How to Replace Rear Wheel Bearings / Half Shaft Bearings (Ford Capri / Escort) | Tech Tip 33

Replacing rear wheel bearings on vehicles with solid rear axles using basic tools - it's not the easiest process but with care and attention it can be done. I'll be going through the entire process in this video - from removing the halfshafts out of the rear axle, to cutting off the old bearings and collars, to pressing the new bearings into place, it's all here in detail. Rear halfshaft bearings can fail for a number of reasons, either the bearing itself goes bad causing play in the rear wheel & a deep rumbling when driving, or the oil seals fail meaning you end up with gear oil leaking into the rear drum brake assembly. In either case the bearings will need to be replaced.
The car in the video is my 1978 Ford Capri running a Modified 2.0 Pinto Engine. If Classic Cars are your thing, check out this playlist. Maintenance, Tech Tips, Track Days, it's all here:
• Ford Capri
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[@philfromsalisbury4538]

I put the bearing and collar in plastic bag then leave the bearing in hot water to give slight expansion before tapping on the half shaft Good video

[@markvroomen2242]

Thanks for the handy tutorial. It helped a lot with changing the bearing on my Mk2 Escort. For all of you who are doing this on an Escort Mk1/2, you'll need 70cm. of space on the side of the car to pull the half-shaft clear of the axle. 😉

[@stuartcreighton827]

Great video and explanation thank you. Just bought a Westfield with a leaky RS2000 half shaft!

[@carl_marks1626]

Make room in the freezer by throwing all the frozen food out and put the half shaft in for a few hours. That way it will freeze and contract making it easier for the bearing to go on. If you don’t wanna throw a load of food out then walk in Iceland or Tesco and leave it in their freezer while you push a trolley round and do your weekly shop. Not forgetting to pick up the frozen half shaft before you reach the till. Then it’s a quick dash home before the bloody thing warms up and fit the new bearing.

[@RSKDaz]

Fantastic video @Fast Rust. Very clear and concise and love these videos where the motion is virtually live - working mostly in real time. A real credit to you. Reminded myself of loads of info from this. I have some tips here because I have just done the job myself on my 2.8i. As these items have been in place for a very very long time, my job was not as easy as yours. The brake drum trick was no way going to work on mine. 🙂 The initial issue I had was that 38yr old bearings were not coming with a slide hammer. I had a lumpy slide hammer and could have gone lumpier but would be looking ta £200+ for a kit. The old fashioned 1960s route was what I reverted to - an old Ford steel wheel and a 14lbs sledge hammer after the 4 retaining bolts were removed. Whack the inside of the wheel once wheel bolted up on the hub. Then the cow son came out. The other way is to hydraulic them out with M8 bolts going through the reverse side of where the retaining bolts go through - these need to be longer than the standard bolts and probably a 80-100mm length. My concern was that mine were so seized in there, I would be in more pain with stripped threads. There is only so much an M8 bolt can push. The Haynes guides you that way but Haynes worked on Capris when they were 5yrs old, not 45yrs old. The other tip - SKF have stopped making the 67mm Atlas / Salisbury axle bearings that were fitted to the Mk2/3 3.0L & 2.8i - and some others. The 62mm diameter is still available (English axle???), but not the larger bearing. That is very frustrating as I trust SKF. I am now into the unknown of Chinese First Line and I reckon I am back with this job in 2 yrs with the rubbish today. Finally - again because your job was easier - my new bearing didn't just "push" back into the recess. It needed some persuasion with a mallet to tap on the hub to push in and home first and then tighten the retaining bolts up. Another little tip - buy some longer M8 bolts. If you have already used (were going to use) the hydraulic method I mentioned above, you already have these. When you are placing everything back, the issue is that with the shorter 20mm standard issue bolts, you are fighting with a few things to keep in place - specifically the backplate which is a bit sprung loaded on the driver side on the brake pipes. Sprung loaded items and small length bolts lead to cross threading if you are not careful. Shouldn't do but I look now for easy ways out of things having worked on motors for 40yrs. But I don't work on them often enough and always take extra precautions nowadays. So the longer bolts just adds some purchase / lever to help keep everything in place, plus you can grip the 80/100mm length bolt better than a 20mm version. And they act as a better guides. They sort of act as a guide and starter, then you can remove each one of these in turn and place the standard issue M8 20mm bolts back in place as they should be retained with. I hope that helps. This is not to undermine your great video. But level of complexity and nuisance factor always is different from motor to motor and I thought I would help with a different experience to you - where bearings haven't be changed in someone's half lifetime. 🙂 Great video though - thank you. As said, very clear and concise and it gave me the starter to do this, give I have not had a half shaft out of a motor in more than 25yrs.

[@CortinasAndClassics]

Excellent film thanks @Fast Rust . I need to change mine on my Cortina. The axles look identical.

[@FastRust]

Thanks! It will be. English axle was used in all sorts 👍🏻

[@CortinasAndClassics]

@@FastRust I am struggling to remove the inner bearing race, It is putting up a fight but i will get there.

[@FastRust]

That's the tough one. Chisel and big 🔨

[@aswclassicsdorset1743]

Another great video, long time since i did this job, glad to see the capri back

[@FastRust]

Hoping it's a long time before I have to do it again!!

