So, I had my truck in the lift at the DIY shop today trying to diagnose a so far very elusive metallic, kind of high pitched grinding noise that seems to be right side biased (I hear it more on the right side with the windows down). I also have some chirping coming from the right rear when I turn left, which I assume is the wheel angle changing causing the brake to rub. I am hoping this is source of my elusive noise, because next on my list of suspects is the front output shaft bearing on my transfer case...ugh...


What I am wondering is - being the DIY kind of guy that I am - has anyone taken this on themselves? How big of a job are the rear wheel bearings? The front hubs were fairly straight forward - what I would call a 2 banana job. But the rears appear to be a bit more involved...


Thanks all!

 

I'm assuming you are going by the world wide standard 5 banana scale...

in that case I give it 3.5 bananas.

You will need a shop press and beer. The hardest part is pressing in the hub to the bearing which has already been pressed into the knuckle. Be sure to measure the depth the hub is pressed in on the old assembly.

you will also need an alignment after.

 

Thank you, Abran. That is indeed the scale to wit I refer! I have access to a bearing press at the DIY shop, but what takes me a few hours might take the mechanic there much less time.


The older I get, the more value I place on my free time!

 

so true.

I would put the bearing and the hub in the freezer.

First install hub in the knuckle, allow to warm up then install hub into bearing. You need to support the inner race on the bearing before pushing in hub or you will destroy the bearing. I have never destroyed one myself(cough) but heard it can happen.

 

I think I have a very similar noise. I only hear it with the windows down and it sounds like a brake pad rubbing a rotor edge, but doesn't change on or off brakes and hasn't gone away or changed in the 10k miles I've driven. I'm praying it isn't my transfer case or a diff as well.

Let us know what you find.

 

Who did your brakes last? Did the follow the bedding procedure for the EPB properly? I had my EPB shoes eat my rotors once. It sounded as you describe.

 

They were done before I bought it. Most of the work was done by the local dealer, but I'll have to double check the brakes were.

What is the EPB bedding procedure?

 

Search this forum for Bodsie's Brake Bible. That's about all I know.

 

Uh-oh. Just found this. Is your noise similar to the example on this page?

Land Rover Differential - Centurion Differential

Mine sounds like a much much much more faint (like 1/20th as bad) version. Sounds like it might be a diff at the beginning stages of failing.

 

How is the rear bearing replacement involving ?
I have replaced a front ones twice so myself, so would say it was strait forward, but wanted to know what is really involved in terms of removing parts.EPB is kind of black magic thing fro me and I would like to know if parking brake mechanism must be completely dismounted or it comes out as one piece and n fiddling with springs and such ..Thanks