Setting up rear bearing runout is a pain. I have looked at this tool for years and have always passed prefering a dial indicator and slip fitting bearings. I assume they have designed this tool to fall within a specific tolerance. I have never actually gave it much thought but where is the difference from one persons setup to the next persons setup? Is it in the spindle support housing? the brand of bearings? The spacer? The machining on the spindle itself? I know a few companies sell custom width shims. I even got lazy once and took my parts with the shims all premarked both sides to Guldstrand engineering. They swore how they shaved them etc.. and got them perfect. It wasn't perfect so I took it apart and they hadn't shaved any of the shims because my markings were still on both sides. Also on that same visit, they got me on drilling my spindles for 1/2" studs, they (meaning shop foreman not Mr. Guldstrand who is a nice man) were as crooked as their bill! I have never went back because of that experience. I hope things have changed since they moved from Culver City. I heard that same Foreman doesn't work for him any more. And I would like to express that Mr. Guldstrand is a very nice man but wasn't actually hands on trusting his foreman to handle customer service. I never was able to get them to correct their mistakes. I am planning to run the Silver State race in a 190mph 1964 Roadster. Therefore this rear bearing setup procedure is critical and I am mistrusting of letting any shop regardless of their reputation touch my car. Any thoughts on this tool. I would assume once you have setup a set, you could mark the tool and considering wear, mark a reference line making it all easy. Comments?

 

Which tool are you referring to? the setup tool? You must use an indicator to set the end play and you must get it between .001-.002"max. I'm not a fan of slip fit but that has been beat to death here the past 6 years.
Not sure what happened at that shop either, sounds like you had a bad experience. Setting endplay requires fitting the correct shim. Some guys just use the closest one in a kit but I grind them to the size needed on a surface grinder- as your shop should have done. If this is soemthing you can't do then you'll have to have an experienced shop do it. Van Steel or Bairs are two that can do it and I wouldn't worry about either one. If you need a shim ground to size any shop should be able to do it quickly.

Gary

 

the difference is in the hub, the bearing races and the bearings, the spindle has no influence, the setting is not dependant on the spindle itself so the tool is machined to have a diameter 0on which the bearings slide, instead of the press fit of the spindle. That way you can set up the bearing preload, when done remove the tool and press the whole deal together w/ the stock spindle.

 

I took an old stock spindle and ground down the diameter
to make the bearings loose slip fit. You can buy the setup
tool or look for a cheap spindle and make your own.
Once the shims are shaved (I use wet-or-dry sandpaper to shave mine)
- press it back together with the "real" spindle.
Like said: it's all in the support housing, bearings, and spacer/shim.

 

The only problem with the tool described (with slip fits on both bearings) is that when you press the bearings on the real spindle the expansion of the bearings due to the press fit will reduce the bearing endplay setting by a few thousandths of and inch - variable depending upon the actual press fits which vary due to tolerances.

I set mine using the real spindle but with the inner bearing diameter machined to a slip fit. Since I have disk brakes I can't loose a wheel if the nut comes off or the inner spline breaks off (that happened to me).

I also made a custom set of shims in .001" increments so I could set the bearings to the minimum endplay setting.

Good Luck!!

 

Hmmmmmm no pic's of DIY tool's

 

Hey Twin Turbo, I don't get on-line that often. I will throw you an answer on the coleman rotors on your welding forum. Thanks for the answer to the question. As soon as I read your response, I told myself go get a good used spindle and use that instead of the tool. Then NHvette came on with that very same idea. For Comp- just about all of the big Corvette parts suppliers catalogs have pictures of this tool. I like tools, always looking for new things to make life easier, but I don't think I need to buy this one. I'll use an old spindle cut down for super easy slip fitting. Stickshift corvette- pressing those bearings on and off in my opinion takes some heavy pressure. My opinion is the force is bound to place a risk in "mushrooming" (you used the perfect word) those bearings or galling (spell check might be needed on galling?). I think everyone will always choose to have it done the way they personally prefer. I don't want to open up a discussion on which way is right or wrong. I have had no problems with slip fitting. I haven't had one of my tires pass me on the road yet. Lastly, Str1999 I have alot of parts bought from Van Steel. My J-56 twin pin calipers were rebuild by them. The offset trailing arms they sell were a good starting point prior to my gussets and cutting the bushing ends completely off then modifying them by welding ends that would work with my spherical joints (I want some rotation- "movement not deflection as with poly bushings" to help square the tire contact patch to the ground with every suspension motion) and toe adjusters (hate those shims). I set toe out on the rear to assist with the entry into a road racing corner because under hard acceleration a natural toe in condition occurs. This is similiar to how Delorenzo (Owens-Corning) set up his alignment back in the day. Back to your recommendation to go to Van Steel or Blair's. Yes respect them but wouldn't let them work on my car. No thank you. I will be the one that dies. I care. When I do the work, I won't be mad at my boss or haven't quite had my coffee yet. My head will be completely into the project. One thing, you seemed to miss the point of the topic (the tool!). Fully agree with you on the dial indicator, etc. but if you feel that this task is a task that you do yourself, why would you refer someone to a shop?


I have my answer. Thanks for your replies, much appreciated. I am out of here! Take care! Someone else can continue on with this forum if they want. I'm gone. Bye!

 

??? what happened ???

 

Sounds to me like somebody is having a bad day. Must be one of those "sensitive" types.


-Justin

 

he said forum (several times) but i think he meant "post" or possibly "thread"

 

Glad you got your answer and good luck. To answer your question I DO rebuild my own bearings and everything else on my cars. I have also helped a few guys here and on the local level. Bair's and Van Steel are respected shops that I would consider if I didn't do my own work.

You seem to be rather angry, but that might just be my take on the post? Regardless have a nice day sorry I couldn't help you.

Gary

 

Good point. I never considered the distortion from the interference fit.
However, the 1.5mil and 2 mil loose fit end play is still mostly there
after pressing together. Perhaps the difference is less that we think.

 

TT has a welding forum ???????

 

No, he means the GM welding monkey topic

 

I think that about sums it up...

 

I thought about this also when doing my rear bearings. I sat them up at .002" checking in the vertical position (recommended by Gary) with a setup tool and close reading indicater. I rechecked after pressed and installed in the car. I was unable to see any change.
I also took some readings as to how much interferance fit was actually there. I got .0006" on the outer journal and .0004" on the inner. Those fits are exactly what my bearing charts call for on those diameters.