65 Sport Fury Rear Axle Bearing Replacement

[65SportFuryGuy]

My 65 Plymouth Sport Fury driver's side rear axle bearing has gone out. I have pulled the axle and the remaining grease ran out and the bearing was dry. I have also pulled the passenger's side and everything was good. The grease was intact. I noticed before I pulled the axle that the bottom of the back plate was cover greasily caked on brake dust and the back side of my mag was covered the greasily caked on brake dust as well. I have ordered a new inner seal, Collar, Cup and Bearing Cone, Outer Seal # 19000, Axle Flange Gaskets # 13800 & 55032. I have been told that you don't pack the bearing and I have been told that you do. I say you do pack the axle bearing. Also does the new inner seal ride up against the collar or is there space between them. If there is space, how much.

 

[sccachallenger]

Definitely pack the bearing with grease.It's supposed to be lubed by the grease only, not the gear oil.I'm not sure of the measurements, measure and record the depth of the inner seal before you remove the old one. You may see a spot on the axle where the seal has been rubbing.

 

[MoPar Maniac]

Take your axle and bearing to the shop and have them remove the old and install the new. They will pack the bearing for you.....oh...wait. When I did mine it was about 1975 or so when parts stores had machine shops.

 

[bluefury361]

Most big box parts stores either don't have a press anymore, or lack the ability to use them. A truck repair shop or machine shop will help.
And yes ...... pack the bearing.

 

[65SportFuryGuy]

Thanks gentleman for your reply's. A good friend of mine owns a auto repair shop and he's going to install all the the new parts and pack the bearing. I'm just waiting on the outer seal and the axle flange gasket 55032 to come in. I have everything else. Also I found out that the collar should not be any closer than a 16th of an inch from the inner seal. I bought this car along with a parts car in March of 02 and drove on the road for the first time in Nov of 04. In Sept of 05 it won 1st place in it class. The class was 65-70 C-Bodys Stock/Modified. There was 6 Sport Furies and 8 or 9 others ranging from Furies I, II and III to Fury II Station Wagon in the class and they gave out 3 places. This was a all Mopar Car Show, Swap Meet and Mopar vs the World Drag Racing meet. When I built the car I replaced the wheel bearings, inner seal etc. So its been 15 years in March that I have had the car. The avatar you see of it was taken around the first of Dec 04

 

[65SportFuryGuy]

Gentlemen. I'm picking up the Outer Seal and Axle Flange Gasket today. So I hope to start reinstalling the axles, new brake shoes and brake cylinders in a day or so. Will keep you posted. Also the spacing between the Inner Seal and the Collar is .109375 (7/64 of an inch) or 1/8 of an inch.

 

[65SportFuryGuy]

Okay guys. I have a question about the passenger's side axle. I know you install the driver's side first and then the passenger's side. You make your adjustment here. The axle flange case has teeth on it and there's a locking washer that when you tighten the flange down to the back place the key part on the locking washer fits down between a couple of the teeth. My question is how does it adjust and that does it adjust. Does it screw in and out or what. See attached photos. Also I cleaned out as much of the old grease as I could and used a grease injection needle that attaches into the end of my grease gun to insert the new grease.

 

[polara71]

Ive done it twice but would never be able to explain it.

 

[Polara_500]

Yeah, it's not really hard to do but a ***** to write out.

 

[65SportFuryGuy]

In going through my Plymouth 1965 Service Technical Manual last night I found on page 3-5 under Installation of Axle Shaft the steps on how to install and adjust the right axle. I don't know how I missed reading this as many times as I have gone thriught this section. From what I understand reading this section you back off the Adjuster ring that has notches by unscrewing it. Then after you get the axle in place you install five nuts you then tighten the Adjuster ring then hit the left axle hub with a mallet to knock the right wheel bearing cup against the Adjuster then rotate the axle and then back the Adjuster ring off four notches. Remove the nut to install the locking washer. If the locking washer end doesn't go down into between the notches back it off to the nearest notch and the install and tighten it down. Rotate both sides and make sure they turn freely. It also talks about use a dial indicator to measure the end play. Well I don't have one and don't know where to find one. I have attached page 3-5 for everyone's review. Is my understanding correct on how to do it. All comments are welcomed with open arms. Please try and write down how you Polara_500 and Polara71 did it for me. Please.

