cwspellowe
Post #1
Ok guys, if any of you got a bit unlucky (or happy with the handbrake 
) over winter, you may have bent a stub axle in the rear trailing arm. Thankfully it's a piece of p*ss to replace (thanks to Carl aka mechanical_repairs for the part), all you need is a basic socket set and a BFH.Thought i'd throw this together seen as there was no FAQ bout the stub axle, and it means you may get away without having to replace the trailing arm.
As usual, i can't take any responsibility for any of you breaking anything following this method!
Jack up the car and remove the offending wheel as you're used to by now, but chock the front wheels because you'll need the handbrake off. Then repeat after me:
1. Remove the brake pads, carrier and disc. You don't need to remove the caliper itself.
2. Prise off the hub nut dust cover (if you have spares just bash it out with a screwdriver)
3. Remove the hub nut. You may well need a breaker bar for this, but the dust covers make a good job of stopping the nuts from rusting up and seizing.
(optional) Drop the exhaust off its hangers, optional but you may find you have a bit more space to work on the rear of the trailing arm.
4. Now for the hub/bearing assembly. You have two choices here. You can either:
a. Prise everything off using a good lever, which will 99.9% of the time split the bearing
or
b. Take the trusty BFH to the stub axle with the hub still on. Doing so will force the stub axle through the trailing arm, hopefully keeping the hub/bearing in one piece while it drops off the stub axle.
I used option b here and the bearing didn't split. Handy if you plan on re-using it, but you should probably be replacing the bearing anyway.
Either way, once the hub is off, hit the stub axle end-on. HARD. a LOT. Don't be scared about bending anything, just make sure you hit the stub axle end on, and don't slip off and hit the caliper. Best make sure the car is stable on its axle stands before doing this, it takes a fair beating.
Now you should see a little rod something like this, this is the removed old stub axle (bottom) vs the new one (top). Note how bent mine was, it meant the top of the wheel stuck out about 3 inches further than it should do!
5. Refitting is, as usual, the reverse of removal. Locate the stub axle into the trailing arm from behind and set to it with a hammer.
6. The last inch or so is a c*nt to get in, but if you fit the hub followed by the hub nut (new ones of course..), you can use the nut to tighten everything up and pull it all together, pulling the stub axle in from the other side.
7. Tighten up the hub nut once you're happy everything lines up, and tap the lip of the nut into the recess on the stub axle.
8. Refit the wheel, drop the car and go for a drive, fingers crossed some rear end stability again!
9. Best go get the alignment checked to make sure everything's fitted properly
10. And you'd best stop playing with that handbrake
________________________________________
Bye bye Sundance Kid
Posted 29th Jan 2010 at 02:57
