*Success!*
After discussing the job with my buddy, it was pretty clear it would be more straightforward to replace the axle, so I bought & collected a guaranteed clean one from a breakers' yard off eBay for £85. It came off a front-end accident-damaged write off which had 11 months' MoT and a good history which went a long way towards confidence. They were really helpful guys (had a "wee blether" with them for ages after a long-ish drive) who check all parts before stripping them for sale. They'd broken ten 206CCs in the previous month and salvaged seven of the axles. They definitely knew all about the toe-out bearing issues!
I stripped everything off the axle at my mate's request except the ABS sensors, and took it and the car to the garage today for surgery. It took 2 hrs 15 mins of which around 1 hour was dealing with seized fasteners (especially those
![Censored :censored:](./images/smilies/new-censored.gif)
torx screws holding the rear cross-braces on) and removing the hubs from the old axle (the bearings didn't much like it although they came good). If it had been a 206 hatch with rear shoes, it would have probably been an hour tops for the job! I'll be asking Santa for a 2-ton ramp for crimbo this year (although I know what the answer's gonna be.)
Anyhoo, it runs as sweet as a sweet thing in a sweet shop - not a rattle, bump or knock to be heard AND with vertical wheels - and in my euphoria, I spent another £20 for a valet on the way home (car's now probably double the value it was this morning...). Thanks to everyone who chipped in and made me the wiser! It's been a good learning experience with a happy ending.
![Love Thx :love-thx:](./images/smilies/love-thx.gif)