Phann Chouk

I was just woundering how difficult is it to replace rear wheel bearing and what type of tools do I need on 1981

jesse10886

I know you need a shop press a spindle protector a bfh a dial indicator with a magnetic base and a few other small things. Someone will chime in with a link to the step by step thread for doing this. You do have to remove the trailing arms though. Also the torque arms, and the sway bar linkage. You might as well replace rear brake lines while you are in there and the shocks. If you are not a die hard do it yourselfer. An if there is a corvette shop near you that rebuilds them in house it is cheaper to swap your old ones for refurbs an be done with it. They do take a considerable amount of time if you are gonna do it your self.

Phann Chouk

it look easy in the book thanks

jesse10886

Yeah actually taking off the trailing arms is easy. Then put the new refurbished trailing arms on an bolt the torque arms, springs, and sway bar back up an your good to go. The refurbished trailing arms from many places are about $340-370 a piece. If you have a shop close by you an you save on shipping that is your best bet. The refurb trailing arms come with new inner&outer wheel bearings, new inner&outer races, new wheel bearing seals, new trailing arm bushings, new dust covers, new parking brake assembly. That is why they are soo expensive. I put almost $600 into mine doing it my self and it was allot of work I wish I had just swapped them for a refurb pair. One of my spindles was ruined from bearing lock up an one spindle alone cost you $120 so it adds up quick. I bought a 12ton shop press specifically for my suspension overhaul so I had to use it.

Phann Chouk

so it not easy at all thanks for the info Jesse10886

corvetteload

trailing arms don't need to be removed. What needs to be removed is the bearing housing, and the inner and outer need to be shimmed to proper widths. I took my bearing housing to a GM tech from the "old school" way of doing things and he got the proper shimming. I then installed the housing and had to torque the nut to the shaft yoke properly to maintain the correct "smash". I did not remove the trailing arm to do my 75.

bhk2

I saw a interesting looking bearing press on one of the vendor sites--it resembled a butterfly/transformer. Will a regular hydraulic press work to press these bearings in?

Understand I need to by the spindle knocker and spindle removal tool. Looked like Duntov was the cheapest way to go if I could use the hydraulic press.

If I drop the trailing arms off at the local shop, looking at about $280 each.

Thanks

jesse10886

Yeah a regular press works just fine

oldboat

as corvetteload said the arms don't need to come off. i did mine on the car. i used a spindle knocker and a six pound drill hammer to know the spindle out. as i understand it that does not always work. i got the parts from van steel. shims, spacers, and bearings, etc. it took two tries to get the shims just right. you do have to knock the spindle back out to change shims. as i recall i did in in one day, but i had all the parts on hand and i had spoken with van steel on the phone before hand. if the spindles won't come out you could be in for a very bad day.

Jay-Dog

The shop that pressed my bearings made a custom press/tool to do the job. They also rebuilt the trailing arms, etc... Then, they declined my offer to send all my corvette brothers to them for future work. hahahaha. This is a pain in the a$s job! Hire a pro.

Phann Chouk

Does anybody know how replace the seal on the differincail on 1981 vett
My seal is leaking just would like to know how differcult it is

bobs76stingray

I've replaced both rear wheel bearing assemblies on my 76,the only real problem I had was removing the shaft where the shock mounts.It took alot of penetrating oil and I used a big bearing puller,and used it as a pusher.Just want to put the nut on with enough threads to hold it good and a good solid washer in front of it,at least it worked for me.I hope this helps.At least if yours is set up like a 76