautious. I was given first hand examples of bearings being smoked by just coating with oil. Either way, thank you all for the input!
When I started here (1978) we had some Internationals that ran the differential oil level well below the tubes, had an oil seal on the outer adjusting nut and you were supposed to pack the bearings. Later they left the oil seal off the nut but packing the bearings remained the rule on those. |
Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback |
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Topic |
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S Cam Bushings
