Replacing Rear Arm Bearings

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mat_fenwick
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Replacing Rear Arm Bearings

Post by mat_fenwick »

Tools Required

24mm socket and spanner,13, 14 & 17mm sockets, Large hammers, various sockets, drifts. Optional: Mig Welder
1 x Rear Arm Bearing Kit per side, 1 x spacer per side. Rear Arm Kit available from GSF Car Parts part number N42358. 514327 shim set is only availabe from Citroen..
Please note, these part numbers and instructions do NOT apply to the BX 4x4.

Method

NB: If car has ABS, unclip sensor wire connector under rear sear, and push rubber bung and wire through bulkhead.

Jack up the rear of the car, remove rear wheels, and place axle stands under the rear suspension beam. Loosen 2 x 13mm bolts securing anti roll bar to the arm.

Place height lever in the LOW position to remove suspension pressure. Ensure all pressure is gone from rear suspension before further dismantling. Note that the car will change position on the axle stands slightly as the front drops.

Undo rear caliper (2 x 17mm bolts) and unclip brake pipe from arm. Tie caliper out of the way in order that brake pipe is not damaged. (Do not remove or loosen the long 8mm nut and bolt that holds that pads in, leaving this in place will prevent caliper from leaking fluid)

Remove U-clip that secures rear suspension arm pin to arm using pliers. Pull the long metal rod from the suspension cylinder back, keeping it inside the rubber gaiter.

Remove the 2 x 13mm bolts securing anti roll bar to the arm.

Using long bar/ratchet, undo the 24mm nut and bolt securing the arm. Remove the arm from car.

Mount arm in vice.

Using suitable socket (I used a long 14mm socket) and hammer, knock through the metal spacer tube..
The remains of the arm seals, bearing cage and spacers usually fall out, if not prise them out with a pry bar or large screwdriver..

Remove the pivot protector (plastic inner tube) . (sometime they come out easily, other times you have to resort to bashing them out)

Knock off the bearing outer-ring using something like a hard metal pipe or drift. If it does not shift I suggest Mig welding round the remains of the bearing collar inside the arm. If you do not have a welder, clean carefully inside the arm with WD40, sandpaper, then attempt to hit them out once you can see where they are. Clean inside arm with oil and a cloth, ensuring all dirt and rust is removed. Lightly grease inside the arm.

Insert new arm bearing shells at both ends, greasing them thinly and tap into place using 24mm socket and hammer. Fit and grease new bearings.

Assemble the metal spacer tube and roller-bearing, plus the oil seal thrust bush at one side.
Don't forget to insert the shim (See diagram, 514327) between bearing and thrust bush. Fit this part to the outer side of rear arm.

Then fully grease the new bearings. Fill plastic spacer tube with oil/grease.
Insert half assembled spacer and bearing into arm, and build up the bearing, seal etc on the other side.
Refitting the rebuilt rear arm in reverse procedure to dismantling.
13kgf/m is the suggested torque for the 24mm bolt.
Don't forget to bleed the rear brakes if you have split the rear caliper

Image

Thanks for Jon Wood for the write up.
Last edited by mat_fenwick on Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
Image

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Rear Arm unit

Post by scotty »

Hi,
Anybody know where i can get a rear arm unit overhauled at all, as one of mine has gone elongated!
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Gibbo2286
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Post by Gibbo2286 »

Look for a small local engineering workshop, something on a par with Fred Dibnah. :) Gibbo.
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Post by Defender110 »

How could a deceased engineer help???
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Post by Linegeist »

One of my arms had worn itself an egg-shaped slot at one end because the PO had neglected the bearing for so long. I couldn't get the seal to seat correctly.

I mig-welded layers of fresh metal onto the low areas, and then dressed them back with a half round file, before finishing off with a dremel and a 1" grinder.

Took me about 2 hours all in ..........
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Post by Defender110 »

Is it always the near side that wears / gets damaged the quickest
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Post by rayfenwick »

Linegeist wrote:One of my arms had worn itself an egg-shaped slot at one end....

I mig-welded layers of fresh metal .....Took me about 2 hours all in ..........
I'm amazed you could weld at all with an egg-shaped slot at the end of one of your arms... ;)
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Post by NZ16v »

^my father has a reliable engineeer, who re-machines the bearing casings true, then adds bronze bushes to put them back to factory dimensions-so you can use all factory bits'n'bobs as replacements.

Not cheap, but bloody good result, as this is a recurring problem in badly serviced BXes
one thing better than owning a 16v-owning TWO 16vs
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Post by Linegeist »

rayfenwick wrote:
Linegeist wrote:One of my arms had worn itself an egg-shaped slot at one end....

I mig-welded layers of fresh metal .....Took me about 2 hours all in ..........
I'm amazed you could weld at all with an egg-shaped slot at the end of one of your arms... ;)
](*,) :lol: - See? English again!! Now if we all used a proper language on here (like German) this kind of misinterprewossname couldn't happen see ............... ? :P :lol:
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Post by rayfenwick »

Don't worry Bob - nothing at all wrong with your English (as an ex EFL teacher I feel reasonably qualified to say that :) )

Just me trying to get a cheap laugh... :oops:
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Post by KevR »

Linegeist wrote:
](*,) :lol: - See? English again!! Now if we all used a proper language on here (like German) this kind of misinterprewossname couldn't happen see ............... ? :P :lol:
True, but give it a few weeks and we'd all be itching to go off and invade Poland or something.... :wink:
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Post by Linegeist »

KevR wrote:True, but give it a few weeks and we'd all be itching to go off and invade Poland or something.... :wink:
You make it sound like that is a BAD thing ................... 8-[ :-k :wink:
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Post by KevR »

Linegeist wrote:
KevR wrote:True, but give it a few weeks and we'd all be itching to go off and invade Poland or something.... :wink:
You make it sound like that is a BAD thing ................... 8-[ :-k :wink:
:lol: :lol:
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Post by rayfenwick »

..given Natasha's opinion of the accountants at the Polish office of her ex-company, she'd say it would be a good thing....
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Post by Adrian E »

One tip I would make to the write up above is to crack the 4 bolts holding the anti roll bar in place (2 each side) before relieving all pressure in the system - you will struggle to get a socket onto the bolts due to the position the heads of the bolts end up in.

Guess how I found that out :roll:
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