Should I Replace Rear Bearings?

[pbatura]

Had the e-brake cable assembly fail, so brakes engaged at freeway speed. Notice smoke from rear of car, pulled over and the rear brakes were basically on fire.

Here's the question, along with replacing the pads, wheel cylinders, spring assemblies and such, should I also replace the bearings? Seems to me the heat would have damaged them.

I only want to dissasemble this once.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[76Datsun280z]

Since you're going to have the assembly appart to replace the parts, I'd say you might as well replace them.

[beandip]

Replacing the rear bearings depends on how many miles on the Car and or if they have been serviced (repacked) and maintained all along. I doubt the heat generated by hot brakes would have damaged the bearings.

[pbatura]

Thanks for the replies.

Car has >80k miles on the odometer. I noticed a scraping noise coming from the right rear shortly after my return to Houston (I removed brake pads & plugged brake line in Dallas for return trip). This is what contribuited to my post.

So, if I make the decision to do the outer bearings, should I go ahead and do the stub axles? And if I do the stub axles, should I go ahead and do the u-joints? And if I do the u-joints, might I just as well rebuild the entire rear end?

Thanks!

[RogerZ]

Heat might have fried the grease in there. Might as well pull the axles and change the bearings if you are hearing noise. I'd get double sealed bearings and forget worrying about packing them with grease.

[pbatura]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm going ahead with the bearing replacement. I suppose that double-sealed bearings will be identified accordingly? Should I get these from Courtesy Nissan or will bearings from O'Reilly's do?

Is there anything else I should do while I have the center section out, such as pinion bearing or other adjustments?

[TomoHawk]

The parking brakes aren't supposed to engage unless you pull the brake handle. If the cable breaks, you shouldn't have anything happen, so how did the parking brakes engage?

[Blue Meanie]

In a word, "yes". When in Rome...

That is some scary chit P. I have a hard enough time trying to eat my cheeseburger, drink my Moosehead and adjust the stereo at highway (and above) speeds, let alone deal with emergencies!

[pbatura]

TomoHawk - cable didn't fail, the clip which holds the cable in the backplate bracket fell out...

Blue Meanie - - That's why I've got a remote for the stereo...

[TomoHawk]

You nitially said that the e-brake cable assembly failed, so if the cable gets loose in any way, the e-brakes shouldn't engage. The e-brakes require tension via the cable to engage.

[beandip]

I recently replaced both sides rear Axel bearings and used OEM from Nissan. If you can get Timken they are top notch also and may be less money. Stub axles, replace them if they are showing any side to side looseness in the splines. Other wise keep what you have. U-joints , if you have one fail on the half shafts , replace them all. Same for the u-joints on the drive shaft. If any of your present u-joints have Zerk fittings or a method to lube them . Do so about every 15K miles and they will last a long long time. If you have zerk fittings stop pumping grease into them when you see the little seal swell. If you see any grease emerge you have blown the seal and when the shaft spins the grease will be thrown out of the Joint.