Thanks to the people of the BB and the webmaster for providing me a solution to my awful grinding noise. After searching the archives, I found an old link from Chris Herbst that described my problem to a "T".
240's have rear axle bearings that should be repacked occassionally. Who knew!

If anybody is planning on doing their rear brakes, you might as well spend the extra 30 minutes and clean and repack your axle bearings. Easy and cheap insurance against failure and annoying noises.

It probably would help the longevity - but I've never actually had one/both bearing(s) fail. Not normally considered a "maintenance" item.

I have however had the seals let go and diff lube was leaking out onto the parking brake shoes so - as you osberved if the captive seal goes - you'll need new bearings and retainer ring. Not that hard if you have a 20 ton press.

But your bearings were making noise, so you put grease in and they quieted down? Hopefully you caught it in time and the races aren't scored.

How did you pack the captive bearing?
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Sound like a good plan. How do I get to them?

After repacking the bearings the noise disappeared 100%. Miracle what an hour and a few ounces of grease will do.

The rear bearings look like any other wheel bearing...tapered from outboard to inboard, a series of roller bearings in a cage, and a pressed in race in the axel tube. Once you access them, squirt with you favourite solvent and squish the grease from the open (outboard side) inward until you see it appear on the inboard side. Just like any other repack.

Access to these little wonders is simple.
1) remove wheel
2) remove caliper mounting bolts (17mm) and hang cailper from spring
3) remove rotor mounting bolt (10 mm) and yank off rotor. Sometimes the e-brake shoes will hang up...just pull harder!
4) remove e-brake shoes
5) There are 4 17mm bolts that fasten through the bearing retainer, remove through the axle access hole (you will see what I mean)
6) Once those are removed, grab onto the axle flang and jerk vigorously. The axle will come out quickly so watch yourself. I landed on my ass!

The axle is about a metre lonfg and you can take it to a bench, clean and lube the bearings. Re-install the opposite to above.

My bearing are pretty smoked so I ordered two "kits" from FCP Groton for $79 USD total price. They cost $140 CDn each side

Hope this helps.
Mike

You say both bearings were smoked!, there might have been an assembly problem or so, but I have never seen any real problems with these bearings, especially with both!. The load on them is little compared to front (longer shaft).

However regreasing is never a bad thing, as long as you do with right with correct grease and without introducing contamination etc.

Reg,

Jorn Oslo Norway

Actually the driver's side was smoked and the passenger was fine. I repacked both and will replace them as soon as the parts arrive.