Halfshaft compatibility with 96+ brake swap - anything special?

[W124_Karl]

Hi there,

I've got a 1989 that I bought from another forum member here. It needs a new passenger side inner tie rod, and the passenger side inner CV is seeping grease past its clamp. Since I'll have the front of the car apart anyway, I'm going to rebuild the whole thing. Control arms, halfshafts, tie rod ends, probably the strut bushings too (although the ones in it look pretty fresh). I really only want to do this once, since I'll have to get the car aligned afterward.

Here's my question. This car already has a 96+ front brake swap, which from what I understand requires use of a new knuckle. Do I have to buy anything special as far as halfshafts go, or will a halfshaft for any '89 SHO work?

Thanks!

 

[luigisho]

half shafts are the same

 

[W124_Karl]

Many thanks!

 

[Irish Pride]

The only difference between an 89 axle and 91 and up axle will be the ABS ring. It might be cheaper to get an 89 specific axle for that reason but any 89-95 MTX axle will work.

I would suggest inspecting the intermediate shaft/center support bearing for wear while you have the axle out. The intermediate shaft is long obsolete. If you think it needs replacing you will need to find a good used one.

 

[W124_Karl]

That's a good suggestion, thanks. There's a 92 or so MTX in one of the local yards, but it's been there for a long time and I haven't seen it in person. It might be pretty well picked over by now.

Hard for me to say how much of the other stuff in the front end has been replaced recently, or ever. One side of each pair of strut rod bushings (at the subframe) are kind of pinkish red, definitely not energy suspension but probably not OEM either. Other half is black rubber. My plan is to replace all of it, within reason, while the parts are still available and I've got it apart.

First task, other than getting all the parts delivered, is to somehow remove the ruined wheel lock on the passenger front. I have the adapter but the nut itself is pretty much ruined. I can see before even trying to take it off that it's going to put up a fight.

 

[zoomlater]

I have removed the Ford wheel locks by cutting notches on the perimeter 180 degrees apart and then using a chisel and alternately pounding them in a CCW fashion. Torque all the other wheel lugs extra tight to relieve some pressure on the ruined wheel lock.

 

[sperold]

Go to NAPA and ask for 'lug nut remover set' in their Ultra Pro series of parts (62800).
It will not be on display.
It contains a 2 socket set that fits all the lock wheel sizes.
It grabs the outside diameter of the wheel lock and digs in to grab the unit.
It will be expensive, maybe $30.00 plus, but I have used it and it works.

 

[luigisho]

I have replaced the bushings and got a black and red set in the boxes. I have also removed the wheel lock nuts with an air wrench and socket but maybe more work if the piece is already rounded off. Air tools can really jar those things loose.

 

[W124_Karl]

Did I read somewhere that people do *not* like the thermoplastic bushings that Moog sells? It seems familiar but I can't find it. This is a fun street car for me and won't see any sort of track time or autocross use.

Tim already replaced the front wheel bearings, so I don't plan to bother with those. I'll put in new seals where the axles go into the trans though. I'm buying extras just in case I ruin one on its way in.

Some Moog inner tie rods showed up yesterday as the first set of parts to arrive. Boxes both say "Made in USA," so that's promising. My last car, an old Mercedes, taught me to be very careful with super cheap knockoff parts from PRC.

Thanks guys. Luigisho, I've got air tools and will look for that NAPA tool as well. I hate wheel locks. I always get rid of them every time I buy a used car, but with this one I hadn't had it long enough to pop the center caps off and see.

 

[W124_Karl]

Hmm, not so fast. Seems the driver side front wheel bearing is no good.

I haven't popped the knuckle off yet to see if maybe they're just not in there all the way, or what. There wasn't any wheel movement that I'd noticed, but the car was on the ground when I checked that side.

So, I'll be replacing them both. This brought up a similar question to the halfshaft question: given the 96 front brake swap, what should I order for replacement bearings? 96 bearings, 89 bearings, or maybe they're all the same? I'll have to take them to a shop since I don't have a press, so I want to order the right stuff.

This means that, with family coming into town for the holiday, I probably won't have the car ready for the annual Toys for Tots Cars and Coffee thing this coming weekend. I can take the ST, but was really hoping to bring the SHO.

 

[sperold]

Get 89 SHO bearings. I believe that the 94 and 95 housings have a bearing that does not have to be pressed in, so they are different.

 

[rbruso]

All '89-'95 hubs use pressed bearings. '96 was the switchover to bolt in bearings, in part because of the aluminum spindle.

In short, if this is just a '96 brake swap with a '94-'95 hub, get a pressed in bearing. If this was a full '96+ subframe swap with '96 spindles then you'll need a bolt in bearing.

Since you already have the car apart, compare your spindle and lower control arm this this one with this one: http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r195/itwillfit/balljoint2-1.jpg
note the distinct separation between the hub's bolt on ****** and spindle at the far left and the shape of the lower control arm on the bottom right. This is a '96+ spindle and lower control arm assembly.

If your spindle and arm don't look like this, you need a pressed in bearing.

 

[W124_Karl]

Thanks guys. You're all very helpful. It'll need pressed in bearings.

Is the usual process to just replace the entire hub, via one of these?

https://www.amazon.com/Raybestos-72...d=1479747672&sr=1-1&keywords=raybestos+720000

https://www.amazon.com/Timken-52000...ie=UTF8&qid=1479747908&sr=1-8&keywords=520000

https://www.amazon.com/Moog-520000-...ie=UTF8&qid=1479747908&sr=1-7&keywords=520000

 

[W124_Karl]

Disregard all the stuff about the wheel bearings. I tested a theory, and put the old halfshaft back into the hub, and tightened it down. The play in the bearing was gone. I've decided I'm going to leave it in there, and see how things go. Had there been that amount of play with the wheel actually on, the car wouldn't have driven right, and probably would have made a whole lot of noise.