So Fix it

Drive shafts are used on all cars to connect the rear differential to the engines transmission. If you have a large vehicle like an SUV or a van, your vehicle will have a center bearing. This is also known as a carrier bearing. This bearing is used to support the drive shaft on the car. You dont have to be a car mechanic to replace your bearing. You can do it yourself with little hassle and minimal knowledge of the replacement.

Instructions

1

Jack up your vehicle so you have access to the bottom of the car. Put jack stands under the frame to support vehicle so it is not being support solely by the jack.

2

Use a piece of tape to mark where the transmission and the drive shaft are. The drive shaft is a splined shaft on the bottom of your vehicle. Mark where the universal joint connects to the rear axle differential.

3

Remove the bolt holding the drive shaft to the car. Remove the drive shaft center bearing from the frame with a socket wrench.

4

Use your wrench to remove the bolts holding the universal joint bearing to the yoke. This is coming out of the cars rear axle differential. Secure the caps at the bottom of the car with a piece of duct tape so they do not fall out.

5

Pull the drive shaft out of the cars transmission. Use a socket wrench to remove the bolts that are securing the universal joint bearing to the cars yoke coming out of the vehicles rear axle differential.

6

Use your wrench to remove the bolts from the drive shaft plate. Pull the rear plate off of the drive shaft. Secure the front plate to the drive shaft with a vise. Use your wrench to remove the nut from the center of the drive shaft.

7

Use a hammer to remove the old bearing from the drive shaft. Use a brass-ended punch so you do not scratch the shaft. Put a thin layer of car grease into the bearing shaft. Push your new bearing into the drive shaft and then hammer the bearing into place.

8

Reassemble your cars drive shaft in the reverse order that you took it apart.

Bearings are an integral part of a machines moving components and reduce the amount of friction on rotating parts. Bearing failure is common in high-mileage vehicles and older machines, particularly those in high-wear conditions such as off-road vehicles. In most cases, bearings fit tightly into their housings, making installation difficult. Freezing bearings causes the metal to contract slightly and theore makes it easier to fit the bearing into its housing. When used in conjunction with heating of the housing metal, freezing a bearing is highly effective as an installation method.

Instructions

1

Place bearing in a plastic bag and pack it in dry ice. The dry ice will cool the metal and cause it to shrink in a process called thermal reduction. Leave the bearing in the dry ice for at least 20 minutes before use.

2

Heat the housing metal using a propane torch immediately prior to installation of bearing. This will cause the metal to expand in a process called thermal expansion and will make the housing opening larger to allow for an easier bearing fit. Heating should be performed slowly and evenly without causing metal discoloration.

3

Remove the bearing from the dry ice and plastic, then place it 1/5 of the way into the housing. Use a pair of pliers or channel locks to avoid obtaining burns from the hot housing metal. Ensure it is properly aligned, especially in cases where the bearing fits snugly into the housing. This will prevent damaging and buckling of the bearing material.

4

Tap the bearing into place gently with a deadblow hammer. If the bearing fit is loose, allow the housing metal to cool and the bearing metal to warm before tapping the bearing into place. If large amounts of force are necessary, place a wooden block between the bearing surface and deadblow hammer to prevent bearing surface damage.

5

Measure the recess distance as needed using a precision ruler such as a T-ruler. If the bearing must be placed deep into the housing metal, use a wooden dowel just wide enough to fit into the housing metal to tap the bearing in place. Check the recess distance often to avoid recessing the bearing too far.

Todays vehicles usually have wheel bearings as part of a whole hub assembly. Wheel bearings are the only part that connects the vehicles body to its wheels. Knowing when they need to be replaced and the tools required can be useful information for vehicle owners.

Identification

There are several ways to identify a faulty wheel hub bearing assembly, most notably if the vehicles ABS warning light comes on. Strange noises, while turning the steering wheel, are another sign of a bad hub bearing assembly. These include growling or humming noises, usually at speeds around 35 MPH.

ABS Sensors

Many of todays vehicles are equipped with anti-lock brakes. Often times these vehicles will have anti-lock brake sensors built directly into the hub bearing assembly. On vehicles where this is the case, if the sensor goes bad, then replacing the entire hub assembly will be necessary to remedy the problem.

Tools

You can save money by replacing a hub bearing assembly yourself if you possess the know-how and the right tools. Some of the tools needed include a floor jack, a flat head screwdriver, sandpaper and a rubber mallet.

The hub bearing assembly is part of the mechanism of a car wheel. It is the assembly of hubs and bearings that facilitate the rotation of the wheel on the road surface.

Assembly

The hub bearing assembly consists of a wheel hub on which the bearings are mounted. The hub is attached to the axle and the bearings keep the wheel spinning smoothly. Hub bearing assemblies differ between front and back wheel sets.

Wear and Maintenance

A new wheel hub assembly should last up to 150,000 miles, after which it will probably need to be serviced and, eventually, replaced. If possible, replacement parts for specific makes and years should be found.

Problems

Signs that wheel bearings are faulty include wobbling of wheels, or a low growl or hum indicating too much friction. On detecting these warning signs, it is critical that you take your car to a mechanic to avoid further damage.