89 GL 4WD. After many long nights I, a long with many other small odds and ends, got all 4 (technically 8 of em) wheel bearings done. Fronts were easy, sans the seals, I'm doing sealed bearings next time. 

The rears however, are confusing me a bit. I followed the FSM and used proper torque specs, (even on the rear retaining ring) new cone and spring washer. Everything was cleaned and I kept re-cleaning during assembly. But both axles have about 3-5mm yet before the cotter pin hole aligns with the castle nut. 

The stubs aren't pulled through far enough.

I did put on new drums as well, the old outer seals were put on backwards (I double checked the FSM for their orientation) and spit grease all over the old drums and shoes. Is it possible the aftermarket drums are just slightly thicker/wider? I never measured them, they fit so it didn't occur to me to do so. I could check them but I don't want to buy new spring washers if I don't have to.

Thanks :]

Edited September 20, 2025Sep 20 by SuspiciousPizza

I hammer my stub axles in from the back of them. They seem to take a pounding ok. 

I don’t rely on the torque of the hub nut to pull the stub axle through the bearing. 

 

I could do that with the passenger side, but the driver side stub was seized to the CV joint.

I had to pull the entire axle through as an assembly and install the trailing arm and axle in all as one unit.

Unless I back out the nut a bit and use two pry bars between the nut and the bearing housing. Maybe I could get a slide hammer on behind the nut, but I've had limited success with that. 

So I did everything I could to seat the axles in further. They did move maybe a fraction of a millimeter. After about 20 minutes of hammering on one side.

I noticed the cone washer sat quite far out from the drum. On the OEM drums I pulled, the cone washer sits almost exactly 2mm from the drum face. Whereas with the aftermarket drums I installed, the cone washer sits 3.5mm from the drum face. The countersink isn't as deep.

I know that doesn't sound like a lot but only about 1/4 of the cotter pin hole on the axle is exposed. So that extra 1.5mm really adds up. 

I'm kinda at a loss for what to do. I truly think the axles are as deep as they'll go. They didn't take this much effort to remove, I don't know why installing would take more force.

The two ideas I have (both of which seem like big no-no's) are: 

1: Do the old glass & sandpaper trick to the cone washers to hone them down and get them to sit more flush with the drum face.

2: Don't use a cotter pin. Torque the axle nuts to 200ftlbs, maybe use some blue thread locker and keep a breaker bar, 36mm socket and extra axle hardware in the car. Check periodically when checking tire pressure.

I don't like either of these ideas but again, I'm kind of at a loss. I have new spring washers on the way too.

Any thoughts?

:]

File or saw (hacksaw, sawzall, portaband...) the notches 1.5mm deeper in the castle nut.

I absolutely would not run without the cotter pin.  I've had multiple wheel hubs loosen up over time, and threadlocker does not sound sufficient to keep the nut from unscrewing once there's no compression force on it.

Stuff all the synthetic grease into the old bearings that you can.  You might use some 2000 grit sandpaper and see what you can take off on the CV axle.