Rear wheel bearings

D.Slatford · Post by **D.Slatford** » 15 Aug 2003, 17:14

Another problem for my xantia in a growing list this week. Sounds like the rear wheel bearings are failing, at least on one side. Loud scraping noise. Haven't looked yet but don't expect it to be the pads, there was a lot left on them a few months ago.
A friend reckons he can change them. Andyspares stock them for a good price, but looking in the haynes manual I'm now confused. It suggests just the bearings cannot be replaced, the entire hub assembly should be replaced. Why? Is this true? Are the bearings somehow different to most other cars? What do AS sell then?
If I were to buy the bearing from AS, is there anything else I might need that isn't included? Such as hub center cap, hub nut, or whatever else? Whats the liklihood thats someone who hasn't done this on a xantia before may balls it up to the point the cars immobile?
Taking it anywhere else would require me to sell a kidney

And I don't know of any competant cit garages around Wakefield...

acrowot · Post by **acrowot** » 15 Aug 2003, 17:51

The bearing that A/S sell is the complete hub with new nut. The dust cap is not with it, this costs about 80p from Citroen. When I changed mine the nut that came with the kit was too small (there must be two sizes ), and I had to reuse the old nut.
1996 TDSX

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 15 Aug 2003, 18:16

Slatford -
The rear hub bearings CAN infact be replaced - they may be found at industrial machine suppliers at reasonable cost.
But believe me - you don't want to try this - unlees you're a wizzard in tooling & methods to remove the bearing races.
You'll quickly learn what I mean - when you have to remove the innermost bearing race from the rear axle stub.
This is also the reason why you can't use a scrap part.
To remove the inner race on the axle stub - there are a couple of methods - depending an available tools.
The best tool is a knife edge puller - 2 knife edged halfshells are torqued together behind the bearing race - then you pull on this using adequate puller & bolts.
You may also hacksaw the inner race - using a Dremel (tiny angle grinder). Once the race ring is cutted - it does not stick to stub axle.
You may even patiently use a common hacksaw to cut the race ring.
It has no big consequenses if the stub axle is scratched a bit - simply rub down any scratches such the new bearing slides over freely - when torqued with the hub nut.
To assure it's the rear bearing being dodgy - simply lift the offended wheel off ground - and turn the wheel. The rough running of a dodgy bearing is clearly felt in your hand. If bearings are badly damaged - you'll also recon clearance on the wheel - like the wheelbolts are loose.

puddle jumper · Post by **puddle jumper** » 17 Aug 2003, 03:27

have a look at the rear brake calipers.A problem caused by the floods a couple of years ago, corossion between the caliper and trailing arm forces the calipers off the trailing arm and can make them contact the brake disc ( it did on mine and broke the caliper mounting bolt.) unbolt the caliper clean the corossion off coat the surfaces in copper grease, replace the pads (because they they wont be true any more)and retighten to the recomended torque. rember to clamp the caliper when it is removed or the lhm will leak out. I agree with andersDK it is not worth bothering with the wheel bearings themselves.