How do i get the old bearings out? do I need to take the whole steering knucle out or can I just unbolt the center peice?

 

I've got a manual around somewhere, first chance I get I'll have a look.

 

Yes, You can remove the bearing without disassembling the entire unut if the seals are still any good and no moisture has gotten past them and rusted the bearing in.

Easy to check .....

Support the front of the unit firmly with the front wheels off the ground.
Remove the wheel
Remove the axle cotter pin and axle nut.
Remove the brake drum. If it will not pull off easy, un adjust both wheel cylinder adjusters, opposite way of arrows
Remove the bottom mall joint cotter pin and nut. With a larger hammer, hit the side of the lower control arm, near the ball joint to break the taper. You will know when it has broken the taper by pushing downward on the lower conreol arm.
Remove the brake line
Remove the lower shock mounting bolt and pivot the shock up, if needed, bungie it up.
Pivot the upper control arm up and turn the knuckle foreward
The wheel end of the axle can be removed this way.
Secure the knuckle turned sideways, inside exposed,
Remove both seals, inner and outer.
Remove the inside snap ring
From the opposite side of the snao ring, insert a suitable driver and drive the bearing out
If the bearing is ruined, no *****, or very few, wearing safety glasses, knock the center free with a punch and hammer
The outer bearing race can be removed by heating it carefully with an oxy accetelene torch. BE CAREFULL not to burn anything
I will get the race red hot working my way all the way around it, not melting it. Let it cool a few minutes and drive it out (don't forget the safety glasses )
Honestly I will take the upper ball joint loose and do all this away from the unit, if I need to heat or in case it must be pressed.

A tip when reinstalling the axle if it was removed ..... make sure the openings of the snap ring are faceing up (12 o'clock position) when reinstalling the axle. This will insure ease of instalation and prevent damage to the clip and splines as it will keep the ends seated within the groove during install. If you cannot install the axle with a light rubber hammer or just by pushing in by hand, remove the axle and check the clip if it has been 'snagged' when installing. This tip is a near sure- fire way of trouble free instalation on any clipped inner axle assembly.

----- Gimpster -----