Anyone know where I can get some and how easy are they to fit?

Are they just whack into place interference fit jobbies?

Pat...

I got mine from the local Auto factor's off the shelf. They were easy to fit. You can freeze the caps for a bit. and keep the old ones to hammer them home!!

Try Halfords, I got set of rear bearings and seals for 4x4 Sierra- Should be £42 each side. Discount price £9.99 each side

Are you talking front or rear? makes a big difference. If you mean the rear then halfshaft needs to come out and bearing is better pressed off in a hydraulic press and the new one pressed on with a new retaining collar . It is possible to do without a press , saw through the collar along side of halfshaft , lay the outer race on a vice or anvil , cover with a piece of rag , PUT ON GOGGLES and smash off outer race . Then use an angle grinder to grind almost through inner race then remove with sharp chisel . A piece of scaffold tube can then be used to fit new bearing and collar . As already stated it's better done with a press.

Are there people/garages that can still actually do these?

Pat...

Any one with a press should be able to do it for you, not difficult at all.
Maybe ten minutes work on a press . Halfshaft comes out fairly easy , just take off wheel and brake drum remove the four retaining bolts through the large hole in drive shaft flange use an old wheel attached to wheel mountings and hit wheel to remove halfshaft . Really stubborn halfshafts may need a slide hammer but an old wheel normally works. HTH

Hi, burton power stock these my not be the cheapest method however they stock both the BRT266 and the 252.

You may have come accros this before, but just in case.

When removing half shafts, do them one at a time or at least clearly make which side each came from. Putting used half shafts back the wrong way can leed to premature failure of the halfshaft.


I'm reling on 50/50 luck after I made this mestake with my rear axle.

[Edited on 4/12/05 by clbarclay]

Try your local motor factors for the parts.

English and Salsbury axles use different bearings to fit either You will need a old steel pan, camping stove or large blow lamp, 2+ foot length of thick tube (scaffolding tube) of slightly internal diameter than the sahft.

(1) Pull the shafts out --- undo the 4 bolts that hold the brake back plate on -- put an old steel wheel on mounted backwards and hammer the tyre and pull at the same time.

(2) Breakup the outer part the bearing using a grinder or crush it in a larger vice. Taking care not to mark the shaft.

(3) Grind through bearing retainer ring in two places stop just short of breaking through on to the shaft. Remove with careful use of chisel.

(4) Repeat (3) for bearing inner ring.

(5) Clean and polish shaft area where bearing is located.
(6) (optional) Leave shaft in chest freezer over night.
(7) Put enough clean engine oil to cover the bearing in a steel pan, put bearing in pan and heat oil to about 200c.
(8) Drop HOT bearing over shaft -- first check it is correct way round --- and ram home using a length of scaffolding tube or similar.
(9) Using blow lamp heat the retainng collar collar to almost red heat and ram/hammer fully home snug against the bearing.

Pat - best place locally for bearings is Spen Bearings in Cleckheaton - they will supply you good quality without costing the earth. They will also have all the appropriate application data to make sure you get the right bearings and seals.