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92landyacht · 11-01-2019, 11:59 AM

Planning on doing a rear brake overhaul over the winter. Already did the fronts with new rotors, calipers and soft hoses. The rears are due now and plan on doing the same for them. The rears are disc brakes as well. I already have the replacement rotors, calipers, pads and center soft line.

I've heard that the axles need to be removed in order to get the rotors off. Has any here done this job and can you give me any advise/tips? Right now I'm just worried about getting the axle back in once it's out. The calipers are the same as the front.

Smartstream · 11-01-2019, 08:43 PM

Because you mentioned the front and rear calipers are the same I assume you have a GM chassis with a Dana HD70 axle. After you remove the pressed steel cover on the center of the hub, you will see an internal cut gear which is the hub, and inside of that an external cut gear which is the axle. Grab that gear as best you can pull it out, it is about 3' long and heavy. After you get the hub off and with new rotor reinstalled you simply slide the axle back in. You have to rotate it to engage the inner spline and outer gear in the hub but beyond that it just slides in.

The hub comes off pretty much like the front with a large nut and locking device, inner and outer bearings, just bigger. Good luck.

cmadmaxman · 11-01-2019, 08:46 PM

Take a look under my post just down a bit. When I did my suspension rebuild, I have some photos of the rear end. You may have the Dana 80, and that's some of the photos I have on there, other wise, very similar. A good time to replace bearings and seals along with new gear grease!

cmadmaxman · 11-01-2019, 08:50 PM

You need a special socket for the hub nuts. I bought mine, but think you can do a tool rental at your parts store?!

92landyacht · 11-02-2019, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Because you mentioned the front and rear calipers are the same I assume you have a GM chassis with a Dana HD70 axle. After you remove the pressed steel cover on the center of the hub, you will see an internal cut gear which is the hub, and inside of that an external cut gear which is the axle. Grab that gear as best you can pull it out, it is about 3' long and heavy. After you get the hub off and with new rotor reinstalled you simply slide the axle back in. You have to rotate it to engage the inner spline and outer gear in the hub but beyond that it just slides in.

The hub comes off pretty much like the front with a large nut and locking device, inner and outer bearings, just bigger. Good luck.

Yep, forgot to mention that it's a GM P30 based chassis. Good to hear that it just slides in. Was worried that it was going to be a huge struggle to get things to align back up again. The approximate 3' length helps as well since the MH is parked along side a utility shed and I need to verify that the shed on the curb side wont interfere with getting the axle out. Road side should be no issue since I clearly have 6' to work with.

92landyacht · 11-02-2019, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmadmaxman

Take a look under my post just down a bit. When I did my suspension rebuild, I have some photos of the rear end. You may have the Dana 80, and that's some of the photos I have on there, other wise, very similar. A good time to replace bearings and seals along with new gear grease!

I did take a look at your posts and found these two pics that clearly shows the axle.

Looks like all I'll need is a pair of vise grips to hold onto the protrusion on the end and it pull straight out. Still looking for the "tool" needed to unscrew the inner locking nut. I've seen some videos where people have used a screw driver and hammer to knock it around but if I can find the proper nut driver I'll pick one of those up.

Woops, just noticed that you have a pic of the tool in the same post.

I'll be looking for a good place to pick that up. Seems like a common part and available at a lot of locations. Good price too.

Thanks

**GCinSC2** · 11-02-2019, 07:34 AM

Interesting gear / spline drive. Never seen that before except on my Goldwing rear wheel drive hub it ran dry with special grease.

Curious, any info in service manual does the gear drive hub require any lube or is it getting gear oil to lube it?

No hands on experience, just curious.

92landyacht · 11-02-2019, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCinSC2

Interesting gear / spline drive. Never seen that before except on my Goldwing rear wheel drive hub it ran dry with special grease.

Curious, any info in service manual does the gear drive hub require any lube or is it getting gear oil to lube it?

No hands on experience, just curious.

From everything I've read so far, it gets its lubricant from the gear oil that's in the differential. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. My plan is to use just a small amount of gear oil to lube the seal surfaces so they don't start out dry in the beginning.

I plan on jacking up one side of the axle at a time in order to move the lubricant to the apposite side so I loose as little gear oil as possible. Just had the differential serviced a few months ago so I have clean gear oil in there now and don't want to change it again if possible. I can use the leveling jacks to raise the working side and keep the other side as low as possible. I can use my 20 ton jack and jack stands to raise it further and keep things safe while working under it.

Smartstream · 11-02-2019, 12:52 PM

Very little oil will run out of the axle tube, the oil is in the hubs. It feeds from the differential but the hubs act as a sump to bathe the bearings. When you reassemble add as much oil to the hubs as you can before fitting the cover. Also recheck the differential level after driving a few miles because the oil will migrate and seek a happy level between the hubs and differential sump.

You really don't need to jack the coach up much, just enough the get the tires off the ground so they can be removed. Actually you don't have to remove the wheels and tires, just remove the big nut from the hub and everything will come off as a unit. The problem is it's a bit heavy. Truck shops have a cart that makes the job easy.

