GUIDE : Rebuilding the rear end

Step 115 - Take another frozen bearing race out from the freezer, place it in the hub and fit an old bearing





Step 116 - Using the socket you sized up earlier, seat the race and wipe of any oil residue. Note this is the tricky one, take your time and if it's not going well then take a break and try again the next day. If you feel you are going to damage the race or hub then go to a garage who have presses to do this kind of job. Saying that, with a little patience and hammer work an amateur should be able to achieve this no problem

Step 117 - Time to pack the bearings, not just grease but PACK. The objective is to get as much grease in the cage as you can and there are even special bearing packers you can buy to help with this. For you and me, we just get greasy! Buy yourself some Castrol LM grease for a fiver, it's brilliant. Alternatively and bearing grease will suffice.



Step 118 - Grab a load of grease in your hand and make sure you don't get grit or dirt in it.

Press the outer face of the bearing into the grease repeatedly and rotate it all the way round including spinning the inner and outer parts so the needles roll.You want to get to the point where the grease is squirting out the inner part of the cage so you know grease is all round the rollers. Once you've done this, pack in from the back as well around the circumference and keep rolling the bearings to spread the grease round, it's a messy job but one you must do right or your bearing's life will be significantly reduced.




Step 119 - Rub some grease around the race in the hub too

Step 120 - Drop the bearing into the race and run some more grease around with your finger tip. Again, spin the bearing a little to make sure it moves freely and is well lubricated




Step 121 - Now grab a new oil seal and press it into the drum

Step 122 - Clean up and wipe of any excess grease around the hub. Make sure you don't leave grease anywhere that friction pads make contact as it can significantly reduce braking efficiency, basically ensure the drum is grease free



Step 123 - Repeat for the other hub



Step 124 - Now onto the hydraulic actuator which pushes the brake pads out onto the drum. Leave the dust protector in place and insert into the key in the backplate as shown

Step 125 - On the back of the plate you now have 2 threaded holes in which you can refit the Allen key bolts (or replace with new if worn)





Step 126 - Spin the little lip round so it is at the back (if you have one)

Step 127 - Now grab yourself a set of shoes and lay them on a bench



Step 128 - Insert the first spring through the hole shown next to the additional metal plate near the top of the shoe. Ensure it hooks through completely as shown in the second picture from the underside




Step 129 - Now drop the little wedge in place as shown

Step 130 - Hook the metal bar in place on the shoe you have fitted the first spring too, it should latch in quite well



Step 131 - Fit the short weaker spring between your 'wedge' and the inner most hole at the bottom




Step 132 - Now grab your second shoe which has the handbrake pivot arm attached (the silver bit which is at the back) and slide it into the metal arm at the top

Step 133 - Now take the long thin spring and hook it into the shoe with the handbrake arm as shown



Step 134 - Route this through the gap in the bar and it needs to hook over the little cut out shown. This looks very simple in the pictures and once you have done a few it's OK but have patience because it can be tricky if you haven't done it before. Alternatively use pliers/mole grips to stretch the spring in place but leverage is always easier

Step 135 - Now you are mostly together it is time to move onto the bottom spring




Step 136 - Hook the spring into the 2 outer most holes as shown. The joy of doing this off the car is that you can squeeze the shoes together and simply hook the springs on (I tried to show this in picture 3).

Step 137 - Now the handbrake cable, route through the hole in the hub backplate as shown. Pick up your shoes and spring ensemble and place it on the backplate (but don't clip it into anything, it just needs to be close enough to do the cable)






Step 138 - Slide out the handbrake arm and hook the cable in place

Step 139 - Squeeze the hydraulic actuators right in and drop the top of the shoes onto the backplate



Step 140 - You will be able to wriggle everything in with little effort except for the bottom of the final shoe which will then be under the tension of the springs. Ensure you hold the shoes against the backplate while you work on the springs (a second person to do this would be useful) and use your fingers or a screwdriver (preferable, again leverage helps) to slide the shoe into place. Better still use a pry bar as shown in the final picture.

Step 141 - Get yourself some new 42mm long show retaining pins and slide them through the backplate and hole in the shoe




Step 142 - Place the spring on top of the pin



Step 143 - Drop the collet or cup on the spring. Rest the back of the pin on something so it doesn't fall out and doesn't use up one of your hands (you'll want them to push down on the collet and compress the spring)

Step 144 - Use mole grips/pliers/a socket to press the cup down and rotate it 90 degrees so it locks in place. You can see from the second picture that the pin slides through and then seats in the recesses in the cup




Step 145 - Repeat on the other shoe (then the other hub)



Step 146 - Admire the finished article ready to bolt to the subframe

Step 147 - Clean up the washers removed earlier, you'll re-use these when we bolt the hub nut on later



Step 148 - Time for some polyurethane bushes on the subframe, these are easier to fit than rubber ones and are longer lasting but make a slightly rougher ride because they are harder. First you need to remove the old bushes which are held on the subframe by a 19mm nut and a 19mm bolt, some force is required to free them as they are exposed to all sorts of wear



Step 149 - Remove the nut, small washer and large washer that sits against the bush

Step 150 - Slide out the long bolt that goes through the subframe and you will also take another large washer and the bush itself which is pressed into the metal carrier you can see removed



Step 151 - If you have the tools to press the bush out then press away, if not then you will need to improvise. I decided to go for the eco unfriendly manner of 'softening' the rubber with some fire! Rubber burns well and for a long time and kills polar bears so you should probably use a press



Step 152 - Finish the bush off by standing the long bolt on some wood and hit the metal bracket on either side with a rubber mallet until it pops out

Step 153 - Note you don't burn the whole bush, just enough to smack it out (Which takes some time and effort!), this way you should have a clean inner bore in which you can refit a new one



Step 154 - You can renew the long bolts but apparently they are a dealer only part so I decided to salvage mine. Use a Stanley knife to cut a line down the rubber bush



Step 155 - Use a flatblade screwdriver to pry away as much of the rubber as you can

Step 156 - Once you've removed as many large chunks as possible, use some method to trim off the reset



Step 157 - Now, onto the tough bit - getting the old sleeve off the bolt, my advice is to carefully grind down both sides of the metal sleeve (note you can only go about half way up without grinding the top big washer so be careful!). Note the tell tale sign that you've reached the end of the sleeve as shown in the second picture where there is blackening




Step 158 - Use a hammer and chisel to open up (flare) the bottom of the sleeve

Step 159 - Once you have any sign of movement, tap the washer (smack with a hammer and chisel hard) down so you have access to the rest of the sleeve with your grinder



Step 160 - Grind the rest of the sleeve through




Step 161 - Open up the metal with your (sharp) chisel

Step 162 - Once you've removed the sleeve, with draw the bolt from the washer

Step 163 - Use a tap and die set to sort the nut and bolt so that they're good for reuse