[@petrolhead1977]

Great video, you have a really good presentation style, thank you

[@Cossi2000]

Thanks for sharing this video. The method works great 😜 Greeting's from Germany

[@neill4133]

Great video. I always put a thin smear of silicone on the outside of the bearings when I install the halfshaft on my Escort. Boots and braces!

[@FastRust]

Hey Neil. Heard of this technique, actually tried it with the old bearings but it didn't work, as soon as I got a few laps on track it was pissing out. Those bearings were garbage. Did a track day on new bearings last weekend, zero leaks, not even a drip 👍🏻

[@erwinschimek1967]

Thank you very much for this very useful clear tutorial. I was surprised to see you managed to do everthing with basic tools and appropriate tube. Impressive! Now i feel I am ready to try this myself ... my 3.0S makes a lot of unwanted noice from thé rear. Hope it's not thé differential itself. regards, Erwin

[@FastRust]

Thanks. Ideally you'd use a press but not many people have access to one (me included) so have to rough it. Good news is I did a track day last week and it performed flawlessly. No noises, no leaks. Success!

[@JACKSPEED_TV]

Boom, excellent tech tip mate 👍

[@FastRust]

Cheers mate! No leaks so far so all good

[@JACKSPEED_TV]

@@FastRust Good to hear pal, jobs a goodun 👍

[@TomvGraf]

Thanks for the Tutorial. Got a 74 Taunus, same work

[@arthurdardalis]

Just for info, my Capri 2.0 Ghia has 200,000 miles, have never changed the wheel bearings, they’re quiet as a mouse. The rear axle location kit I would remove it, over stresses the leaf springs leading to them snapping.

[@FastRust]

Yeah they last a while. I had to do it (initally) because I was using different halfshalfts, then most recently because they leaked. As for the axle location kit, it's now off, it was making the spring rate in the rear far too high on track. Since I've removed it the car actually handles much better. Win win.

[@arneeikasbrtveit4904]

Very usefull, thanks

[@vay7025]

Hi, Great tips, but also advise on torque for bolts fastening axle rod to its tube/housings

[@288gto7]

Nice

[@LordFlashheart.11]

Ive got a MK3 with a chevy V8. Firm front end and soft rear, standard single leafs and 9" rear drums. I have a standard atlas with 5 stud half shafts. It eats bearings! I was told it was the poor quality of bearings as SKF ones are hard to find?? But you can get them for english banjo type axles??

[@SaNeoNimoff]

Tell me where the oil seal is installed on rear axle?

[@tomf4547]

I might put shaft in freezer or fridge and the bearing in the oven. Worked a treat on a similar job years ago on a motorcycle..

[@FastRust]

Yeah you could do that. I've done it with diffs in the past. Our freezer isn't big enough to put a half shift in 🤣

[@gfgfdgfdgdgdfg3004]

great video, will ýou make more videos with miata? like how to tune the ecu n stuff?

[@FastRust]

More videos on the miata coming. I won't be doing the tuning myself though. It'll be getting remote tuned.

[@TinoKolarides]

love these vids James, im just about to replace a half shaft on my Koln axled Tiger S6, do you need to drain/replace any gear oil during the process?

[@FastRust]

Thanks Martin. I wouldn't bother draining it unless it needs replacing. If you're just replacing one side jack it up a little higher on that side so the oil runs to the other side of the diff.

[@TinoKolarides]

@@FastRust cheers James, makes sense! Keep doing what your doing :-)

[@FastRust]

No worries mate good luck 👍🏻

[@benjaminbenson8714]

I've converted to discs on the back of my escort and shortened the axle to keep the standard stance. Now it's eating wheel bearings. Any ideas?

[@FastRust]

Are the halfshafts a touch too long?

[@MrFoley1488]

Hi mate wondering if you can help managed to get lsd in 👍on jack stands the passenger back wheel turns both wheels when u spin them but when I do drivers side as only that one spins the halfshafts are fully engaged in axle and diff spins when spin both wheels wondering if I'm missing something they both go same direction cheets hope that makes sense also the berrings I put in stick out little way is that normal

[@FastRust]

What type of LSD?

[@MrFoley1488]

@@FastRust blackline ps love your videos

[@baylessnow]

Brilliant vid. When can I book a slot for my Cortina? 😉

[@FastRust]

Ha ha ha. I'm not in a rush to do this job again! Having said that it's a lot easier when you don't have to film everything.

[@tomf4547]

I reckon the hardest part is finding the right sized tube..

[@abbyfaz]

Hello mate. Just wandering why you've got the SKF148 bearings from Burton for your Mk3 capri? Shouldn't it be FBK023 for a mk3 atlas axle? unless you've put the English axle on your car as a mod. I'm just doing the process myself on my mk3 capri and have bought from Burton too, but i got the FBK023 type instead.

[@FastRust]

I've got the English axle running Altas halfshafts. Well noticed!

[@abbyfaz]

@@FastRust Ahhh, I did wander. Great upload, very helpful indeed. Thank you.

[@litsachatzidiakos8585]

Can I cut also with a dremel?

[@FastRust]

Yes even better