I am replacing the bearings in the hubs and can not get the outside bearing out. I took the seal and inside bearing out. I removed the clip for the outside bearing. Do I need to have it pressed out? The bearing is loose, but it seems like there is a ring that has been pressed in behind the bearing. Any help or links to rebuilding 14 bolt hubs would be nice.
Thanks

why did GM build the hubs inside out?

I do not recall any issues on the bearing removal, did you smack it?

do you mean the oil seal???? get a punch or heavy screw driver and tap it all out from the out side. also check the 14b bible in the tech dept.

Ohhhh...I remember that bitch. That outer bearing was a pain to remove, especially that damn snap ring. I had to buy new snap rings after I finally bent the hell out of them getting the dam things out. If I remember right, turn the brg side ways a little bit so you can use a punch. There were two small indentations there, that will let you get a punch on the outer race to hammer it inwards for removal.

jus did mine last week, used a punch and a hammer, after bunch of hard hits it came out

the snap ring holds the outer bearing race in which holds the outer bearing in. after removing the snap ring you may have to drive out the bearing and race. just use a BFH. make sure you drive it out square(as much as possible) or you may bind things up.

and when you are putting it back together and smacking the race, make sure the bearing doesn't flip upside down.......Don't ask.

What are people using to remove the snap ring? I can pinch the ends together, but only one end is moving so I can't lift it out of the groove. Tried some penetrating oil in case the snap ring is gunked in there, but still no luck.

Knock the race towards the outside a little bit, this will help with the ring removal. When reinstalling, drive the race past the groove a little to reinstall. Then seat the race back down on the snap ring.

What are people using to remove the snap ring? I can pinch the ends together, but only one end is moving so I can't lift it out of the groove. Tried some penetrating oil in case the snap ring is gunked in there, but still no luck.


When you get the ends of the snap ring squeezed together, try to run a thin flat head screw driver around the inside of the hub between the ring and the hub. You can work the ring loose, and then yank it out. Then get a good punch, and drive the race out of the hub. If you are going to the trouble of taking the bearings out, then you might as well replace the bearings and races while you are there.

Ok, maybe my question should be whether there is any chance of packing the outer bearing with it still in place rather than go to all this trouble? With the oil leaking past the seal, it definitley needs to be repacked. But I doubt that it is to the point of needing replaced.

Those bearings are lubed by the gearlube in the axle.

I've had people say to pack them with grease because it takes awhile for the oil to circulate into them. Also, it looks like they were packed with grease before.

after i messed with it for a long time, i ended up going to a parts store and buying some really long strong needle nose pliers. i got em at oreilly and they worked perfect. once i removed that snap ring , it all went well. i always make it a habit to pack my bearings with a high temp grease. the way i see it , what the heck is it gonna hurt?? Ryan

Pack the bearings.... what is the cost of a tub of grease? If it makes the bearings last longer then its worth it IMO.

And no... you can't pack the bearing with grease with it still in the hub.

Item #
Product Name
Quantity
Price
Total
Remove


PGB P387AS Inner Wheel Bearing Cone - Rear Wheel
$11.49 $22.98 Remove (2 of them)

BRG 382A Inner Wheel Bearing Cup - Rear Wheel
$13.49 $26.98 Remove (2 of them)

BRG BR38 Outer Wheel Bearing - Rear Wheel
$17.49 $34.98 Remove (2 of them)
Sub Total: $84.94



Is that all the parts needed to change out the wheel bearings? The outer bearing has the race and the bearing. so yeah.. just checkin if this is all i need to do it.

When i took the outer bearings out, they seemed fine to me though. Do wheel bearings go bad? Should i just replace them anyways?

I've had people say to pack them with grease because it takes awhile for the oil to circulate into them. Also, it looks like they were packed with grease before.

Jack up one side of the vehicle at a time, for a while, to let oil run out to the bearings.

If I must pre-pack, I use vaseline or the auto-trans assembly stuff - which dissolves into the gear oi. I'm not sure I'm want gobs of grease floating around in the rear end - especially not if I had a clutch-posi.

Thanks. Someone gave me the explanation of the "jack each side" trick and that the dealers and shops use the grease because they don't want to take the time to fool with it, but that the grease can act as a dam and keep the gear oil away from the bearings - and, as you say, gobs of grease can cause other problems.

I'm going to clean everything out and go this route. Many thanks!