REAR WHEEL BEARINGS
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 1
From: San Diego CA
REAR WHEEL BEARINGS
I recently got the Vette back from my mechanic and noticed the left rear wheel is pointing inboard pretty significantly. Here's what they did, full front suspension removal/ reinstallation with new poly bushings/ front shocks. New tranny mount, rear end cushion, new rear spring poly bushings, replace all half shaft U-joints, replace rear rotors/ calipers and finally full alignment. All of which should not have affected the left rear wheel's angle.
Here's the right side which is perfectly aligned vertically
And here is the left side, notice how the wheel points inward (sorry hard to see)
Now keep in mind I have 2 1/8" billet spacer plates for the rims so I am going to remove the wheel and recheck the spacer bolts for tightness, however I know that not to be the problem otherwise I would have felt the vibration. All the bearings were checked 6-months ago and were well within spec so I am clueless of the reason. :confused:
Here's the right side which is perfectly aligned vertically
And here is the left side, notice how the wheel points inward (sorry hard to see)
Now keep in mind I have 2 1/8" billet spacer plates for the rims so I am going to remove the wheel and recheck the spacer bolts for tightness, however I know that not to be the problem otherwise I would have felt the vibration. All the bearings were checked 6-months ago and were well within spec so I am clueless of the reason. :confused:
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (Cali,77,L-82)
Looks like a bad adjustment or bad setting of the rear struts (rear version of the lower control arm). These struts control the camber setting and could be out of wack or even bent in some cases.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Re: REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (Cali,77,L-82)
One main purpose of a wheel alignment is to set the toe in and camber for the rear wheels. Did you get a copy of the print out from tha garage? Take the car back to them and ask them to re-measure it.
[Modified by Mike Ward, 7:46 PM 12/16/2002]
[Modified by Mike Ward, 7:46 PM 12/16/2002]
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Minot ND
Re: REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (Cali,77,L-82)
I had a similar problem with my right rear on my '79. It ended up that the trailing arm bushing had failed which caused the circlip to fail. This caused the shaft to pull away from the rear end. Try pushing and pulling on the tire. It should be solid as a rock. I hope this helps. Also. make sure that the shop has shims for the trailing arms. They may have gotten lazy and just reused what was on the car.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 18,478
Likes: 3
From: Quincy IL
Re: REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (Ron Major)
you should have some negative camber on the rear wheels, in other words the bottom should sit out slightly further than the top of the tire. jack up the rear, grab your tires at 9 and 3 o'clock and pull back and forth. this is how you check your bearing play. put you hands at 12 and 6 o'clock and pull back and forth. if you have a lot of movement, borrow a friend so that one can shake the tire and the other can see how much the axle yoke is moving at the differential. about an 1/8th " is normal.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Re: REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (Cali,77,L-82)
I just had a similar problem recently..
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=450766
I had new trailing arms with new bearings/rotors etc... installed.. When I got the car back - both wheels were tilted to the inside.. I brought the car back 2 days later and had them - re-align the rear... The reason for the bad alignment was that they initially did the alignment short time after the car was lowered down after beeing jacked up for a while.. It takes a while until the wheels go to their normal position.. However - they did the alignment before the wheels went back to their normal position.. (Try it out.. Jack up your car and then lower it down again.. and the wheels will be tilted slightly outward...) Now - if you align the wheels when they are in this condition - the alignment will be bad...
:cheers:
Olivier
[Modified by GrandSportC3, 9:20 AM 12/17/2002]
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=450766
I had new trailing arms with new bearings/rotors etc... installed.. When I got the car back - both wheels were tilted to the inside.. I brought the car back 2 days later and had them - re-align the rear... The reason for the bad alignment was that they initially did the alignment short time after the car was lowered down after beeing jacked up for a while.. It takes a while until the wheels go to their normal position.. However - they did the alignment before the wheels went back to their normal position.. (Try it out.. Jack up your car and then lower it down again.. and the wheels will be tilted slightly outward...) Now - if you align the wheels when they are in this condition - the alignment will be bad...
:cheers:
Olivier
[Modified by GrandSportC3, 9:20 AM 12/17/2002]
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 1
From: San Diego CA
Re: REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (GrandSportC3)
Well the car has been driven 100 miles since then so the preset angle should have solved itself. I'll try the shakin the tire trick tonight.
Thanks.
David
Thanks.
David
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 1
From: San Diego CA
Re: REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (Cali,77,L-82)
Okay tired the 12/ 6 9/ 3 oclock position for bearing play and saw none. Tight as heck. Next removed the wheel and checked spacer plate for tightness, fine there. Have to agree with dude that the alignment was done prior to the suspension settling. The alignment shop is across the street from my mech. shop and obviously that was not enough for the suspension to settle. Anyway going to make an appointment for after X-mas and get this taken care of then I can take it to the painter and call this car project finally complete 3 years and 26k later. :cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 5,768
Likes: 3
From: San Diego CA
Re: REAR WHEEL BEARINGS (Cali,77,L-82)
David,
For the best Alignment service in San Diego IMO - you cant do better than Bee-Line Automotive - right down there on the edge of PB on Balboa right under the I-5 overpass.
For the best Alignment service in San Diego IMO - you cant do better than Bee-Line Automotive - right down there on the edge of PB on Balboa right under the I-5 overpass.