Also the 3' axle length is a rough guess. You can get a better idea by measuring from the side of the differential to the end of the hub and add 5" or 6" for the spline in the carrier. And it is common for one side to be longer than the other because of the offset of the ring gear. Better to not have to punch a hole in the side of your shed.

92landyacht · 11-02-2019, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Very little oil will run out of the axle tube, the oil is in the hubs. It feeds from the differential but the hubs act as a sump to bathe the bearings. When you reassemble add as much oil to the hubs as you can before fitting the cover. Also recheck the differential level after driving a few miles because the oil will migrate and seek a happy level between the hubs and differential sump.

You really don't need to jack the coach up much, just enough the get the tires off the ground so they can be removed. Actually you don't have to remove the wheels and tires, just remove the big nut from the hub and everything will come off as a unit. The problem is it's a bit heavy. Truck shops have a cart that makes the job easy.

Actually I will have to remove the wheels since the "big nut" is under the center cover of the wheels and the lugs hold that cover in place. I have the Alcoa wheels. Taking the wheels off is no issue for me since I've done it numerous times in the past. Replaced all my tires last time by taking one or two off at a time and having the shop do the tire swap. That allowed me to do it over a period of time and spread the cost of the tires over a few months. The ole lady uses 8 tires and a spare so the costs can get pretty high. Saved a bunch of money that way and was able to use any tire shop to do the swap since they didn't have to cater only to motor homes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Also the 3' axle length is a rough guess. You can get a better idea by measuring from the side of the differential to the end of the hub and add 5" or 6" for the spline in the carrier. And it is common for one side to be longer than the other because of the offset of the ring gear. Better to not have to punch a hole in the side of your shed.

No worries there... I plan to move the shed before I work on the motor home. Ah... I mean move the motor home away from the shed.

- JK

My plan is to do a complete brake job pictorial for those that decide to do it themselves in the future. Did this with the TAG axle brakes a few years ago.

Smartstream · 11-02-2019, 06:17 PM

I wasn't really suggesting removing the wheels and hub as a unit because it is really heavy unless you have the proper gear. Also you have to pull the caliper first. And yes GM and their wisdom does hold the hub cover with the lug nuts, they also use one set of lug nuts to hold both wheels. I'm used to dealing with trucks and I forget the P-30.

As long as you are pulling your wheels to take in for tire change, you can save even more by changing the tire yourself. It's really not that bad. I recently put 8 new Goodyear's on my 345.

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cmadmaxman · 11-02-2019, 10:02 PM

Got er right on Dan. I used gear oil to pre-lube the bearings. I only put grease on the seals. Yes the gear oil lubes the hub bearings.

Dan, I thought that was a photo of me changing my tires!!

Your right, not hard to change out.

cmadmaxman · 11-02-2019, 10:13 PM

Harbor freight has good tire tools for a DIYer. Probably won't hold up to a every day use, but good for us.

Smartstream · 11-03-2019, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmadmaxman

Got er right on Dan. I used gear oil to pre-lube the bearings. I only put grease on the seals. Yes the gear oil lubes the hub bearings.

Dan, I thought that was a photo of me changing my tires!!

Your right, not hard to change out.

Actually I bet you change your tires upright. It is more of a challenge doing it sideways like in the picture.

Someday I may learn how to post the picture right side up.

I think my tire irons are Kent-Moore that are probably 40 years old. They are really hard to wear out. What's even better I think you can still buy the same tire iron from them today.

cmadmaxman · 11-03-2019, 02:03 PM

After changing out all 6 on a hot humid day in Tennessee, your pic is about how I feel![emoji16][emoji39]

bkahler · 11-04-2019, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smartstream

......As long as you are pulling your wheels to take in for tire change, you can save even more by changing the tire yourself. It's really not that bad. I recently put 8 new Goodyear's on my 345.

Attachment 355485

Yeah, but Dan you're a Masochist......

92landyacht · 11-04-2019, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smartstream

As long as you are pulling your wheels to take in for tire change, you can save even more by changing the tire yourself. It's really not that bad. I recently put 8 new Goodyear's on my 345.

Attachment 355485

That's OK, I'll just let them do it by machine. The Alcoa aluminum wheels are too precious for me to screw them up. If they screw them up I have some recourse.

Smartstream · 11-04-2019, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkahler

Yeah, but Dan you're a Masochist......

Thanks Brad, I needed to hear that this early in the morning. Now...shall we talk about you?

bkahler · 11-04-2019, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Thanks Brad, I needed to hear that this early in the morning. Now...shall we talk about you?

Nope....no need to bring me into the discussion

Smartstream · 11-04-2019, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 92landyacht

That's OK, I'll just let them do it by machine. The Alcoa aluminum wheels are too precious for me to screw them up. If they screw them up I have some recourse.

You would be amazed at how tough the Alcoa's are. But just so I don't have to polish as much I work on a sheet of cardboard.

For now both coaches have all new tires so I don't have to think about it for a few years.