Should I do the Wheel Bearings?

[TheHeretic]

So just picked up the silvermine rear disk conversion for the 510 and now have to make that all important decision of if I want to replace the wheel bearings when the kit is installed. The bearings are fine right now. Background on the car is it has about 55K and was driven very conservatively from inception until maybe a year ago. I know take the car on vintage rallies through some pretty rough backroads.

I can either just do the rear brake kit myself (leave the bearings along) with the only investment being my time and the kit OR pay around $900 for the wheel bearings to be done and the kit installed for me. I'm not going to try to do the wheel bearings myself, don't have the tools and it definitely something I don't want to try for the first time on this 510.

So if I move forward with the replacement since install the kit gets us so close to the bearings? Is $900 fair for the complete job? Just curious what you would do?

[okayfine]

I don't really see switching to rear disc enhancing the ability to R&R the rear bearings. Just use an angle grinder to cut off the drum backing plates.

If you're pulling the axles to remove the backing plates, then absolutely do the bearings (or have them done). Should be a lot cheaper if you do all the work up to R&R the bearings, then just take the a-arms in and have the bearings replaced at a shop. It's all fairly basic mechanical work to get the arms to that point, though the axle nuts can be a legendary PITA. Even if you just pull the arms and have the shop R&R the axles and bearings, I don't see that anywhere near $900. You can set up the discs later.