xenonsky

I just had my rear struts replaced for my 91 SE at a shop and they told me my rear bearings are going bad, my rotor/pads are low, and I have bad calipers. They want to change me $240 per side part/labor just for replacing bearings. After forting over $360 for new rear struts job, I'm not gonna get rob again. I'm gonna do everything myself.

I have a few question:

-Is there any screws fastening rotor to the wheel hub? Any easier way to seperate rotor from hub other than hammering it out forever?

-Is the wheel bearing lock nut the only thing I have to remove beside the rotor to remove the wheel hub bearing?

-How can you tell if the caliper is bad?

-Is it difficult to replace caliper piston, etc.?

Anyone have tips or suggestion to help my repair job go smoother appricated.

Can someone with a Nissan factory repair manual scan and email the portion on replacing rear wheel hub bearing and brake rotor/pad.

Thanks

John van de Pol

The rotor is squeezed between the wheel and the hub without fasteners of its own. The oem ones tend to freeze. Don't hammer them, there should be two threaded holes on the hub part of the disc. Get a high grade bolt that matches the threads and screw them in. this will push the disc free from the hub without the use of any "persuader" tools.

Calipers are bad if they leak, which is the only visible sign of malfunction. The rear pistons sometimes freeze up because they have the emergency brake mechanism incorporated. This could be what is happening rather than bad bearings.

To replace the bearing you will have to remove the hub. The bearing is pressed in there. This is more elegantly done by some one who has the right tools (like a press). But paying only for the replacement of the bearing with parts in hand should not be too bad.

If the caliper is leaking or frozen, but the seal surface of the piston is not pitted (from rust) or scarred, you can just replace all the seals. Not very expensive, somewhat labor intensive, but not hard, Courtesy has the parts (the seal kits are per axle, not per wheel) so you will only need one kit. Clean and lubricate the hand brake mechanism and you should be good to go. Make sure you properly and thoroughly bleed the brake lines once everything is back together. Use the opportunity to flush out all old brake fluid with new. That possibly has never been done.

Good luck,
John