Rear Axle: rear wheel bearings

[E. Davis]

Going to replace the rear brakes this winter on the 61 Hawk and I guess I'd better bite the bullet and repack the wheel bearings while I'm in there. When I bump the axle out to get to the bearing can I expect any clips,pins washers or what not doo-dads to fall off into the differential. Its my understanding that the TT is a different procedure than the standard rear end and bad things can happen to the novice that fools with them. My intention is to not remove the bearing but repack it on the axle if that can be done. Thanks in advance for pointing out any pitfalls I'm about to step into. I checked the advance search and Johnstone but couldn't find much info on the TT.

[Warren Webb]

Its been a while since I had one of my TT axles apart but this is what I can remember. The end of the axle (insinde the 3rd member) has a "block" that can fall out of place if the axle is removed more than say 1/2 inch. I would remove the backing plate, spray the bearing clean with brake cleaner, then using a needle adapter for a grease gun, lube the bearing in place, pushing any excess grease into the bearing by hand. All I can remember is that "block" was a pain to reinstall. I ended up holding it on the end of the axle shaft with some heavy grease & slid it on. Perhaps someone else will be able to explain it better. Like I said, its been a while.

[E. Davis]

Thanks Warren...thats the very thing I was worried about. I do have a needle adapter I use to grease motorcycle wheel bearings behind their seal. I'll bet they are in need of grease because no one else would want to go through that process either.

Earle

[Jerry Forrester]

I don't know about your '61, but every '53-4-5 Stude I have ever had, had plugs in the axle housing at the bearing area where I could install a grease fitting and grease the bearings with a grease gun. Just a shot or two once a year is enough.

[BobPalma]

I don't know about your '61, but every '53-4-5 Stude I have ever had, had plugs in the axle housing at the bearing area where I could install a grease fitting and grease the bearings with a grease gun. Just a shot or two once a year is enough.

Jerry, those were eliminated before 1961, although I can't say for sure when.

Earle: Warren's idea is a good one to avoid problems at the differential end. It's also a good idea to use your needle adapter to instill the grease. However, I would not use brake cleaner or any other solvent to "clean" the bearings of old grease unless you completely remove them.

I concur with greasing them "on location" as Warren suggests; that's a good idea and I do it myself. But I don't try to clean out old grease lest some solvent remain that might contaminate the new grease. BP