Well,..I have always maintained that the rear wheel bearings would run pretty well indefinitely, and I suppose to be fair 37 years and 238,937 Miles (384,672km) is pretty well that.
But over the past few days I noticed a noise which was not there previously. Driving at speeds of 50kph or less (although my speedo records the distance in miles, the face is marked in both miles and km) I could hear a rumbly dry sound, so yesterday I jacked up the rear and had a listen. Turning the O/S wheel by hand I could hear the sound, which did in fact sound as if it was coming from the differential... I had to be sure so today I detached the half shaft. Turning the shaft then by hand I could both hear and feel something was wrong. The universals I replaced a little over 23,000 miles (37,000km) ago, so 2 1/2 years ago and at that time the hub bearing felt fine.
With the hub detached from the elbow, rotating the flange delivered a very rough feel, noticably notched and dry, almost squeaky. So I fitted another new half shaft / hub assembly that I had ready waiting, and the one removed I'll dismantle and fit new bearings and spacer, paint up and pack away where it shall wait patiently until it's turn comes around again.
Ron.
But over the past few days I noticed a noise which was not there previously. Driving at speeds of 50kph or less (although my speedo records the distance in miles, the face is marked in both miles and km) I could hear a rumbly dry sound, so yesterday I jacked up the rear and had a listen. Turning the O/S wheel by hand I could hear the sound, which did in fact sound as if it was coming from the differential... I had to be sure so today I detached the half shaft. Turning the shaft then by hand I could both hear and feel something was wrong. The universals I replaced a little over 23,000 miles (37,000km) ago, so 2 1/2 years ago and at that time the hub bearing felt fine.
With the hub detached from the elbow, rotating the flange delivered a very rough feel, noticably notched and dry, almost squeaky. So I fitted another new half shaft / hub assembly that I had ready waiting, and the one removed I'll dismantle and fit new bearings and spacer, paint up and pack away where it shall wait patiently until it's turn comes around again.
Ron.