84ZZ4

Guys, got a big problem.

I'm doing a rear axle u-joint and rear wheel bearings. The half shaft was rather annoying to get out, but not terrible. I replaced the u-joint on the half shaft, but I don't want to put it back on until I do the bearings. (one of the ujoint caps was ful of metal powder, no grease, and needle bearings that were broken in about 4 pieces!)

However, nothing I can do will budge the spindle nut! I checked the manual and it says the nut only supposed to be tightened to 100 ft-lbs, so I can't figure out why it won't come off. I've tried a 1/2" wrench with an 18" pipe and all I did was bend the pipe! :eek:

Right now the nut's soaking in PB blaster again, and I'll give it another shot when it quits raining.

Anyone got any suggestions? There just doesn't seem to be a good way to get at this nut. :(

78Vette-SA

Assuming this is the nut you're talking about:



I had to to put about a 3' long bar on my 1/2" ratchet handle to get enough torque to pop that baby loose. :cheers:

tictocdok

don't forget to take out the cotter pin first. sometimes the rust and dust hides it.
have removed a total of 6 in the past two years. don't remember them being too hard to get off. as posted above; get a long handle on the wrench for more leverage

84ZZ4

Yup, that's the nut. I don't have room to swing a 3' long bar. Is there a better way? How much do I need to disassemble to get the whole thing off the car so I can put it in a vise?

Yes, I removed the cotter pin. I actually had to break it to remove it, but there is no part of it left.

mrvette

Years ago a mechanic friend welded up a steel weightlifting bar with an open 1/4 plate 2x4" box on the end...he just take that bar, fit the box over some such combination of lug nuts, and put the breaker bar on the nut...job done....of course the car was on a lift....bar jammed on the concrete....nuts had no choice, break loose or shear the axle...

GENE

Chuck Gongloff

I hope that you know that you will not be able to replace the rear wheel bearings just by removing that nut. The axle is pressed into the assembly. You need a large...20---40 ton press to remove the axles and seat the bearings. You'll need to remove the trailing arm to do this. Hope this helps. Chuck

84ZZ4

You're kidding me. :eek: I mean, I knew the bearing and everything were pressed on, but you mean you can't remove the above pictured assembly from the control arm while it's on the car??? I read the service manual and didn't see anything about removing the control arm...

Are we talking about the same part? Is the trailing arm the piece shown in the picture above or is it the arm that connects the wheel to the frame (the one the spindle assembly passes through)?

And here I thought this was going to be easier than the rear wheel bearings in a live axle car... :rolleyes:

Tom454

Nope... he's not kidding. The bearings are press fit onto the spindle unless someone turned down the spindles or machined the insides of the bearing races for a slip fit. I have a 12 ton press for this job. You can also buy tools from various Vette catalogs. If you check the GM shop manual, it will show a special tool for this job. The actual job is easy with the right tools, home-made or otherwise. You really do need to read the book on this one.

84ZZ4

No, I know the bearings are press fit onto the spindle. What I'm questioning is, if you look at the picture above that 78Vette-SA posted, you'll see what looks like the entire spindle and bearing assembly plus a few other parts. Is *that* entire assembly press fit onto the control arm, or can I unbolt it and remove it as an assembly?

Tom454

Oh.. apples & oranges...

That assembly is not "pressed" into the control arm... but when new, it IS an "interference" fit... and when rusted, can be quite difficult to remove. If it has never been previously removed, it can be very difficult to get out.

gerry72

You can remove the spindle support from the control arm without removing the control arm from the car. It may not be easy to get the support out though as these are a very tight fit and with the four studs and the fit between the support and the control arm. Mine didn't surrender without me taking casualties (blood, sweat, tears and all)

chiavet

when my hubby did our 78 rear bearings he literally had do take the whole assembly to a machine shop. Bearings appeared to be welded(lack of grease by previous owner) to spindle. :smash: to make a long story short he replaced the spindles and bearing. :D