Ok, now I know why guys say this process is a pain. I have the new raceways in and I'm ready to reassemble everything, but I don't know the exact procedure for installation and calibration. I was told I need a dial indicator to measure end play, and some type of spindle pulling tool to pull the spindle onto the outer bearing through the trailer arm.

2 Questions:
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1) Does anyone have the procedure layed out in detail?

2) Can someone provide descriptions/links to the tools I need to install the spindle and new bearings?

 

It's pretty easy. Send them here.
Vansteel
12285 West Street
Clearwater, Florida 33762
They'll come back all ready to bolt back up.

 

I appreciate the offer, but by the time I get the suspension taken apart, the parking brake disassembled, and the trailer arm removed, I could have the spindles in with the new bearings if I'm provided with the directions and tools.

 

lol...good one!

 

Have a look here:

http://www.corvetteforum.net/c3/zwed...railingarm.htm

 

I can walk you through the job but man I don't want to type it out again. Did you check the archives there should be a lot of info there.
I'll PM you my phone number but I'll only be here a short time.
Gary

 

Do you have it all apart?
T/A still in the frame ?
Bearing assembly removed from TA or spindle pulled out of bearing carrier ?

I did mine with a hydraulic press. I hear there are hand tools to
do it, but I don't know what you need. Also, you need to
assemble dry - check clearance - disassemble - grind or change
shim - reassemble - check clearance - disassemble - grease -
reassemble ... and that is the short version. It is much easier with a press.
Aside from that, you really only need a dial indicator and
magnetic base to check end play (clearance) of the assembled
unit. This - assuming you have it fully apart. If not, you will
also need a bearing separator to get the outer race off the spindle.

 

Here is another place to look at how to install the bearings.
http://www.montygwilliams.com/rearbearings.html

 

The Chevrolet Service manual shows you how to do it step by step, They go for about $25 on eBay. I would set the bearings as within .002" of the minimum specified endplay. I use a custom shim or spacer if necessary to get them set that close.

 

Search is your friend.......I recall a pretty good pictorial of this being done.........

 

So, is this something that can be accomplished without all the special removal/install tools and no press to work with? This is on my list of things to do since the front bearings were coming apart -- but I've been unable to get this apart.

Brian.

 

I wouldn't try it myself without all the tools.

 

I did this back in 1999 with no special tools and it took a month and was a PITA. granted at that time I was working some overtime, so when I say a month it was after work and on weekends. I also had a machine shop check my run out, then it was back home, pop the whole thing apart, reshim, put it back together, back to the machine shop Monday after work, etc etc. I used a 9 inch rented puller, my ingenuity, lots of patience, 3 sizes of chisels and hammers(I'm not kidding) and other thought processes which i've since forgot. I spent about $150 or so in parts + $35 machine shop bill and ran short on patience several times, especially puting the parking brakes back together. my runout is set at
.003", packed the bearings in synthetic grease I got at the local Chevy dealer, I think it's a Mobil product. no problems with about 10k on them. If you've got the cash let brother Van Steel do the work for you, save yourself the mental and physical aggravation.

 

Jake,

You can certainly do this job yourself. All it takes is some good hand tools, a good shop manual, a few specialized tools and a stout hydraulic press. I say good hand tools, because most of these have their share of rusty bolts and without good hand tools, you're gonna bust a few knuckles and probably round a few bolts. If you're not prepared to spend the money on the tools and shop manual why are you even trying to do the job.

I removed the bearing assemblies from my trailing arms and used my Dad's hydraulic press to separate them. One side took 30 tons and the other side took only 10 tons of pressure. We easily bent a 1 inch thick steel plate we were using as a support on the press. I'm sure some can actually be taken apart without a hydraulic press, but none I've ever done could. You could also take the assemblies out of the car and take them to a good machine shop and have them pressed apart. Of course you're going to have to do this a few times if you have to adjust the play in your bearings. (I have a technique I use for this, if you're interested, PM me.)

In my opinion this is a job that is best left to someone that does it on a regular basis. It's not unlike setting up a rear, most any competent mechanic can do it, but unless you do it on a regular basis and have some pretty specialized tools you're probably not going to get it right the first time. When they fail, it's expensive and you're going to be down for a while.

The advantage to letting someone like Van Steel do it is that they do it every day. They guarantee their work. They have all the right tools. Best of all, you will sleep well at night and not wonder if you actually did everything right every time you hear a noise from the rear of the car…

Good luck… GUSTO

 

The difficulty revolves around 2 things.
Are you rebuilding your spindles or replacing them?
Are the spindles going to press off hard or easy.

I lean towards new spindles rather than reusing what could be a bad part. They're old and stressed and who knows if they already were rebuilt. Besides i'm biased- my left was snapped and the right had a spun bearing. Both had been rebuilds so you tell me if thats worth it.
This also means you don't need to press off the old outer bearing and now don't need that tool. One thing you don't have to do.

My spindles pressed off easy, far easier than a lot of people have mentioned thiers came off. I even built my own on the car press which was nothing but a plate and some bubba rod. If that hadn't worked a garage can do this and you don't need to buy a tool. This pressing off is probably the hardest part. I got lucky and they popped off.

Putting them together, assuming replacement and not rebuild.
You need a dial gauge, which are fairly cheap. A puller tool which I'm making but you can buy. Its really just a hunk of threaded bar stock. And either a dummy tool or as someone mentioned after I had bought the dummy tool, a turned down old spindle. This allows you to check the shimming without a press assembly. Its loose. Easy to do rather than a press assembly, press dissassembly and you don't score the shaft up either.
You now have the shimming needed. The assembly can also be assembled on the car with the parking brake already in place and then pull the spindle, ONCE with the correct shims. Everything is done and the parking brakes are in place rather than assembling them behind the spindle.

You probably do need the manual though since it spells some stuff out even though the 2 web link show it. Just think of it as a tool you will use in the future.

 

also look in the C3 section for homemade tools

 

a thread in C3 gen.

 

I just went through this process myself on my 68 I to was a rooky in this proceedure. My reason was due to a broke lug bolt I found it almost impossible to replace that lug bolt without dissasembly. My curosity about doing this got the best of me so I started tearing things apart. I was lucky I had a freind who is a Vette mechanic come over and give me a leason in this proceedure. He had the tools necessary for the teardown and reassembly. He let me do it my way, test drive the car and then showed me the right way. I simply reassembled using all the shims that I removed from the assemblies. Long story short I missed the end play by .004 doing it this way. My advice to you is find someone with some experience to assist you and walk you through it, it's not a hard job but very tedious. Without the proper end play the car will be "Spooky" at best. Good Luck with the job.

 

From all that I've heard, it seems like sending them out to Van Steel might be the better solution in the long haul. They're experienced, adn it'll get refreshed in the process.

I appreciate everyone's input -- it has been valuable in helping me guage just how big this project is, and how important it is that I get it right.

Brian.