89' Pathfinder brake job ...

[Pezman]

This past weekend I was doing a brake job on my nephews 89 Pathfinder, but had to stop due to a part I'd never seen before. While trying to remove the rotors I found a "lock ring" and I do not have any tools to remove it. It's a dowel or pin driven ring behind an automatic hub cover and a number of misc. washers/spacers. Will I need a special Nissan only tool for it, or can it be found elsewhere? I've never seen or dealt with anything like this before. Does it do the same thing as the castle nuts do on most cv shafts? I'm assuming if it is similar to the castle nuts in function, then it will take one hell of a breaker bar to free it. Is there anyhting else behind it that I should worry about, or is it just the bearings and I'm done? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Even the local parts stores look at me like I have two heads when I try to explain it and ask for a tool to remove it.

[Simon]

You can stick a screwdriver in one of the holes, and tap it backwards to thread it out. You can do the same to reinstall, just don't overtighten the bearings

[krmiller07]

This past weekend I was doing a brake job on my nephews 89 Pathfinder, but had to stop due to a part I'd never seen before. While trying to remove the rotors I found a "lock ring" and I do not have any tools to remove it. It's a dowel or pin driven ring behind an automatic hub cover and a number of misc. washers/spacers. Will I need a special Nissan only tool for it, or can it be found elsewhere? I've never seen or dealt with anything like this before. Does it do the same thing as the castle nuts do on most cv shafts? I'm assuming if it is similar to the castle nuts in function, then it will take one hell of a breaker bar to free it. Is there anyhting else behind it that I should worry about, or is it just the bearings and I'm done? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Even the local parts stores look at me like I have two heads when I try to explain it and ask for a tool to remove it.

Can you post a picture of it? I have an 89 pathy, and I know theres a retaining ring that has holes around the circumferance of it, with one philips head screw securing it in place. That ring is used to adjust the bearing preload. When I converted over to manual locking hubs, I also remember there being a circlip on the end of the axle shaft(CV) that circlip is suppose to hold the axle in place. Once all of those have been removed, take the philips crew out of the preload ring(which is threaded on to the axle)and use a drift punch to stick into the holes of the preload retaining ring and tap it loose. Make sure your tapping counter clockwise (lefty loosey- righty tighty!)the pre-load ring should thread off of the end of the axle, allowing you to remove the rotor and bearings.

 

Hope that helps

Keith

[Pezman]

Can you post a picture of it? I have an 89 pathy, and I know theres a retaining ring that has holes around the circumferance of it, with one philips head screw securing it in place. That ring is used to adjust the bearing preload. When I converted over to manual locking hubs, I also remember there being a circlip on the end of the axle shaft(CV) that circlip is suppose to hold the axle in place. Once all of those have been removed, take the philips crew out of the preload ring(which is threaded on to the axle)and use a drift punch to stick into the holes of the preload retaining ring and tap it loose. Make sure your tapping counter clockwise (lefty loosey- righty tighty!)the pre-load ring should thread off of the end of the axle, allowing you to remove the rotor and bearings.

 

Hope that helps

Keith

You pretty much nailed it. I got all the way to what you call the pre-load ring, but it wouldn't budge even with a drift and one BFH. That's when my nephew produced the manual that showed some crazy looking dowel plate on the end of a torque wrench. It just mentioned a special tool in the manual, and a way to fabricate one if it wasn't available. Maybe I'll try going back at it with a dowel in the hole and drift on that.

[Precise1]

Once all of those have been removed, take the philips screws (2) out of the preload ring

 

This is why it won't budge. Take the two locking screws out and it will come right loose with a few light taps, unless it is rusted in place...

 

B

[sewebster]

I am probably going to make one of those "special tools" so I can adjust my wheel bearings properly... but it sounds like people get away without one, which is good to know.

 

I figure I'll get a chunk of steel. Drill and tap a big hole in the middle and red loctite in a large bolt to put the socket on. Then drill two holes, one on either end, so match the hole spacing in the lock ring. Then use shaft retaining compound to secure pins in the holes. Can probably use the shoulders of bolts rather than drill rod.

[Pezman]

All done ... Putting a dowel in one of the the holes and hitting it with the drift/hammer freed it up ... Oddly enough, when it came time to go to the drivers side, it needed nothing but to be spun ... Drivers side wasn't bound up in the least ... Thanks again for the info ...

