Clams Canino

Heh... What's funny is that as I was reading along... I somehow knew that was Gary. When I got to the bottom it was confirmed.

-W

hgoodwiniii

Rear Bearings/U Joints are done. Thanks to everyone that helped. Now to the front, please tell me the front bearings are a "normal" bearing job. Also, I've posted pictures of the car in my photo album for those interested.

1971corvette

So what endplay did you end up with on both spindles ?

Where is this photo album at ??

hgoodwiniii

Try the "My Corvette Photos" link under my avatar picture and let me know if you can see them. We were able to get the driver side to 0.002 or so of end play. We stayed with the 0 endplay on the passenger side. I spoke to a few folks and didnt get any real concerns since I could turn the spindle by hand. We'll see on that.

unclenick

I've been a machinist for 25 years and there is a rule for bearing installation. If the shaft rotates and the housing remains still, the bearing must press on to the shaft and slip fit in to the housing. If the housing rotates and the shaft remains still the housing must be a press fit and the shaft can be a slip fit ( as on the front wheels of rear wheel drive cars). I believe this is why the rear spindles need to be set up with a jig that will allow you to slip the tapered roller bearings and spacer, on to a shaft, adjust the shim thickness, disassemble and press the assembly on to the spindle. (again because the shaft rotates)
To go a little further, the reason for the press fit on a rotating shaft is that if it is a slip fit the shaft surface and the bearing's inner bore are not revolving at the exact same rate and the clearance between the two is allowing the bearing to roll out the shaft like a rolling pin on pie crust. This is why it needs to pressed on.

Accelo

On the front wheels the outer race turns.
On the rear the shaft turns.
That is the difference.
Bearing engineering 101.
I know this thread is really old but had to give the reason for the next onlooker.

73 Scott

The thing is, there is a pre load on the bearings with those spacers. They press onto the inner part of the bearing with 100 ft pounds of pressure. It's hard to believe they will turn on the spindle unless they seize up. Putting them in without the spacers is lunacy to me if you have slip fit spindles.

Accelo

There should not be any pre-loading present on the rear trailing arm bearings. The spec is .001 to .008 loose. (or close to that number) The shim keep the bearings apart and take the crush so to speak. With out the spacers there is no way to control the pre-loading and tightening the nun to 100 pound feet would preload the heck out of the bearings.

73 Scott

What I'm saying is that the spacer holds the inner part of the bearing (maybe preload was the wrong terminology). With the spacer in there really isn't a need to have a press on fit. Slip fit is fine with the spacer in there, the only way they would spin is if the nut backed off or the bearing seized. Those spacers tightened to 100 ft pounds will hold the bearings just fine. Having slip fit bearing and not using the spacers is asking for trouble.

Accelo

Ok I get your point. And understand what you mean.
However, best engineering practice is to have the slip fit on the non rotating element.
This has been proved over and over in practice and using some really fancy engineering software tools. GM is no dummy and would not add this level of complication to what would be a simple task if it wasn't for the interference shaft fits.
Best guess is under analysis the clamping torque would not suffice or replace the interference fit. The early 1963's had the slip fit and they lost bearings right and left till GM change the shaft diameter. Might work once but the statistical changes of loosing a bearing is higher. Much higher.