Volvo woes!

[Paul240480]

Well the other day I heard an awful noise Stopped and found this:
So thought initially a leak of brake fluid & another issue (the noise). On investigating I found the brake calliper to be as dry as a desert. So thoughts came to, inner bearing seal letting by, hyphoid oil diluting bearing grease = dried out bearing.

Well getting a bearing off of a half shaft is well beyond me. Let alone pressing a new one on So as these bearing 'rarely fail ' I set off to my local scrappy & pulled a 1/2 shaft complete with bearing. took it home & fitted it having obtained a new inner seal from Brookhouse Volvo. A mere 100 yards 'drive' told me all was not well

So I pulled the other side:
Check the rollers that just fell out! Well tatered So I was unfortunate enough to have one side leaking & one side dry

The 'sad' part is that the outer race (?) of that bearing has stayed in place within the axle tube & is is being a git to remove:

In short this could for me, be the end of my beloved 'Tank'. If I can remove this 'bit' I can put in a replacement 1/2 shaft.

I am told 'Tank' is too good to scrap':

I agree, but it is my ability that is concerning me as I'm getting a bit out of my depth. Costs at a garage make it out of reach too. Any suggestions as to how to remove that bit (which may have welded itself in place), or any other ideas are more than welcome

[bnicho]

Hmmm, messy!

Can you get a three legged puller in there somehow and pull it out that way?

Carefully grind the collar very thin with a dremel then break it with a chisel?

Otherwise you could head back the scrapyard to get the rest of the diff from the car that donated the half-shaft. Pop the good shaft back in and swap the whole diff assembly over. But those diffs are heavy mongrels.

Cheers,
Brett.

[pryantcc]

Hi Paul,
what a complete pain! Is there any space behind the bearing race for you to get something into? What I'm thinking if there's a gap behind it:
cut out a flat plate with a hole in the middle. Make the plate as big as possible so that you can only just get it in behind the bearing race. You could then make some kind of slide hammer arrangement where you put a piece of threaded rod or a very long bolt through the hole before hooking the plate behind the bearing race and use the rod to "hammer" the plate from the inside which might slowly shift the race?

If there's no gap behind the bearing race I'm not so sure, I like the idea of grinding it thin and breaking it if that's possible.
Good luck and don't scrap it!

[Paul240480]

Thanks. I've been told to make a slide hammer or a puller. That's sort of where I become stuck. Pulling to bits, & replacing/refitting when all goe's well it okay. Making things like home made tools, lol. I'm one of those that's cuts two pieces of wood to the same size & then finds one is about 3 mills shorter, every time. I probably have a wonky eye or something

Yes there is indeed a gap between the 'back' of the race & the inner seal. I think enough to get a 3-legged puller in.
I've tried this method, which was sucsessful in removing the inner seal on the other side:

But not enough leverage to remove that blessed race

I have a cheapo version of a dremmel tool. I think I'll see if I can get a carbide burr piece. Between the puller & that I should be in with a shooting chance.

A axle swop too, is a little daunting, but I think doo-able as a last ditch.

Can't do a lot till the weekend as wifey is working & needs the 850. Living out in the sticks I need transport to get to Bricomarche.

Will update when I get to the next 'stage'

[spiny]

have you got access to a welder ? welding a few big spots on the race should cause it to heat quicker than the hub and free it off

[Paul240480]

have you got access to a welder ? welding a few big spots on the race should cause it to heat quicker than the hub and free it off

Sadly no, & welding is something I've never tried. Thanks

[jimmyybob]

Its a shame you dont weld, if you weld all the way around the inside with a nice thick weld when it cools its will almost fall out.

[Paul240480]

Sounds like a good option if able.

I've just had a fab offer on the French Volvo Forum! A chap has offered, if needed to help me remove an axle from a yard & refit to 'Tank' if needed I love these forums!

[JPB]

A used axle is probably a safe bet on one of these. After all, they never break......

Seriously? I'd opt for the used axle but I'd overhaul the existing one in my spare time. This would serve two purposes: It would result in your having a good axle, ready to fit when, after another few million miles, the used one lets go and it would teach you how to do the job without the pressure of having to have it fixed to a deadline.

The last time I needed to use a puller on one of my big Volvos it was to do this:

in order to fit these:


But I honestly wouldn't rate the chances of that little three-legged puller against hub bearings 'cos when those muvvas are tight, they're very, very tight.

[Paul240480]

Right, having been 'in battle' with this job since 23/12 I made some progress yesterday. I went to the shops & got a carbide burr attachment & a set of pullers. The pullers had only 'outwards' feet, but I decided that I may be able to remove the 3-legs & turn them around to make suitable for this job.

Pullers first, but soon found that the gap in which the legs sat was smidge too small & the pullers would'nt grip. Just kept popping off with the slightest pressure.

So out with the burr Well that merely tickled the flippin' thing. By now I was getting a tad wicked off & the option of that (daunting) axle swop loomed ever closer.

Next I decided 'do or die' not a lot to lose, so out came my trusty club hammer. I hooked my little claw hammer in behind the jammed race (as per my pic in earlier posts), carboard behind for protection & I began to wack the handle with my club hammer. 3, 6, 9, & 12 O'clock. Third time 'around the clock' & it had moved, all be it a smidge.

So now can I get the pullers in?


Well yes, after having it pull out about 20 or so times, I eventually got it to lock in place & used my wrench as a 'bar' for the puller to press on


Spanner on & winding!

And here just before it came out

The axle tube looked quite good, a few 'marks' but nothing that looked overly serious. I flushed it out with spray brake cleaner. Then a smear of grease & then I put in the 'old off-side' 1/2 shaft (regreased) & it seems to spin smoothly. Shortly after this heavy rain stopped play, light was fading too. So that is where I am up to right now, the weather is still against me. I shall probably run Tank like this, locally. But more than likely I'll nip back to the yard & get the near-side 1/2 shaft from the 'donor car' & fit that, just so as I have a shaft that has been 'going the right way', if that makes sense! Phew.