1956 Rear Bearings

**Long Roof** · 03-25-2010, 04:53 PM

Well I jumped the gun a little. The new bearings already have the seals pressed in them. I didn't look closely enough. However, the face that is exposed to the axle gear oil is sealed off (second photo, right bearing). Should the metal seal be popped off so the gear oil lubes the bearings or leave them on? The two photos show the now spare seal next to the new bearing, and the two bearing sides.

**telriv** · 03-25-2010, 04:58 PM

The new replacement bearings are a sealed unit. There is a seal at the outer side of the seal. The inner side WILL get gear oil to them as they are designed to let a small amount of oil in.

**3spd** · 03-31-2010, 11:42 AM

I finally got my new bearings and seals. Can I put them on my self or do I have to get a shop to do it for me?

Thanks,
Ryland

**Long Roof** · 03-31-2010, 08:24 PM

I took off the ring with a cold chisel. It took a little more effort than the shop manual inplied, but it was easy enough. I couldn't figure out a way to pull the bearings off with the tools that I had so I took the axles to a local machine shop to have the bearings pulled. They ended up cutting the bearings off instead of pulling them. Since I had the new bearings they offered to install them too. It looks like you could install them with a piece of pipe slid over the axle and carefully pressing them in.

Overall, the process was pretty easy. I was expecting more issues. There was one minor issue though. The inner race of the bearing is supposed to have a radius edge to mate up with the curved face of the axle flange. My bearings had the curved edge facing the center of the car. The edge facing the axle flange was 90 degrees. This kept the bearing back about 1/16" from where it should have seated. Seeing no other options, I went ahead and had the bearings put on that way.

I attached a photo that shows the slight gap at the outter face of the bearing. You can see the slight curve on the axle that the bearing was supposed to seat against. Hope this doesn't create problems down the road. The car drove fine and no more oil leaks.

**curly** · 04-01-2010, 01:29 AM

If your bearings are the same as a 57 I got mine from 'cars inc' and I suspect they were from China as the seal in the bearing which keeps the oil in the diff housing should be on the same side-the outside- of the bearing as the rounded bit which finally rests against the rounded piece on your axle.The bearings were not able to be turned around which would have put the seal on the inside and the curved part which finally seats against your axle on opposing sides so therefore the bearings were assembled with inner and outer cones around the rong way.You do need the o ring on the outside of the bearing however and gaskets or shims as per manual.I recommend you get your bearing from another source as mine were very loose -had no part numbers on them and were assembled wrong.Its not that hard but it needs to be just thought through and you will see how everything should fit.'Kanters' or 'Bobs Automobilia' are better suppliers of the bearings you need.Best of luck.

**curly** · 04-01-2010, 01:33 AM

Yep-Long Roofs reply explains what I mean and you are better to buy the rite bearings than have a 1/16 outward space.

**stubbe** · 04-01-2010, 12:34 PM

I wonder if the rear axle is the same as early fifties?Whit torcuetube
not a open drivshaft?I have a 54 not whit open driveshaft,a lot of
differense whit put sealings in.A different sealings for early Buicks.

I am intressed in 56 rearaxle.Open
or closed driveshaft?

Stubbe in Sweden.

**Long Roof** · 04-01-2010, 12:49 PM

1956 is torque tube closed drive shaft type. It should be similar to the 1955 but I believe there are some differences. I do not know if they are interchangeable.

**3spd** · 04-01-2010, 05:39 PM

Would chucking the bearing up on a lathe and turning a slight relief damage it? That would only work of course if my jaws go small enough to fit inside the bearing.

Ryland

**Long Roof** · 04-01-2010, 06:15 PM

I can't see that it would hurt anything. You wouldn't need to take much off.

I do not thing my slight offset will be a problem, but time will tell. It would be nice if the suppliers would make some mention of these issues when you make the purchase. This cannot be the first time it was noticed.