uRizen

iTrader: (2)

My passenger rear wheel bearing started howling again the other day so I figured it's time to replace the rears. I also ordered some new discs and pads to refresh the rear brakes while I've got everything apart.

I was really feeling good about the whole process when I got the upper and lower hub mount bolts out w/o a hitch, then got the axel bolt and disc loosened without breaking a sweat.

Then it came time to do the DTSS bolt which I left until the end since I knew it was going to suck. I rounded it off with the metric socket, but then hammered a 13/16" socket on and with the help of a torque mutliplication device (the tube from my picnic table umbrella) it came right out and I was able to pull the hub.

Cool, so I got one side removed from the car so I moved over the other and did the same. The hub bolts came right off, the disc loosened up, I didn't touch the axle nut but went straight for the DTSS before I ran out of daylight and that's when everything went south. Hammering the 13/16" socket didn't do a thing and My attempts at using smaller metric sockets failed. I don't think a vise grips is going to do much of anything because of the torque involved, and I really don't want to drill it out since it's a pretty hardened bolt and I'll most likely end up ******* the threads up on the mounting arm. I also checked Sears and they don't make bolt-outs bigger then 19mm (if I remember right it's a 21mm for the DTSS ******.)

The bolts that hold the caliper mounts to the hub both snapped at the heads as well, which really blows since I installed those calipers about a year and a half ago and the hardware was just fine at the time.

uRizen

iTrader: (2)

I took a closer look at the side that's out already and noticed the DTSS bushing is pretty shot, so I ordered a set of eliminators from Mazdatrix.

I think this should make removal much easier as I can just burn the **** out of the rubber on the stuck one and hopefully get the sleeve to rotate. I doubt the threaded portion is causing many problems but the sleeve on the removed bushing is very rusty inside, so it's gotta be siezing there.

Syncro

iTrader: (1)

I think it's time I look under my car and start replacing stuff too

uRizen

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, that's a good idea, especially if you have that many miles on the beast and it hasn't been done yet.

The problem is that it's so tempting to get nicer stuff back there when you're just trying to fix what's borken because it's such a pain to take apart sometimes. It's like "hey, I have teh hub off, why not replace all the bushings with some poly, slap in the DTSS rear eliminators, maybe a new swaybar, some fancy brake pads, etc. while I have it off?

uRizen

iTrader: (2)

I finally managed to get the disc off the passenger rear hub by cutting the caliper bracket off (I have a couple spares,) but one of the bolts is still frozen on and won't budge. I think I might scrounge up a hub and **** trynig to remove it. I tried drilling, those Craftsman easy outs (not too impressed by them) and lots of heat and PBBlaster.

I did get the center hub thingy out and the c-clip w/o too many problems so I'm happy about that.

I moved to the otehr side and got all the bolts out except the damn DTSS one. It's pretty much completely rounded and still won't budge. I've pretty much removed all the rubber from the bushing itself with the torch, but it won't turn. The caliper bracket on that side is still stuck as well, so I'm in a bind over there.

Do you think it would be wise to just cut the head of the DTSS bolt off then try to slide the hub carrier off what's left, then take the vice grips to it after I have more room to work?

Once I get the hubs removed and cleaned up, all I have to do is hand them off to my uncle so he can press the old wheel and DTSS bearings out, then press the new bearings in. I think I can handle the DTSS buggers on my own, but I might have him do that as well.