[krmiller07]

All done ... Putting a dowel in one of the the holes and hitting it with the drift/hammer freed it up ... Oddly enough, when it came time to go to the drivers side, it needed nothing but to be spun ... Drivers side wasn't bound up in the least ... Thanks again for the info ...

Your welcome ! Someone must of really tightened that side up! It should never have been that tight. Your lucky it didn't burn up the wheel bearings. Was the end of the axle rusty or filled with dirt ?

[adamzan]

You can buy the right tool here, it's not very expensive and makes it a lot easier to remove and reinstall.

 

http://www.autopart.com/TOOLS/TOOLSMAIN/tool/T_4170.htm

[GrimGreg]

You can buy the right tool here, it's not very expensive and makes it a lot easier to remove and reinstall.

 

http://www.autopart.com/TOOLS/TOOLSMAIN/tool/T_4170.htm

Makes a great Secret Santa present too! (Thanks again Pezzy!)

[ahardb0dy]

[Pezman]

Your welcome ! Someone must of really tightened that side up! It should never have been that tight. Your lucky it didn't burn up the wheel bearings. Was the end of the axle rusty or filled with dirt ?

Yeah, one side was definately bound up pretty bad. Threads all looked good though. No rust or dirt that I saw, just old grease sludge. It was such cheap money for wheel bearings I had my nephew grab a set for the "just because I'm in here" theory ... Other then that, heavily regreased everything and all went together great ... Now it's onto the frozen e-brake cable ...

[adamzan]

Did you change the races and inner bearing seal as well?

[frozenrotors]

Yeah, one side was definately bound up pretty bad. Threads all looked good though. No rust or dirt that I saw, just old grease sludge. It was such cheap money for wheel bearings I had my nephew grab a set for the "just because I'm in here" theory ... Other then that, heavily regreased everything and all went together great ... Now it's onto the frozen e-brake cable ...

 

Let me know how you make out on the e-brake issue. I have the same problem. There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between the parking brake cables for the DRUM brake equipped models and the ones with 4 wheel disc brakes. All of the local auto parts stores will tell you they take the same cables, however they are diffferent! The cables are pricey, and I've been told most of the time they corrode and stick where the cable attaches inside the rear wheel assy. inside or behind the drum or rotor. Sometimes the cables MAY fray inside the outer sleeve of the cable, but mine actually have a nylon sleeve covering the inner cable. So my guess, is that mine are binding up somewhere inside the rear parking brake assy. I live in MN, so with all the road salt spread out on the roads, mine are probably just corroded. It's kind of a job getting to the inside assy. to remove the cable inside the wheel assy. I think you have to remove the drum or rotor and parking brake shoes to get to the cable ends. Oh, and the outer end of the axle is in the way too!

[Pezman]

^^^ Can do, though initially going over it it seems to be corroded/rotted where the cable exits the body of the vehicle. We haven't gotten as far as the rear brakes yet. Sounds like it could be a big mess from what you're describing. Especially considering the fact that the e-brake has definately not been used in years from the looks of it.

 

Did you change the races and inner bearing seal as well?

Sure did, but I was surprised how expensive they were. I think it was about $7-$8 for the race and the same for the seal. Whatever, it was still worth the extra $30 to not have to worry about it.

[sewebster]

Let me know how you make out on the e-brake issue. I have the same problem. There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between the parking brake cables for the DRUM brake equipped models and the ones with 4 wheel disc brakes. All of the local auto parts stores will tell you they take the same cables, however they are diffferent! The cables are pricey, and I've been told most of the time they corrode and stick where the cable attaches inside the rear wheel assy. inside or behind the drum or rotor. Sometimes the cables MAY fray inside the outer sleeve of the cable, but mine actually have a nylon sleeve covering the inner cable. So my guess, is that mine are binding up somewhere inside the rear parking brake assy. I live in MN, so with all the road salt spread out on the roads, mine are probably just corroded. It's kind of a job getting to the inside assy. to remove the cable inside the wheel assy. I think you have to remove the drum or rotor and parking brake shoes to get to the cable ends. Oh, and the outer end of the axle is in the way too!

 

I just bought set of parking brake cables from Rock Auto. So I may be able to report on whether or not they fit my (rear disc) setup sometime soonish.