rear bearing inspect?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 1
From: Clarksville Indiana
rear bearing inspect?
Re-checking recent previous owner repairs, I'm finding the shop that did all the work seems to have done a pretty good job with all they did. After reading a lot of post about bearings/trailing arms/brakes in here I am a little concerned. There are brand new backing plates on the rear so I know its all been apart. I dont want to just run the car and assume all is well. Anybody have suggestions as what to check or look for? Grabbing the tire at 12 and 6 and at 9 and 3 oclock, I feel no play at all, spinning the tires, its smooth and quiet. Its tighter/stiffer to turn than a normal rear axle. Does that sound right? Any other checks without dissasembly? Thanks
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,130
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From: Connecticut, USA
The best way to check them is with a dial indicator, 001 increment. with the wheel off and the 1/2 shaft disconnected mount the indicator FIRMLY, mag base alone may not work, and zero it. Push in on the spindle flange check the reading, pull out and check, total the two. OR push in and zero it,pull out and check. Sounds like they were rebuilt, if done right they should be in the 0015-002 range, at 003 you'll feel it move. over 003 and you may have air pumping. Next install the indicator on the rotor face and spind it through 360* to check the runout, should be under 005 but I like under 003"
If they fall in this range and they are smooth you're ok.
If they fall in this range and they are smooth you're ok.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 1
From: Clarksville Indiana
OK thanks, I'll have to find a way to mount my dial indicator. I only have a heavy stand to check wheels on a balancer. May have to wait till I can get it to the shop so I can get it on a rack. Should it be stiff to turn the wheel by hand? Not really too bad with the wheel/tire on but pretty tight feeling to try and just turn it by the wheel studs. Normal?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,130
Likes: 3,938
From: Connecticut, USA
not good, the rotor should rotate only with pad drag. If you get the 1/2 shaft disconnected pull the caliper up off the rotor and it should spin free. If you feel drag then it's either your bearings or PB dragging.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 1
From: Clarksville Indiana
OK , closer inspection done, the wheel dragging when I try to spin it was just the opposite tire rubbing the e-brake cable, But I do have some up & down play/wobble in the tire. They feel about like front bearings would that were one turn loose. I would say the tread at the top of the tire moves a 1/4 inch. I didnt check for end play or rotor run out yet. I assume there should be no play like that when I flex the tire at 12 and 6. They are both rebuilt hubs/control arms. Everything is shiney new with the old caliper and rotor stuck back on. I can search out the details if anybody tell me whats happened and what the fix is? I think these were put on when the car was apart and not even been driven on yet. I can see the old grubby control arms laying in a pile of parts in a picture they took when they disassembled the car.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 1
From: Clarksville Indiana
The play seems to be in the bearings on the pass side, the driver side feels pretty tight, just a very slight can hardly feel it kinda play in any direction I flex the tire. The pass side just feels way to loose, the control arm is tight/not moving, but the tire/wheel/rotor is sloppy. I am not sure if I have ever even seen behind a rotor on one of these cars. Does it sound like something done wrong with the control arm rebuild or something the installer did wrong putting it on the car? Whats the fix?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,130
Likes: 3,938
From: Connecticut, USA
The play seems to be in the bearings on the pass side, the driver side feels pretty tight, just a very slight can hardly feel it kinda play in any direction I flex the tire. The pass side just feels way to loose, the control arm is tight/not moving, but the tire/wheel/rotor is sloppy. I am not sure if I have ever even seen behind a rotor on one of these cars. Does it sound like something done wrong with the control arm rebuild or something the installer did wrong putting it on the car? Whats the fix?
One job comes to mind I had in, both rebuilt. 1 side was so tight it would spin by hand, the other had .250 endplay. Total junk. You can see a lot of this walking around Carlisle in August. If you find anything other then 0015-002 maybe 0025 I'd rebuild them.
If you have any questions look up my threads on how to rebuild or PM me.
good luck
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 1
From: Clarksville Indiana
Wow GTR you got like 332 pages of stuff...lol Still looking through them. PLease bear with my ignorance but I still dont get the point to take it apart to check it, its plenty loose/sloppy with it together. The passenger side anyways, The driver side feels better with no or very slight play. I can see why that side needs to be checked close to make sure its in spec. Is not thick enough shims the only thing they could have done wrong in the rebuild/assembly that would leave play in the wheel? The spindle housings look to be new also. What parts would be required to re-rebuild the assembly? Also are there 2 kinds of possible play in these assemblies that may be confusing the issue for me? I need to check again but I think I am not feeling much end play, like pushing/pulling in and out on the wheel but more like wobble, pushing on the top and pulling on the bottom of the tire.
Last edited by 71coupe454; Feb 21, 2009 at 11:59 AM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,130
Likes: 3,938
From: Connecticut, USA
Yeah I posted a lot of How-To's over the years. Surprised you found them still here.
If you can determine they are that sloppy with everything together then yes you have to correct them. Using a thin shim will tighten the endplay, a thicker one will be loose. What I see a lot is "rebuilders" (using this term very loosely here) just remove the old bearings, don't machine anything, install the new bearings and re-use the old shims and spacer. Even though the shim will be wrong and the spacer is not parallel.
Who built your arms? Will they correct it or the question is do you want them working on your car anymore?
If you want to call me PM me and I'll get you my number. Maybe I can explain better on the phone then typing.
If you can determine they are that sloppy with everything together then yes you have to correct them. Using a thin shim will tighten the endplay, a thicker one will be loose. What I see a lot is "rebuilders" (using this term very loosely here) just remove the old bearings, don't machine anything, install the new bearings and re-use the old shims and spacer. Even though the shim will be wrong and the spacer is not parallel.
Who built your arms? Will they correct it or the question is do you want them working on your car anymore?
If you want to call me PM me and I'll get you my number. Maybe I can explain better on the phone then typing.