vonzoog
Delaware
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Joined: 05/19/2005
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Thanks a lot. The is a great post with the pictures.
Although I have done this several times myself, I thought that it is well worth keeping. For those who would like to do the same here is a an easy way to do it.
Highlite and drag the mouse over JBarca's entire post. Then RIGHT click on your mouse.
Click on COPY
Open your Word program and PASTE
Then click on your "Printer" icon.
Now you have a copy (with nice color pictures) to keep and refer to.
Thanks again to JBarca.
If you have to ask why I drive a Diesel, then you will never understand.
2016 Ram 3500 DRW
Cummins(370/800) 68RE Auto 3.73 Rear
2018 Momentum 376TH
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canuk camper
Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada
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Joined: 11/05/2005
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JBarca, that was an excellent presentation, it would be great if there was more of that here on the R.V. net. Basic RV maintenance, made easy. thankyou.
Ron![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
* This post was
edited 01/29/23 08:33am by an administrator/moderator *
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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Joined: 10/16/2000
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John,
Thank you for a very informative and helpful post! I have asked Admin to make it a sticky at the top of the Towing forum. I, and I'm sure all of our members, appreciate your well thought out and helpful posts. Wish I could take pictures like you do!![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
Thanks again for all your efforts.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine
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Hap Trails
Three Rivers Minnesota
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Joined: 11/28/2004
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Hi JBarca, That's my Fleetwood 250RKS. Also my balpein hammer and seal puller. Great job on your post. This will help a lot of folks out.
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firebirdparts
Tennessee
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Joined: 11/16/2005
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That is excellent, thanks. I needed that. Been procrastinating about adjusting my brakes.
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Caddywhompus
Southeast WI
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Joined: 06/27/2001
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JBarca wrote:No I can't take credit for inventing that puller. I had the one in the pic for a long time. End up acquiring it for doing some work back when I was like 16. Which at this point, let's just say was a while ago... It is a inside/outside slide hammer puller. You can flip the jaws around and the cone on the bottom locks them. Mine is made by Proto. Searched them on the web and they still make it, just slightly updated.
Proto Gear Puller Set
Now why to be so careful when removing to replace. The ID of the seal is still messed up using the puller. However I did not scratch up the hub bore that the seal is pressed in. If you do not have a puller the options are sort of a screw drive with a hammer and dig and pry. Yeh it works, but if you have the puller, it is easier.
A long long long time ago an old mechanic (one of my mentors) in the automotive industry showed me a trick to popping out grease seals that I still use today. Most of the time the seal comes out undamaged and can be reused using this method, although it takes a little practice to get that good.
After you pull the outer nut, washer and bearing, but before you remove the drum. Simply thread ONLY the nut back on to the spindle a few turns. As you slide the drum off, hook the inside edge of the seal against the back of the nut and give the drum a sharp pull. The grease seal (and usually the inner bearing) will be left dangling on the spindle behind the nut.
I know it sounds like it shouldn't work, and that it might even damage a bearing or race in the process, but it doesn't. Like I said, most of the time the grease seal comes out so gently it can be cleaned and reused. I've been doing my bearings this way for about 15 years. Never replaced a wheelbearing yet. And the only grease seals I've ever replaced were due to age, not damage from removal. That includes not only the trailers, but also the FWD vehicles I had with rear drum brakes.
-Jimmy
- '11 Ford Expedition XL 5.4L (Primary tow vehicle)
- '04 Mercury Grand Marquis 4.6L (Backup tow vehicle
- '04 Ford Freestar SES 3.9L (another Backup tow vehicle)
- '97 Lincoln Mark VIII 32v 4.6L (another Backup tow vehicle)
- '95 Ford Ranger XLT 4.0L (final Backup)
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JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
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Joined: 12/16/2004
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BarneyS wrote:John,
Thank you for a very informative and helpful post! I have asked Admin to make it a sticky at the top of the Towing forum. I, and I'm sure all of our members, appreciate your well thought out and helpful posts. Wish I could take pictures like you do!
Thanks again for all your efforts.
Barney
Barney and other camper friends,
OK I'm humbled now. WOW thanks for the kind words. Glad this has helped. That was the intent plus to learn some more myself from others.
There are more good comments still coming in from others methods which is what I was after as well. I'll wait a little more and then maybe go add a few more good tips to the words to make it a little clearer. Then we can all benefit.
