b'Dec 2021 Trackwatch.qxp_Trackwatch Layout 128/11/20215:31 pmPage 29we all learnt how to pack the bearingwith fresh grease before insertingthem back into the axle hub.With everyone now knowing how todisassemble, clean and pack thebearings, we proceeded toreassemble everything on the car,ensuring the right torque setting andbearing locking nut pressures.Wewere amazed how something undersuch tremendous strain relied on nutsand bolts so small.Next came the front wheel bearings.While a bit different and requiringsome special tools, there were nosurprises.That is until it was time toremove the axle oil seal.This onerefused to budge, butknowing hisbusiness, Tony knew he could use agentle persuader to ease out the seal.Its worth mentioning at this time that surfaces or threads, so we took His gentle persuasion was a screwthis was not a one off.Tony made careful note of what we would need to driver and hammer smashing the sealsure his second rear wheel would also add to our tool kits.to the point it fell out. not come off.What he would have It was at this stage a practice axle I am glad I got to see Tony do this,done if he got a flat tyre on the way to hub was brought out so we could all because I dont think I would everYarck is anybodys guess, but with all punch out the bearings and replace have attempted the same if I had notus experts on hand, we had the them. While Tony was happy to use watched him first. situation in control.For the second his car, having 12 people all learn to The course talked a lot aboutrear wheel, we knew what to do and punch out a bearing and replace was mechanic short cuts, where they diddid so with efficiency, knowing our asking a bit much. not have the right tools or would notreputations as experts inoffering Being something that might need to remove all the seals, believing the oldopinions was now officially changed be done on the side of the track, we ones were still OK.We were able toto bush mechanic experts in limited the cleaning fluid (e.g. petrol compare the edges of new seals withremoving rear wheels so long as we or white spirits) to a litre, an amount ones worn and the difference iscould find a star picket and had a few you could easily carry in a camping obvious when you know what to lookblocks of wood.fluid bottle e.g. Trangia Fuel Bottle. for.For us LC200 owners, that lessonTony then showed us how to disas- The limited amount of cleaning fluid was a good one because most 200semble everything in the rear axle also meant that we needed to remove series owners never go off road andbearing assembly, right down to most of the grease by hand before never immerse their hubs in water orremoving the axle, all the bearings using the cleaning fluid.Keeping a mud. So, mechanics who like to takeand seals.There were a few special role of Chux superwipes with the short cuts can get away with it.Fortools needed that make the job easy camp kitchen is a good idea. those minority of LC200 owners, likeand not risk damage to any of the Using the clubs practice bearings, us, this practice (or lack of), is not agood thing and something we need tobe mindful of.Of course, now that we have allcompleted the course, none of us willever ask a mechanic to do our wheelbearings and seals.At least, that iswhat we would like to think.An added benefit of doing thecourse was not only in being able totighten or replace bearings, but know-ing how to remove your axle or CVjoints if you were ever faced with abreak on an outback trip.Course participants were: JohnVanderleest, Graham Beer, KevinMcDonald, Michael Tran, FergusNightingale, Greg Howarth, JohnPrice, Timothy Kay, Robert Duff, PiersThompson, Tony Bryant and RichardWoodthorpe. John VanderleestTLCCVTRACKWATCH DECEMBER 2021 27'