MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - Tough Bearings

Please help! We bought a set of rear bearings for the 1963 mgb roadster but we cant get the old ones off. Are we doing something wrong? I've stuck the screw driver in there like many times with other cars to pop them out, but they won't budge. We are considering heating them up in hopes they'll pop out. It's almost like they're screwed on or something (they're not are they??). Any advice? Thanks Rob
Rob DeCamp

Wheel bearing ? See the threads about shimming the back axle. I was lucky that Dave Pymme has a slide hammer .
S Best

Sorry Rob, you've lost me too. The rear wheel bearing is pressed onto on the halfshaft. I found that once the shaft is removed you can tap it off with a bit of brute, and then warm the new bearing to get it on without a press.
Steve Postins

Yes, they are the rear wheel bearings. I wish I could get them off with just a little bit of brute, but they won't budge. I'm not sure why.
Rob DeCamp

Hi Rob,

Theorically, only the outer race of bearing should be pressed in fit, and the half shaft slides freely inside of the banjo legg, unless the four screws closing the hub cap would be completely blocked . Try WD40 before drilling and at last heating ! T suppose you have a banjo too.
Kind regards .
Renou

Thanks for the help...I guess they're not attached in any other fasion. Just stuck in...just makes me nervous to push them to hard.
Rob DeCamp

The rear bearings at the hubs for the early (banjo) MGB are a press-fit in the hub.
I have only ever used a press to remove and install as they are in there TIGHT.

Removing the bearing destroys it so be certain you have installed the new seal before you press it in!

The reason the bearing is destroyed is you must press on the inner race and therefore transfer the load to the outer race via the balls and races. This gives micro-dimples to the races and similar flats on the balls. If re-used they will fail in short order.

In any event, the critical thing is to ensure your axle snout, lockwasher and nut haven't any burrs or you won't be able to properly torque down the assembly.

If I mis-understood and your difficulty is getting the hub off the axle... well, hmm.

Try attaching the brake drum backward to give yourself a nice handle and yank real hard (really). Careful of the landing on your bum. If that won't do it, a slide hammer will get it for certain.

Mike!
mike!

Rob, & Mike,

Looking back to my favourite autobook, rear wheels bearings hubs caps are only held in place by 4 screws. Mike, using the rear drum as an extrator may help but half shaft is not that tight to not take it off and you must previously remove the screws to extract it safely. And I guess that Rob's dilemn comes from these screws .
MG enjoyement takes place on the road and at repair step, isn't it? Best regards .
Renou

Rob,

It must be 20 years since I changed a wheel bearing on the banjo axle.

I was still living with my parents at the time. So I was able to but the bearing carrier/part of the hub in the oven to warm it up before fitting the new one in it. I just used brut force to drive the old one out.

I agree with Mike, on the way in you can press on the outer race but when taking the old one out you can only press on the inner race.

David
David Witham

Renou - Sorry but you are mistaken or mis-understanding the situation.

Banjo axles have a 3/4 floating design. The axle shaft is supported at the inner end in the differential carrier (by a ball bearing) and at the outer end by a ball bearing in the hub assembly. Once the road wheel and brake drum are removed one itty bitty counter-sunk screw is removed and the half-shaft comes out.

The load bearing part of the assembly (the hub) has the lug-bolts (or assembly studs, if you have the wire wheel version) installed in it and is attached to the axle housing with a nasty octagonal gland nut.

The half-shaft comes out very easily onde the gasket seal is broken.

The hub is another matter, once the nut is removed (last resort is a chisel but be really careful and know that you will need a new nut for reassembly and torqueing with a chisel is a matter of luck rather than skill) you take off the lock washer and then pull the hub off the axle snout. To do this, either just yank it off by hand, use a reversed drum for leverage or use a slide hammer.

The later tube-type axle has the bearing pressed on the shaft and then rides on the inside of the axle tube.

Mike!
mike!

Exactly mike!

Well that octagonal gland nut was brutal, and I had to purchase another one today. Anyway, I went to a auto part store and the gave me a three prong reversible claw pull torque. Will try it in the morning. Looks like it will work just fine to get those bearings out, but it set me back 32 bucks.
Rob

Rob DeCamp

OK Mike you are right, I believed that Rob could not separate the hub cover from hubbody to reach access to the hex bolt keeping the bearing in place. And despite of the 15 passed years since, I remember to have taken out the hubs using 4 screws and 8 nuts plus a little assy centralized onto banjo outlet pulling out the hub/bearing assy with a fair amount of effort. Of course a 3 prongs claw should work fine too.
Renou.
Renou

This thread was discussed between 12/01/2005 and 15/01/2005

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.