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REAR WHEEL BEARING COVER differences?
Craig Torrens - April 18th, 2004 at 10:00 PM

Is the rear bearing cover/oil seal the same for IRS and swingaxle??

Che Castro - April 18th, 2004 at 10:10 PM

If u mean the one at the end of the axle, the one the drum spins on, no. The swing axle one is fed transmission fluid, and it has 4 bolts with a rubber seal (bit like a no1 bearing flywheel seal but smaller). They are an absolute bitch to fix if they leak, and when they leak it is into the rear drum which screws up your brakes! I spent months trying to stop my damn swing axle bearing cover from leaking and finally got it.

The IRS one i think is different, because they have CV's and use grease, they are built into the rear trailing arm, stripped one down before but i cant remember how it went?

Craig Torrens - April 18th, 2004 at 10:22 PM

the Irs has a 4 bolt seal as well (on the drum side).............the seal you mean (I think) is the one in the trailing arm on the gearbox end.

I'm machining some bearing covers for my disc brake conversion and I can't remember what the covers came off ! Don't want to machine the wrong ones !

vw54 - April 19th, 2004 at 07:08 AM

no there different where the bearing sits. One is deeper than the other.

Baja Wes - April 19th, 2004 at 04:30 PM

the irs and swingaxle are the same, and then there are different swingaxle ones.

later swingaxle ones generally have and oil slinger washer on the outside and the leaking oil drains to the back of the drum backing plate.

The IRS one doesn't have this. finishes flush with the face of the seal.

I found there are different depth swingaxle ones too.

So I don't know enough to know what came from where and how to ID it, I just know there are at least 3 or 4 different types.

Craig Torrens - June 28th, 2004 at 07:58 PM

well I have now pulled down 6 trailing arms and I have found that the bearing cover sits about 1/2 mm from the bearing, this is when it is fully tightened up against the backing plate.....................all 6 were the same !!!!!

So why the gap, I thought it would have had to be hard up against the bearing?? is this to allow the bearing to expand when hot ?

seagull - June 28th, 2004 at 08:03 PM

um I dont know but why machine the covers ? I machine the backing plates the same as the vw units .mmm may be to save time / $ ?

Craig Torrens - June 28th, 2004 at 08:12 PM

I found it easier to mill the bearing plates !!

I also wanted to keep the strength in the caliper bracket :)

[Edited on 28-6-2004 by Craig Torrens]

seagull - June 28th, 2004 at 08:15 PM

thats why I have a jig to hold them .

I have done a few for v8 buggys no probs

Craig Torrens - June 28th, 2004 at 08:23 PM

I made a Jig using the end of the ford axle it came off !

seagull - June 28th, 2004 at 08:27 PM

yes you can but I weld the ford holes up .Then they pass ok on the road for lic .

[Edited on 28-6-2004 by seagull]

[Edited on 28-6-2004 by seagull]