 

[Polara_500]

I did it per the FSM. I didn't reference it earlier since I figured you hadn't reviewed it there as it's so well described. I didn't have a dial indicator either, just pretty much ball parked it and it's been fine for about 30 years and 200K miles so I don't think the dial indicator is really needed. Too much detail to repeat what's in the book, at least for this old non-typist.

 

[bluefury361]

This thread has the flavor of a face book entry. LOL.
It's wheel bearing, not rocket science, just install it.

 

[65SportFuryGuy]

The guy that put my new outer seal, bearing and collar put the bearing on wrong and didn't press them on far enough. He's telling me that this is the correct way and I said that he is wrong and needs to do it the correct way which means he will have to buy new bearings and collar out of his own pocket. I'm posting a photo of the left and the right axle showing the bearings. The black collar is the passenger side and the bearing face toward the Diff and on the plain collar the bearings face the outside of the car. The passenger side is the side that he pressed on. Which one is the correct way the bearings should face. Black collar or plain collar.

 

[65sporty]

Okay guys. I have a question about the passenger's side axle. I know you install the driver's side first and then the passenger's side. You make your adjustment here. The axle flange case has teeth on it and there's a locking washer that when you tighten the flange down to the back place the key part on the locking washer fits down between a couple of the teeth. My question is how does it adjust and that does it adjust. Does it screw in and out or what. See attached photos. Also I cleaned out as much of the old grease as I could and used a grease injection needle that attaches into the end of my grease gun to insert the new grease.

The pic's of the axle in this post was it before the bearing replacement? I would use it as a guide.

 

[65SportFuryGuy]

This was taken after the new bearing was pressed on. The black collar is the exciting bearing set up and the plain collar is the new bearing.

 

[65sporty]

From what I see he has it backwards

 

[saylor]

damn. he had one job . . .

 

[bluefury361]

I share the pain. A rear wheel bearing failed on my coronet once, on a road trip. I found a local Amoco trans shop and thought they would be at least qualified to do the job ....... WRONG....!
After several trips to the parts store and 8 hours the mechanic was still struggling. I sent him to the lobby area and finished the job myself. They still charged me over $300.00.

 

[65SportFuryGuy]

Gentleman I have not forgotten about you. Here are where we are now. The rear axle bearing has been installed correctly. Both axles have been installed along with the wheel cylinders and shoes. The brakes have been adjusted and bleed. The assist vacuum pump has been installed a long with a vacuum gauge. The pump works great. Had been driving the car a couple of times a week but having a problem. I have a good hard pedal but was soft at the bottom at the final stopping point. Stopping the car was a lot better but it still didn't feel right. The softness at the bottom concerned me so I took it back to get that taken care of. Come to find out the dual booster and the dual master cylinder were both leaking. At this time waiting on parts. When I build the car I converted the front to disc. The single master cylinder and single booster was not strong enough because of the cam in the engine not letting the engine to product enough vacuum. After converting over to a dual master cylinder and a dual booster and installing a vacuum recovery system things were better. It now seems that time has taken it's toll on the brake system. This general maintain deal now has gotten blown out of the water.

 

[65SportFuryGuy]

I have some good news. The shop that is fixing my brakes is having to replace the leaking master cylinder and leaking booster. The shop has had problems finding the master cylinder and booster. The suppliers seem to carry only the single booster and the single master cylinder only for a all drums brake system not for a disc / drum combo for a 65 Plymouth Sport Fury. My booster is a double diagram 66 - 70 Mopar booster for disc / drum brakes. The master cylinder is a dual universal master cylinder 4 bolt up. I found it at TheRamManINC.com. These are reproduction items for Mopar. He's shipping them direct to the shop for me. I told him what I had and what was going on and he said this is what you need. TheRamManINC.com advertises on this wedsite. That's how I found out about him. So if you need any Mopar brake components contact him. His pricing is good not too high and not too low but in the middle and its free shipping.