Carrier bearing replacement advice

[Steve St.Laurent]

I'm replacing the carrier bearing on my rear driveshaft today. Anyone have any advice on the job? I've changed ton's of u-joints, but never a carrier bearing.

 

[Dieselnerd]

Steve, do you mean the center bearing on a two piece driveshaft? If that's what you mean they are very easy to change. You probably have to drive it off the shaft with a hammer and carefully pound the new one back with a hardwood block. It's a press fit but not a real tight one in most cases. I have changed a number of them on GM trucks, never on my RAM. GM has slotted holes so you need to scribe where it was when replacing the bearing. Looking at my RAM it looks like it can only go on one way with plain holes. If you mean the carrier bearings in your differential, that is a much more involved job using tools I don't even have.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I did mean the center bearing on the rear driveshaft - thanks!

 

[Bob V]

Steve, make sure you mark the slip yoke so you can get the U-joints back in phase

Bob V

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I had to have the bearing pressed off and the new one pressed on - NO WAY I could do it by hand. It wasn't very easy finding a machine shop open on a saturday to get it done but I did. All I've got left at this point is to put 2 new u-joints in (the old ones are already out) and the whole rear driveshaft will be done. 6 1/2 hours into it as of now and I was hoping to have this part done in about 2 hours. Now I just have to replace the TPS, MAP, IAT, install a 2nd lift pump at the tank, and change the engine and transmission oil. Sheesh - it's gonna be a LATE night, sure hope the other things go easier than this did!!



-Steve



P. S. I did know to mark the shaft's before removal

 

[Doc Tinker]

I've used my air-hammer to drive the ones for the school buses off. I have a chunk of pipe that fits them, to drive on the new ones, with the BFH.



Another name for the "center bearing" and the "carrier bearing" is the "midship bearing". Just like the English language to have multiple names for the same thing.



Doc



PS - I've also heard them called "hanger bearings"