Green bearing install ? How hard or how easy ?

[Purepony]

Has anyone installed green bearings before on a 83/4 mopar b body rear ?

Please shed some install tips or should I send the car out to get done ?
Thanks

[Dakota]

Therre's a good discussion thread and a pic on this link:

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/correct-installation-of-green-axle-bearings.185477/

I did the conversion in anticipation of eventually doing the drum to disc conversion that you're planning to do.   For the moment, I still have drums on the rear.    As you'll see in the FEBO thread and probably in upcoming responses to your post, there are definitely people who are not fans of doing the conversion.   

[dodj]

Well, it's definitely a downgrade of your axle bearings. Are your originals destroyed?

[anlauto]

You need a pretty big press to get the old ones off and the new bearings on...I send all my axles out to be done.

[7212Mopar]

I think I ran across Youtube videos that shows the bearing replacement. Need a piece of pipe and a press tall enough or add wood blocks. I agree with others that the factory taper bearings is better, taking side loads. Both types are available from Dr. Diff.

[MoparLeo]

JMO but rear dis brakes are just eye candy and not needed.
The front brakes do the majority of the braking and if you want to spend money and upgrade the performance of your brakes, do an upgrade pf the front brakes, Like bigger rotors, better calipers.
All you need for the rear is to keep them in adjustment and use high quality brake shoes, drums, wheel cylinders.
Change  your brake fluid every 2-3 years.
As others have said, ball bearings are a downgrade from factory. If they were better, Chrysler would have used them as ball bearings have been around forever.

[dodj]

JMO but rear dis brakes are just eye candy and not needed.

I agree with you Leo, but he was asking about axle bearings...

[DeathProofCuda]

One of our members, @Ifixmycarmyself , has a Youtube video on installing green bearing without a press.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYCEqno70JA

[MoparLeo]

I think he is doing the conversion so he can add a disc brake kit on the rear, though I could be wrong.

[Dmod1974]

You do not need a special press and long tube to do this.  A cheap 20 ton Harbor Freight unit like I have will work fine.  After you remove the old bearing and lock collar, you simply need a short section of pipe or ball joint press adapter that only touches the inner race.  Flip the axle over and let the press push down on the axle flange face while supporting the pipe or adapter with press plates.  The length of the axle will pass right through the inside gap of the press landing.

I would NOT heat or use heavy hammer force on any new bearing, regardless of type or application.  Excessive heat can cause obvious seal or grease damage, but hammering (even on the inner race only) can brinnel the bearing elements from shock/vibration.

Removing the old one is easy; cut a deep groove in the inner race and lock collar and split it with a chisel.  It doesn't have to cut all the way through; the chisel strikes will widen the ID and it will slide off.

[ZippyZoo]

 
I had to go to green bearings as the 8-3/4 carrier I bought was missing the center block used to set taper bearing endplays.
Once the old bearings were removed as above, I used the old taper bearing race as a spacer contacting the inner race of the green bearing and a 12 T Harbor Freight press to push the bearings and then the retainer home. Don't forget to put the retainer plate on before pressing on the bearing.

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Did mine to get my wilwood brakes on. Be sure to get the spacer block out of the diff!

[Purepony]

Thanks everyone for the solid advice
Whoever installed the bearing before didn't put the arm that holds the adjuster in place so then I'm assuming little by little it moved and was moving around in the seal so now there's grease on the drums so instead of replacing and looking for stock parts i figured I'd do both sides and upgrade

I don't mind sending them out to get Cristal and press back in I'm worried about the parts that I could do thank you all

[MoparLeo]

Green Bearings are a downgrade from Factory, not upgrade. If you use a chisel, wear safety face shield, long sleeves and leather gloves. They will sometimes shatter sending very sharp shrapnel at you.
I am surprised that guys admit to doing it the easy way instead of the right way. Must be lazy.

[bdschnei]

I asked Cass at Dr Differential about it last year before I bought them. His response was "I sell 4,000 Green bearings a year and I rarely see any problems"  In fairness to the haters, it sounds like there were some early problems that have since been overcome. Some really good info here..   http://www.doctordiff.com/blog/tech-info/why-green-bearings/