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Old Apr 8, 2017 | 09:09 PM
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Default Rear Wheel bearings

How do you know when your rear wheel bearings are gone?

Last edited by mpro71vette; Apr 8, 2017 at 09:32 PM.
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Old Apr 8, 2017 | 09:55 PM
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Originally Posted by mpro71vette
How do you know when your rear wheel bearings are gone?
you will hear a grinding noise in rear -

find a nice hill - shut engine off and roll in neutral- open drivers door & listen -
u can put car on jack stands - right under the shock mount, so that full weight is on rear spring - making sure that drive shafts are level as if car were sitting on the ground

put in gear & rotate wheels slowly - should hear - be careful when on jack stands
........................................ ........................ tom
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Old Apr 8, 2017 | 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by MISTERZ06
you will hear a grinding noise in rear -

find a nice hill - shut engine off and roll in neutral- open drivers door & listen -
u can put car on jack stands - right under the shock mount, so that full weight is on rear spring - making sure that drive shafts are level as if car were sitting on the ground

put in gear & rotate wheels slowly - should hear - be careful when on jack stands
........................................ ........................ tom
I hear a grinding when I'm turning, would that be it?
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Old Apr 8, 2017 | 10:03 PM
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Originally Posted by mpro71vette
I hear a grinding when I'm turning, would that be it?
could be
.................. tom
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could also be bad universal joint on rear half shafts
good luck
.................. tom

Last edited by MISTERZ06; Apr 8, 2017 at 10:11 PM.
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Old Apr 8, 2017 | 10:20 PM
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i have the Kent-Moore tool for doing rear spindle bearing
bought 100 years ago
can t believe the prices
i believe that make/have cheaper tools
can not take any shortcuts on rear spindle bearing -
you need to find a qualified mechanic with corvette experience

.................... tom
http://www.ebay.com/itm/J22602-1-Cor...IAAOSw32lYn-mv
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Old Apr 8, 2017 | 10:36 PM
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GOOD PLACE TO GET PARTS

.......... TOM

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Old Apr 8, 2017 | 10:38 PM
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Originally Posted by mpro71vette
How do you know when your rear wheel bearings are gone?
A grinding or "Wiggle" when turning in most cases is the posi clutches sticking in the rear end. The car will feel like it's doing a duck waddle when you go around turns. The simple solution to this is the put a bottle of the rear additive in the car and then find a parking lot and do some figure 8's. This will work the posi additive into the clutch pack and usually brake them free.

How do you tell when your rear bearings are gone... Simple... pull the half shaft back set the spindle, put a dial indicator on the rear spindle flange and then pop it to check the run out of the rear wheel bearings.

0 - 8 thousandths is considered acceptable. However, I like them between 3 and 4 and would never run them at 0. Anything with more play than 8 is toast and needs to come out.

Willcox
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Old Apr 9, 2017 | 05:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Willcox Corvette
A grinding or "Wiggle" when turning in most cases is the posi clutches sticking in the rear end. The car will feel like it's doing a duck waddle when you go around turns. The simple solution to this is the put a bottle of the rear additive in the car and then find a parking lot and do some figure 8's. This will work the posi additive into the clutch pack and usually brake them free.

How do you tell when your rear bearings are gone... Simple... pull the half shaft back set the spindle, put a dial indicator on the rear spindle flange and then pop it to check the run out of the rear wheel bearings.

0 - 8 thousandths is considered acceptable. However, I like them between 3 and 4 and would never run them at 0. Anything with more play than 8 is toast and needs to come out.

Willcox
Thanks everyone, good info! I just had some rear end work done, maybe that's it. They changed the fluid and put a new snap ring on the spindles. I gave them royal purple to use, doesn't that have an additive? I'll try the figure eight.

Last edited by mpro71vette; Apr 9, 2017 at 06:08 AM.
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Old Apr 9, 2017 | 07:07 PM
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I would get a grinding while turning. Turned out to be the trailing arm bushing was completely shot. Might want to take a look at those also.
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Old Apr 9, 2017 | 09:16 PM
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Originally Posted by mpro71vette
Thanks everyone, good info! I just had some rear end work done, maybe that's it. They changed the fluid and put a new snap ring on the spindles. I gave them royal purple to use, doesn't that have an additive? I'll try the figure eight.
I don't trust or run anything in the rear end except the GM lube and additive.... I don't know anything about Royal Purple, but I checked it out tonight and I don't see where there is any additive in there.. My suspicions is that you need additive and my advice is to find some GM additive, get two bottles, add one to start with and then if the noise continues add another. Do the figure 8's between bottles.

Willcox.
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Old Apr 10, 2017 | 08:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Willcox Corvette
I don't trust or run anything in the rear end except the GM lube and additive.... I don't know anything about Royal Purple, but I checked it out tonight and I don't see where there is any additive in there.. My suspicions is that you need additive and my advice is to find some GM additive, get two bottles, add one to start with and then if the noise continues add another. Do the figure 8's between bottles.

Willcox.
Thanks again Wilcox!!
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Old Apr 10, 2017 | 09:28 PM
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Originally Posted by MISTERZ06
i have the Kent-Moore tool for doing rear spindle bearing
bought 100 years ago
can t believe the prices
i believe that make/have cheaper tools
can not take any shortcuts on rear spindle bearing -
you need to find a qualified mechanic with corvette experience

.................... tom
http://www.ebay.com/itm/J22602-1-Cor...IAAOSw32lYn-mv
I would recommend Bair's Corvette in Linesville Pa. for rebuilding the rear trailing arms . They have been specialists in rebuilding these cars for as long as the C3's have been around . ( Over 40 Years ) All work done in house for every mechanical part of the car.
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Old Apr 11, 2017 | 11:06 AM
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Quick question on this... I'm certain I have one (drivers side) that'll need to be handled here soon. From what I'm hearing, this would be something you'd want to do both at the same time since the other usually isn't far behind.

This is prob. something outside my level of comfort (and I don't have the tools) and time commitment in handling myself. Any ideas on what I should budget to have them both done... ballpark range knowing other stuff might be found that needs to be repaired/replaced?
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Old Apr 11, 2017 | 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by raydog9379
Quick question on this... I'm certain I have one (drivers side) that'll need to be handled here soon. From what I'm hearing, this would be something you'd want to do both at the same time since the other usually isn't far behind.

This is prob. something outside my level of comfort (and I don't have the tools) and time commitment in handling myself. Any ideas on what I should budget to have them both done... ballpark range knowing other stuff might be found that needs to be repaired/replaced?
Bair's charges $349. each to recondition and rebuild your originals with all new parts and GM specs. Everything new including rotors, bearings , etc. Ready to install.
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Old Apr 11, 2017 | 09:27 PM
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$349 each is a bargain....I just went thru mine and did all the work myself...Took over 4 months and close to $600.

Be forewarned there will be core charges for any parts that should be re-used but are too far gone to do so.

Brian
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