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1981 is presently in storage, but will be coming out in May. Just before storing, my favorite after many years mechanic found Left Rear Wheel Bearing will need replacing.
Have thought that if the Left needs replacement, then the Right will be sure to follow in a short time.
Rather than tying up my mechanics shop with the work and tools involved of taking apart the bearing assembly, I am considering just purchasing a NEW Left and Right complete bearing assembly with dust shield and rotor from one of the Corvette parts suppliers.Thus, assume that rear bearing assembly is easily removed and replaced with new.
Would appreciate and thoughts or advise on the way I am thinking of getting the bearings done in the best and easiet way ?
Wow, that's interesting, and expensive.
however, those rubber trailing arm bushings are likely perished by now as well. Why not just contact Van Steel and get complete trailing arm assembly's. That would actually be a lot less labour for your mechanic and then everything will be new. Well, if you do the strut rods while your in there.
And how about half shaft U joints.
In the spirt of your thread, "Keeping it Simple", I'd do the same thing, order the assemblies from VanSteel or Bairs and have them installed. These guys have tons of experience doing the rebuild. Un fortunately this area of the car is wide open for the ...Might as wells.... Might as well do the brakes, hoses, shocks, strut rods, UJoints, trailing arms, it kind of never ends... For sure new brake pads and I'd take a close look at the strut rod bushings... If you do the rods... might as well do the shocks...lol
In the spirt of your thread, "Keeping it Simple", I'd do the same thing, order the assemblies from VanSteel or Bairs and have them installed. These guys have tons of experience doing the rebuild. Un fortunately this area of the car is wide open for the ...Might as wells.... Might as well do the brakes, hoses, shocks, strut rods, UJoints, trailing arms, it kind of never ends... For sure new brake pads and I'd take a close look at the strut rod bushings... If you do the rods... might as well do the shocks...lol
60
And on the strut rods, might as well get adjustable ones, hey, and with heim joints! Won't regret it. And if you replace the trailing arms, make sure you count the number of shims there are on the arms and maintain that configuration when installing the new assys. It's a good place to start when you take it to the alignment shop after install.
Ive been told that also replacing the Trailing Arms is pretty labor intensice unless you have the body off. That is what I have been told. But I don't really know.
Basically here is my situation. Have owned the Vette for going on 28 years now. It is all original. Problem being is that we hardly drive it, perhaps 2 to 400 miles a year.
I just turned 82 years old and not in the best of health with a heart issues. Thinking, why pour dollars into a vehicle that am pretty sure that my wife will not be able to drive or maintain after I pass ?
Thoughts are to just correct what it is showing us that it needs and live with that .
Difficult with the body on? Maybe the actual taking out of the trailing arm because it’s heavy, but it’s not that labor intensive of a job.
This sounds very similar to your other thread from a month and a half ago with the same name. I would go with the recommendations given in that thread.
Toughest part about removing trailing arms is removing the bolts holding it to the body. They may be frozen/rusted in place and need to be removed using a sawzall.
I am/will be in same bearing problem on rear wheel of my 77 C3. My idea was to remove both trailing arms and send to VanSteel to be refurbished. I am not trying to keep all original...Is it a better idea to just order new and replace?
The hardest & possibly the most expensive part is not fully educating yourself on what is involved, what differs from one place to another, and histories.
Just start applying a good penetrating oil (and LOTS of it) on the parts associated with the trailing arms. I was able to remove both of my T/A's with the help of a sawzall and lots of penetrating oil. I removed the hardware on one side fairly easily but the other T/A was a real bugger to get out. The rubber parts were totally shot and literally falling apart.
Van Steel did both of my T/A's with their "Million Mile warranty" back in the 1990's and they are still working well. The level of precision required was out of my "comfort zone", so I gladly paid for the service to be done properly and safely.
The bearings were so bad in my T/A's that the car would "crab" down the road in heavy rain. It scared the heck out of me the first time it did it with my wife in the passengers seat. T/A's are not something to try and do yourself, just to save a few bucks. My safety and that of my passenger is more important that trying to save money.
The hardest & possibly the most expensive part is not fully educating yourself on what is involved, what differs from one place to another, and histories.
Ive been told that also replacing the Trailing Arms is pretty labor intensice unless you have the body off. That is what I have been told. But I don't really know.
Basically here is my situation. Have owned the Vette for going on 28 years now. It is all original. Problem being is that we hardly drive it, perhaps 2 to 400 miles a year.
I just turned 82 years old and not in the best of health with a heart issues. Thinking, why pour dollars into a vehicle that am pretty sure that my wife will not be able to drive or maintain after I pass ?
Thoughts are to just correct what it is showing us that it needs and live with that .
Thats about the short of it .
Originally Posted by GTR1999
The hardest & possibly the most expensive part is not fully educating yourself on what is involved, what differs from one place to another, and histories.
Queesbury to (anywhere in) Connecticut isn't all that far, just saying'.......
I just redid my 81 before I put it up for the winter , you could possibly be better off just buying the loaded spindle and be done , I opened up a can of worms on my 55k mile car , when you start looking you find too much wrong , from a bad seal on the diff , trailering arm bushings, rusted in place bolts , frozen e brake , shock mounts frozen , old exaust , even a flat spare ... I ended up stripping my whole rear end of my car , upon tearing the diff down the pinion shaft worn now complete rebuild, had to Sawzall trailering arms out , Sawzall shock mounts , leaf spring had splintering had to replace, everything associated with e brake ng new cables, shoes, hardware everything, shocks ng, strut rods rebuild, I did rebuild my arms with van steel spindles, new cat back on exaust, replaced all 6 u joints ... save your money just replace the bearing on the side that's bad if the other side goes in a few years then do it . Just my humble opinion
Rear Wheel Bearings - Keep It Simple
