I need to change out my wheel bearing (rear outer) on my 88 lx. How hard is it to do it if you have never done it before? I do have access to a lift and all the tools that I need so that's not a problem. Getting it done without missing something up is the real problem.

 

first put the trans in neutral and raise the car on the lift. remove the rear wheels/tires and brake drums. remove the rear cover and drain the rear housing. remove the locking bolt from the differential pinion shaft and then remove the differential pinion shaft. push the axle shaft in toward the center of the car and remove the C clips from the ends of the axles. a magnet on stick helps with this. remove the axles from the housing being careful not to damage the oil seal on the outer end of the axle tubes. use a slide hammer with hooks to remove the axle bearing and seal as a unit. install the new bearings and seals using a driver tool after lubricating them with gear oil. carefully reinstall the axles and follow the reverse procedure to put everything back like it was. tighten the shaft lock bolt to 15-30 ft-lbs. reinstall the cover with a new gasket or use silcone gasket maker. add one small bottle of friction modifier and new gear oil to fill the housing to the bottom of the fill hole.
I would suggest you get a good repair manual with pictures or illustrations and read over the procedure for this before you start working on the rear end. they are available at all auto parts stores and well worth the cost.

 

jeeze roundy, there isnt even a reason to reply after that answer [8D]

 

I was talking to a master mechanic ( my grandfather) and was telling him about the grinding in the rear end. He asked me a few questions and he told me that it's not my wheel bearings. He thinks that who ever put in the new gears didn't do it right and that they are in there to tight. The reason that he thinks that is because I told him that I couldn't spin the wheels with my hands (not even an inch). He said that With the car in neutral and the e-brake not up that I should spin the wheel freely. I was told to take the inspection plate off and look around in there and see if I have any metal shavings and if I did then I really have some problems and my end up getting and new gear set. What do you think?

 

I agree with your grandfather! Unless the rear brakes are adjusted way to tight, the wheels should turn fairly easily if the gears were installed correctly. Check the brake adjustment or pull the drums and back off the adjusters and then see if the wheels turn easily by hand. If they don't, then I would pull the rear cover and inspect the gears to see what is happening in the rear end.