Hadez

I have done some research using the "search" function and I am still a little confused how to determine if I have a bad u-joint or bearings. My drivers side rear wheel wiggle about 1/8~1/4" at the 12 & 6 o'clock positions but does not seem to wiggle at the 3 & 9 o'clock positions. From reading previous posts this seems to be a probem with my u-joints but how do I investigate further do decide if this is the problem being my U-joints? My passenger side is rock solid very very tight not budging at all.

vvette390

I do not believe that the U-joints on the half shafts have ANY bearing (no pun intended) on the stability of the wheel. The bearing assembly in the trailing arm is the sole source of that stability. A worn bearing usually is accompanied by a discernable squeak on every second revolution of the wheel, but I would not say that's infallible. There may be other components involved such as a loose trailing arm assembly, but your description sounds like a bearing problem. Similar symptoms are used to diagnose front wheel bearing problems as well.

Don't dawdle over getting to this. If it is the whhel bearing assembly (two bearings; two races; a spacer; shims), it can seaize or otherwise damage the spindle, comp[ounding your problems and expenses

Good Luck...joe

strokervette

Ihave the same problem but with the play is on the opposite side. My pass side is looser than the drivers side. I noticed on mine that the trailing arm rocks back and forth too. My car is at the alignment shop now as I type so maybey they will tighten things up back there. I'll ask them if they found anything wrong back there but ALL the hardware from top to bottom is brand new in there. If I find anything out I'll post back later.

Van Steel

12 & 6 will check the u-joints and side yoke play. 3 & 9 does the bearing assemblies. I say it's your joints or side yokes if your play is at 12 & 9.

strokervette, there is no "tightening up" to be done. If your side yokes are bad you have to pull the diff. If your bearings are shot, you'll need a rebuild and if your u-joints are bad, the shafts will have to be pulled and new joints put in. U-joints will be about the easiest thing here. If you have play, your alignment guy should and will probably will tell you that he can't do the alignment because of the play.

Hadez

Thanks for the info....I had my differential completely redone about a year ago with all new stuff including side yokes, etc. The U-joints were not replaced so I am thinking that it is u-joint. I have been battling some nasty wheel hop issues which has probably resulted in the u-joint damage. My passenger side is rock solid...can't budge anything at all but the drivers side got a little wiggle to it.

So onto the next question...is replacing the U-joints a first time DIYer doing this alone or better left to the professional and are there any special tools needed?


btw...I should be ordering the Dragvette 6 link setup here in the near future to hopefully eliminate the wheel hop issue.

SIXFOOTER

U joints are a pretty easy one to do. Basically remove the shaft, cut the old one out, clean up the bore and install the new ones. There was a pretty comprehensive couple of threads on this last year sometime.
Some guys torch them out, some press them out. I like the press myself, but then I don't have a torch handy

vvette390

I didn't know that! Thanks! So if I have my half-shafts disconnected, I will see additional play in the wheel?

luv2sail21

[QUOTE=Van Steel;1559939328]12 & 6 will check the u-joints and side yoke play. 3 & 9 does the bearing assemblies. I say it's your joints or side yokes if your play is at 12 & 9.

QUOTE]

Is that 12 and 6?
And if you are a DIY the best way to go if you can afford it... get the trailing arms complete with stainless brakes and possibly new rotors... all you gotta do is put them back in... the hardest part is cutting out the bolts (sawz-all) that keep 'em in (especially if any age to them). Then you know they will be right...
Oh yeah and the your rotors are probably still riveted on... just my 2 C.

Van Steel

Yes there will be additional play if the 1/2 shafts ar disconnected. Normally when joints go bad, you'll here a clicking noise when 1st excellerate.

Frank_833

Some guys torch them out...

I bet the driveshaft builders would have a fit over folks using a torch.

It should be done with a press. If you don't have one, ask the local autoparts if they will do it. If not, have a local driveshaft shop do it. It's an easy job (assuming you take them the half shafts). I'd expect to pay for no more than an hour's labor.

I paid less than $200 for 2 new 3" half-shafts with Spicer solid U-joints.

I have a press, but needed the new half-shafts.

chris73cpe

you can get a free loaner U-joint press from autozone or advance too...basically a big C-Clamp you can put an impact wrench on. I used it to do my half shaft U-joints and it worked great. My local NAPA has a press and they charge $20 per joint just to change them. Just be careful not to bend the spindle flange when changing that one, lots of threads covering that.

Hadez

thanks guys for the info. I think I have narrowed it down to the u-joints or possibly damage to the trailing arm pivot bolt bushing inside the trailing arm. . I don't hear/feel anything strange gong on back there but something is definitely loose as my passenger is extremely tight in that I can't get it to wiggle in any direction. I recently discovered this wiggle because I was looking into what was causing this problem...see the link below.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1678570

Since discovering that my shims were missing on my drivers side I have temporarily installed the shims until I take it to an alignment shop this Saturday. The wiggle movement seems to be much better compared to before but still not as tight as it should be. I am now seriously thinking that the bushing that the trailing arm pivot bolt rotates on is damaged/loosened so that is causing my wiggle. What do you guys think?

HGN CRVZ

IMHO, I would like to clear up a miss conception about the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock slop to tell if bearings are bad and the 3 & 9 o'clock to tell if the U-joints are bad.
The bearings are round and are pressed onto the spindle. They run on their races which encapsulate the carrier, which in turn is bolted to the trailing arm. Since the bearings are round and have a set end play / run out, then the movement from the end play/run out will be the same in any direction. Which means if you have any excessive movement in any direction the bearings are bad.
The axle shaft when bolted to the spindle yoke will apply force to the bearings because they also act as an upper control rod for the trailing arm. This will effect how much movement you can FEEL when the axle shafts are connected to the spindle yokes.
I hope this helps.