Rear Wheel bearing problems

[lemmy]

I have a new to me FX35 AWD (2007) that has a bad right rear wheel bearing. It feels smooth and is quiet, but there was play when i moved the wheel side to side. So I now have it removed. It was fairly difficult but not impossible. But now I am facing the impossible part.....pressing out the bearing off of the hub. I have a 20 ton press and it can't budge it. I have a bearing splitter (the large one) that I got from Harbor Freight. It just bent it up. Any ideas on getting it off? I found a thread where someone did this job, but their bearings were so bad that they were completely apart so he had no pressing to do. Just the inner races were left on the hub and he used a dremel to cut them off. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Dracula]

if i was in your position i would take it to a mechanic shop, let them do it(press it in) and go through the trouble

 

[Ed@TunerStore]

The Pep boys pressed my both rear bearings for $80

 

[lemmy]

Well, after I made this post I went back down and tried again. My problem mainly was not having the right metal pieces to lift up the assembly so that I could press it out. I finally got it up enough so that I could and I got it out. I was putting everything my 20 ton press had on it and then there was a sudden pop and it was out. Then I cut the inner race off. With a little head I actually got the inner race about 30% off, but then it wouldn't budge so I just cut it off.

I used a little very fine sand paper on the hub and put a little grease on it so I expect the new one to press on much easier than the old one pressed off. Thanks!

---------- Post added 05-12-2013 at 12:44 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-11-2013 at 11:04 PM ----------

The only thing I am worried out are the threads on the outer section of the axle. I used an impact wrench and that nut came off hard the entire way. When I got it off I noticed some of the threads were messed up (maybe 2 or 3 of them) fairly close the the inboard side. I guess it was tightened too much at the factory. I hate to get it back together and then have to take it back out to replace the outer joint, but the job looks fairly involved and the part isn't cheap.

 

[la_fx35]

You may want to use a triangle file to clean up the thread and run the axle nut on it a couple of times to make sure it screw in nicely while the half shaft is off the car. This way will safe you lots of time if the thread on the half shaft indeed a problem when you try to screw the axle nut back on. It will be impossible to clean the thread with a file once its on the hub.

 

[lemmy]

The reason I replaced the bearing was not due to any sound or roughness, it was because there was play in the wheel (side to side). The vehicle was inspected by a mechanic before purchase and he also said it was a wheel bearing. But when I took everything apart the wheel bearing seemed fine. However I just figured that it had some play in it that I couldn't feel without the the wheel as a huge amount of leverage. However thinking about these threads on the half shaft makes me wonder if this is not the real problem that is causing the play. I guess I should have the outer part of the half shaft replaced with a new lock nut before I reassemble. The threads on the nut are shot, the threads on the half shaft are ok except about .25" from the inside and those are completely destroyed.

---------- Post added at 06:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:22 PM ----------

I have been checking around and all of the auto parts stores only have the full axle as a remanufactured. They are affordable, but everyone is out of stock and even the manufacturer is out of stock, so there is not even a lead time. Through Infiniti the entire axle is $883 (online as cheap as $648). But just the outer joint is $326 ($230 online) + the cost of the boot. So not only am I going to be out some serious cash, it looks like my car will be out of commission for a while since I doubt the local Infiniti dealer has these parts in stock. There are used axles on ebay for a reasonable price, but I have been burned with used parts bought on ebay before.