Started swapping the rear drum brakes on the Brat today to disks. Pulled the brake drum-HUB off, then the shoes and backing plate. Then I grabbed the axle stub and thought Man is that loose, must have a bad wheel bearing. So for the next 2 hours I pulled the axle (after unhooking the lower shock bolt and using a big bar to push down the swing arm enough) and tried to get that spanner nut off the the swing arm to get the axle stub and bearings out. After banging on that spanner nut for quite a while with a punch and hammer, to no avail. Then my brain slipped back into gear. I said YOU DUMB SH^T to myself, You not only pulled the drum, but also the hub and the nut that keeps the bearings at the proper clearence. Not one of my better days.

Craven

TOo many beers? Or maybe not enough?

Yeah - that ring nut back there can be a real pain. I usually get the better of it with a cold chisel and a copper hammer, but for about $21 you can get the actual socket for the job. Of course this doesn't really help you since you don't actually need to pull it, but I thought I would mention it. Eventually you will have to do a rear wheel bearing.... they do fail but it can take a LONG time. I pulled a good one that was certainly original from a Brat with 180k on it.. still tight.

 

GD