| Dustbowl | -- 10-16-2012 @ 5:23 PM |
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My 1936 Cabriolet is running great but I hear some noise when I jack up the rear end and spin the rear wheels with the engine. I suspect bad wheel bearings. How do I remove these and how difficult a job is it, assuming I can get rear brake drum off (which is never easy)??
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| kubes40 | -- 10-16-2012 @ 8:25 PM |
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This is a very easy job. the toughest part as you figured is getting the drums off. Perhaps you can borrow a drum puller? Once you have drums off, the bearings are held within the drum b a seal and a ring. Simply remove the ring and seal and pull the bearing out. I strongly suggest you find NOS or very good (used) Ford (OEM) bearings. The repop bearings are poor quality at best and don't hold up well. there is currently a set with seals, all NOS on this clubs parts for sale listings. I think 36 was a transition year for bearings so be certain what diameter YOUR car requires.
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| supereal | -- 10-16-2012 @ 8:53 PM |
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I would add to Mike's advice that you should use the correct grease to repack the bearings. We use and recommend Sta-Lube heavy duty drum brake grease. It is a thick yellow sticky lube that contains fibers like the original Ford type. The Hyatt roller bearings require the the grease be pulled through the bearings as they rotate, and non fiber grease will result in damage to the axle housings. Be sure to install the seals with the lip facing inward. We use a plastic PVC pipe coupling with a wood block to seat the seal below the snap ring groove. Replace the outer fiber axle seal, as well. If your noise occured with the wheel off the ground, that is normal for the 3/4 floating Ford system.
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| ford38v8 | -- 10-16-2012 @ 9:56 PM |
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Both good advice, and I have more: If your wheel bearings are indeed guilty of producing the noise you hear, then you're very likely to also discover that the bottom surface of your axle housings have been destroyed by those bad bearings. This will require considerably more work, but without further cost beyond a set of banjo gaskets. The '35-'36 axle housing is reversible, unlike the later axle housings. Quite a job, but straight forward labor without much skill required. Remove and trade left for right axle housings, the worn surface then is harmlessly on top, presenting a new surface on the bottom for the new bearings. Alan
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| 40 Coupe | -- 10-17-2012 @ 4:41 AM |
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To help in removing the drums you can remove the clevis pin for the mechanical brakes at each of the rear wheels, this will allow the brake shoes to relax away from the drum. Use a drum puller that pulls the drum center hub and not the wheel lugs, the lug type can distort the drum causing brake problem after reassembly. Do not use the grease zerk on the back of the end of the backing plate to lube the bearings, they often result in excessive lube and damaged grease seals.
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| Dustbowl | -- 10-22-2012 @ 1:05 PM |
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Many thanks for four useful responses to my post. I have now taken the rear drum off and looked carefully at the bearing but without removing it. My impression is that the bearings and the axle housing are in good condition. However, there is a slight (maybe 1/32 inch) play which allows the bearing to slide longitudinally back and forth in the bearing race. This is with the grease seal in along with snap ring. Is this a problem and could it be the source of the noise (intermittent "clicking") I hear?? Separately, I refer to Supereal's comment as follows: "If your noise occured with the wheel off the ground, that is normal for the 3/4 floating Ford system." Does this mean I should not worry about the noise I hear when spinning the rear wheels with engine?
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| supereal | -- 10-22-2012 @ 1:22 PM |
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Those bearings are not a tight fit. This allows the cage to rotate. When the load is taken off the bearings by raising the wheel and running the car, a clunking noise is not unusual as the wheel rotates. The 3/4 floating system is a bit clumsy, but has had a long good run. The Ford script rear wheel bearings are very tough, and if kept packed, usually last as long as the car. Repro bearings have been found with soft sides that wear quickly. If you find the grease has turned gray after use, you have either used the wrong grease, or the axle housings are spalling. If badly worn, they can be sleeved. The case hardening on the housings is quite thin.
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