Last night Bill W. and I tried installing the new rear bearings in the trailing arm.
I rigged up a press using 1/2" threaded rod, 2 bolts, 2 washers and 2 large discs from a bearing/race driver set.
The bearings were sitting in the freezer for the last week in preparation for this install, so they were COLD. The trailing arm was heated at the bearing location with a propane torch for about 5 minutes. The frozen bearing at first wanted to slip right into place, but once it got 1/2" into the trailing arm it absorbed enough heat to expand it and lock it into place. We then used the rigged press and were able to successfully press it all the way home. It was a pretty tight fit, but slid right in.
The other side proved to get the best of us. We heated the trailing arm a little longer to see if we could get the bearing to slide in a bit further if not all the way w/o using the press, but again, it went in about 1/2', expanded and got stuck. We attached the press and continued like the other side, this time it was MUCH harder to press in. Bill and I both broke a sweat trying to turn the bolt on the threaded rod. We were pulling so hard, the spring plate was rotating against the torsion bar and the shock was compressing quite a bit. We got the bearing in about half way, then decided 'this ain't right' and called it a night. Made sure the trailing arm did not have any burrs/marks that would cause the bearing from sliding in and we made sure we started the bearing flush and we weren't trying to press it in crooked. Still don't know what caused the hang-up.
When we removed the press from the 2nd bearing, we noticed the inner race had a little play. We could actually wiggle the race within the bearing and move it back/forth. We went to other side and checked that race, and that one also had a little play, albeit not as much. I don't think the inner race's should have any play and unfortunately both bearings are probably ruined.
How this happened:
The large disc's were flat and did not have a relief for the inner race. This is the only thing I can think of. In the picture below, you can see the inner race protrudes just a little bit further than the outer race. When we used the press, it probably applied too much pressure to the inner race and deformed, causing the play.
I just ordered 2 new bearings, the trailing arms are coming off and will let a shop take care of pressing them in. Too expensive and frustrating to try again.
Kurt...arn't you glad you didn't take me up on my offer
