Driveshaft o/s - support bearing bracket
 

Does anyone know the best way to strip, clean and grease what Haynes calls the "support bearing bracket" on the o/s drivers side driveshaft? I notice a big strong circlip that may not be easy to get at with a pliers. I want to check I can easily reassemble.

I aim to not disturb the inner and outer cv. I have a driveshaft from the breakers and flushed the support bearing with penetrating oil and then engine oil to get it moving. But it needs a strip and clean and new grease.

On the old driveshaft (on a manual CDTi) the bearing seems to have gone wrong, lots of play and moves along the driveshaft and I was getting a worn wheel bearing sound from that centre area when driving.

If you have the haynes manual, then follow that. It wont be far out from the RAVE version, although it does have mistakes in the manual. its generally ok. If you read most of the haynes manual is actually word for word from the rave text. Make sure the new bearing is up to the job , cleaned and well greased.Otherwise you wont want to re visit the job again. ... :}

Just checked the Haynes again and it only says the bearing support bracket exists and to take out the two studs (3 on 1.8) to remove the driveshaft. No mention of how to dismantle or reassemble. I have digital/pdf workshop manual that says MG Rover Group 2003 and that is the same as the Haynes no details of how to dismantle or reassembly.

Here is the link showing the issue where there are no details in workshop manuals or Rimmers website

https://retrorides.proboards.com/thr...rollTo=2053738

The then Rover 75 owner says:-
"Some googling unearthed the fact that a Nissan Murano 4x4 has a same-sized bearing holding its driveshaft in!!! So, I bought an aftermarket Murano bearing from an Estonian company off Amazon for £14:"

And here on this website:-

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...d.php?t=296358

I recently reconditioned the o/s driveshaft for my diesel tourer, to get to the support bearing you need to remove the shield at the gearbox end of the shaft and press the bearing in its housing off it's register and off towards the gearbox end.
Make sure you measure the bearing position on the shaft as there is no positive location and if you get it wrong it will cause problems.
Once the bearing and housing are off the shaft you can easily remove the large circlip and press the bearing out of the housing.
New quality bearings are quite easy to obtain, I wouldn't mess around with re- greasing an old one - you will be stripping it again to fit a new bearing sooner rather than later.

Thanks bsafly, very helpful. Any idea where to get the bearing and what to ask for?

if you have got the shells then any bearing reputable supplier should be able to identify and source one , i would have thought.

I’ve just looked through the file for the tourer and found the invoice for the driveshaft support bearing, it’s listed as: PCS 35 DSF01 (35 x 72 x 25).
I ordered the bearing at a local bearing supplier (Essex Bearings), quoting only the bearing sizes as the bearing i removed was in such a poor condition that the etchings couldn’t be read.
Make sure you ask for a high quality bearing, I can’t remember the make of the bearing i fitted, but it’s still good after over 10,000 miles of everyday use on mostly country lanes (although I expect it to last at least as long as the original driveshaft which completed 160,000 miles before it failed).
Hope that helps, Paul.

Not from an economical point of view, but of interest. Rimmers £350 plus postage for complete new shaft complete. Autodoc"s start at £106 upwards for the shaft complete. Lots of makes available. I dont know if one size fits all 1.8 kv6 and diesel but it is a good recommendation by BSAFLY to buy a good quality bearing , especially on the higher torque diesel versions.

When I was looking for a driveshaft I was unable to find anyone supplying a new or reconditioned one for the diesel variant, which is why I went for second hand and then reconditioned myself ( once I actually found one !).