The cut and paste into MS word with pic's and all, never realized that. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/cool.gif "cool")
This site is one of the best things that has come along in a long while. We help each other in many ways, make new friends across the county and into other countries, be safer, free education and just plain have some fun. That camping spirit is alive and well here on the Open Roads Forum.
Thanks
John
John & Cindy
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10
CC, SB, Lariat & FX4 package
21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR
Ford Tow Command
1,700# Reese HP hitch & HP Dual Cam
2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver
2004 Sunline Solaris T310SR
(I wish we were camping!)
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JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
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Caddywhompus wrote:
After you pull the outer nut, washer and bearing, but before you remove the drum. Simply thread ONLY the nut back on to the spindle a few turns. As you slide the drum off, hook the inside edge of the seal against the back of the nut and give the drum a sharp pull. The grease seal (and usually the inner bearing) will be left dangling on the spindle behind the nut.
I know it sounds like it shouldn't work, and that it might even damage a bearing or race in the process, but it doesn't. Like I said, most of the time the grease seal comes out so gently it can be cleaned and reused. I've been doing my bearings this way for about 15 years. Never replaced a wheelbearing yet. And the only grease seals I've ever replaced were due to age, not damage from removal. That includes not only the trailers, but also the FWD vehicles I had with rear drum brakes.
-Jimmy
H'mm Jimmy OK what you are saying is the inner bearing cone stops up against the nut and then the bearing acts against the seal and the brake drum is the slide hammer. Gently ratchet the drum back and forth and tap out the seal. Like the slide hammer puller. I could see this working and obviously it does.
The bearing should be able to take it. The seal, well if the rubber is hard, it needs to go anyway. Whether or not to reuse the seal over, well that is a personal call. There is 2 camps on this. Those that clean and inspect and reuse, and those that pitch it regardless. Both work.
I must admit this is cheaper than the $487 Proto puller set.... But then again I have had mine for the last 30 years and it was used when I got it. Only cost me like $20 in a barter trade agreement. Good tools taken care of, last.
Thanks
John
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Retiredblade
Western, Pa
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Joined: 06/16/2003
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Yesterday, I talked to a mechanic and he told me the same thing as Caddywhompus said, think I will try it before I make that tool.
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Caddywhompus
Southeast WI
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Joined: 06/27/2001
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JBarca wrote:H'mm Jimmy OK what you are saying is the inner bearing cone stops up against the nut and then the bearing acts against the seal and the brake drum is the slide hammer. Gently ratchet the drum back and forth and tap out the seal. Like the slide hammer puller. I could see this working and obviously it does.
Yes, that is the general idea. Only thing wrong with your interpretation is the part about "gently ratchet the drum back and forth and tap out the seal". What you are really doing is giving the drum a sharp pull off the spindle. One hit with the "slide hammer" so to say. Done properly, this single pull gets the job done in one swift motion.
When I was a mechanic (for a Chrysleer dealer) FWD cars with rear drums were the norm. This was always the way we removed the bearings and seals on customer's cars. I don't think I EVER saw a puller used to remove grease seals. OF course, when the car belonged to a customer, it always got new seals. When it belonged to me, I reuse them until they got funky, then replace. I've done thousands this way over the years.
Oh, and on the bearing packer topic, most old mechanics will NOT use a bearing packer even if one is present. It's thought hand packing is the only way to really get the grease in were it belongs. I've tried both ways, and they both seem to work for me. But when I worked at the dealership all the techs hand packed the bearings, even though we had a really nice pnuematic packing machine available. I do notice that when I use my bearing packer, a lot of grease is wasted. This is because the packing cone has to fill the ID of the bearing before it begins to push grease into the rollers.
One last tip: If you clean the bearings in solvent or spray cleaner (sometimes required, sometimes not), make sure you blow them out thoroughly with clean compressed air. Any tiny bit of solvent left in the bearings can break down the grease and fry a bearing. THIS I have seen on several occassions. ("What do you mean my bearing are fried, I just repacked them last weekend!") And NEVER mix different types of grease when packing bearings. If you are upgrading to synthetic, or even just changing brands, best to completely clean the bearing in solvent and start from scratch. Different types of greases can react negatively to one another and break down.
I myself always use a high quality synthetic grease, although my reasons are more laziness than anything. The synthetic grease is superior for just about any use, allowing me to keep only that type of grease "in stock" in my garage. I use it for suspension zerk fittings, wheel bearings in drums AND disk brake axles, U-joints...etc. you name it.
-Jimmy
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