Removal of rear brake drum side bearing

I am trying to remove the rear brake drum side bearing on my 1970 model. I have hit two problems which hopefully someone knows a good solution to.

The service manual explains that I should insert the rear axel with the plated spacer from the lockring side and drive out the drum side bearing. But it is not possible to hit the top of the axel with a mallet as the plated spacer is not long enough to make the axel head clear the hub.

The other problem is that it seems like the breake drum side of the hub has been punch-crimped. Will I be able to remove the felt retaining washer just by driving the brake side bearing from the lockring side? ?

For the dished washer, you can just tap the staked bits back with a drift/chisel. There is an updates dished washer from AN with notches in the periphery.

Do a search for rear bearing removal..
Lots of older threads on procedure and equencing of parts..schematic not clear on at least one shim placement.

Hot tip, keep to 45-50 ftlbs torque on axle nut, not the 70 book spec...prevent squashing of speedo housing leading black star of death phenomenon.

Tornado said:

For the dished washer, you can just tap the staked bits back with a drift/chisel. There is an updates dished washer from AN with notches in the periphery.

Do a search for rear bearing removal..
Lots of older threads on procedure and equencing of parts..schematic not clear on at least one shim placement.

Hot tip, keep to 45-50 ftlbs torque on axle nut, not the 70 book spec...prevent squashing of speedo housing leading black star of death phenomenon.

Click to expand...

Hot tip : heat gun to the hub area with penetrant . Same without penetrant , to put in the new frozen bearing .

That is a 4203 double row ball bearing , It is a special bearing with tight tolerances, I would inspect it and re grease it and not remove it. If it moves freely, I would not remove it. if you do remove it, you can clean it and reuse it, IF it looks and spins OK. IT is a very expensive bearing and they don't make them like they used to. The new bearings are C3 not as tight a clearance as the OEM ones. Removing it can damage it!

Torontonian said:

Hot tip : heat gun to the hub area with penetrant . Same without penetrant , to put in the new frozen bearing .

Click to expand...

I used lots of heat and penetrant oil. The lockring side bearing and bearing spacer came out without any problem.

Tornado said:

Do a search for rear bearing removal..
Lots of older threads on procedure and equencing of parts..schematic not clear on at least one shim placement.

Click to expand...

I have looked at the older threads. I found this thread, but the person there had had the same problem with the rear axel and plated spacer not being long enough.

Carl H said:

That is a 4203 double row ball bearing , It is a special bearing with tight tolerances, I would inspect it and re grease it and not remove it. If it moves freely, I would not remove it. if you do remove it, you can clean it and reuse it, IF it looks and spins OK. IT is a very expensive bearing and they don't make them like they used to. The new bearings are C3 not as tight a clearance as the OEM ones. Removing it can damage it!

Click to expand...

Good tip, I will consider it. But the oil felt washer looks like it should be replaced. The felt washer was completely missing/disintegrated on the lockring side.