rear wheel bearing

red · Post by **red** » 24 Mar 2005, 02:46

HI i recently had my 96 td xantia tested and it failed on a dodgy rear right wheel bearing as well as a leaking front left hand shock.The wheel bearing and hub are one unit so it looks like the brake calipher has to be removed but I cant see how to take it off.Is there any information I need to know about depressuring the system before disassembly or any tips before I under take this project.Thanks in advance Red.

dan.2cv · Post by **dan.2cv** » 24 Mar 2005, 03:14

If your struggling to get the rear brakes apart, wait until you get to the front 'shocks'.
The very first thing to do before even contempating lifting a spanner is to get yourself a haynes manual, otherwise you are gonna trip up with the hydraulics in a most spectacular fashion.

406 V6 · Post by **406 V6** » 24 Mar 2005, 04:09

Just a quick word of warning(i'm not shouting[;)]):
"DON'T GET UNDER THE CAR WITHOUT HAVING IT SITTING ON STANDS"
Hmmm, maybe we could have some stickers made with this phrase...
I liked the one from the shock... seems like a hydraulic jack (AKA strut) leaking from the seals or the return hose is knackered.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 24 Mar 2005, 16:33

The "shocks" never leak on a Xantia.
Xantia's don't in fact have shocks, they have hydraulic struts.When they do leak, they've got a return system to collect the leaking fluid. Is it a leak off pipe thats leaking rather than the strut seals?

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 24 Mar 2005, 16:38

You can do it without needing to depressurise the system.
Put the car on axle stands, then just unbolt the caliper from the suspension arm and move it just enough out of the way to get the disc off- there is enough flexibility in the brake pipe to permit this.
Tie it off so it doesn't flap around- you can suspend it from the tailgate struts.
Take the disc off.
Unbolt the hub and pull it off with a normal hub puller. Most of the bearing will come away with the old hub, the inner race may be stuck on the stub axle-you can either use a puller or just cut it off with a grinder.
Then, in the immortal phrase, reassembly is the reverse of dismantling, job done!!
For the front strut you do need to depressurise the system. Again up on the axle stands, then find your pressure release screw- it will be a bolt on the front of the pressure regulator- if you don't know what this looks like, get a haynes or similar book.
One or two turns of the bolt and the pressure will be off- you will hear it hissing and the car will sink earthwards. The strut then comes off in a similar way to a normal strut ( but don't forget to pull the rubber pipes off the back ) only its easier as theres no pressure or spring compressors to wrestle with, but if you have never taken a strut off before it would be sensible to get a manual and follow the pictures.

red · Post by **red** » 25 Mar 2005, 02:57

Thanks for the constructive tips,I must investigate the leak in the strut to see if its the leak back pipe or the seal thats leaking.Is the hayes manual the best or the only manual available as I have read comments about the lack of illustrations and explanations in the new edition?
Red