cryzko

ok, i should have had someone do it for me but i figured i'd be a smart a$$ and do it myself...... i ended up buying everything new in the rear end. to my problem, i'm putting on the bearings and don't understand why the spacer and the shims are needed.... also, what is the trick of finding the right size for the shim without pressing and pulling the bearing out to find the tolerance...... i'm trying to get this part of the project done by the weekend so i can install the t-arms and all that other stuff.

cryzko

Disco_Mike

There is a tool to determine which shim to use with out pressing the bearings into place.

The shims are needed so that there is a determinate amount of end play.

with the tool, your take your inner and outer bearings along with the shim. torque it too 100 ft/lbs. then measure the end play with a dial gauge. the end play should be between .001 and .008 inches.

once the corect shim is selected, press everything into place.

this is my understanding of the process. any correct me if I am wrong.

turtlevette

slip fit them,

then its easy to find the proper shim without destroying the bearings pressing them on and off several times.

cryzko

slip fit? not sure on that term... the bearings have a hard time being pushed on the spindle so i'm not sure on how to do that slip fit method.... maybe if i grease up the spindle it might work a little better..

cryzko

Turbo-Jet

use a dremel and go to town...


i'm just kidding of course. do your homework, search the forum on this subject.

cryzko

i read about the dremel and flap wheel method...... looks like i'll try that..... i had to grind down some chrome with the dremel cause my chrome guy chromed the entire support and nothing would fit...... chrome does have a thickness to it that can screw u up if you pay attention..............i'll work on the bearings tonight...... thanks.....

here's my website
www.237am.com

cryzko

NHvette

Ahhhhhhh. Read the pros and cons before slip fitting !!!

A setup tool is best. I made a setup tool from an extra spindle.
I made the extra spindle a slip fit - for determining the correct shim.
Then, assemble everything on the setup spindle and
measure for end play with the inner flange torqued down.
Start with a big shim and move down based on your measurements.

The shim/spacer is determined by the bearing support housing,
not the spindle. So, once the shim is determined - it is kept
with the same housing and pressed together with the 'real' spindle.

I found the most annoying part was getting the outer seal into
place after pressing the assembly.

GTR1999

There has been much talk on rear bearings here the past 5 years. I press fit them and they have run fine. You should use a setup tool or old spindle to measure the end play dry(lightly oiled-ok) I set them to .0015-.002 using the setup below.


Gary

mandm1200

I don't mean to hijack the tread, but I have a couple of similiar questions in regards to the rear bearings/spindles.

1.) How to remove the spindle?
Some compnaies sell a fancy Spindle Press as well as a Spindle Knocker? Is it safe to use the cheap Spindle Knocker and how hard must it be knocked?
2.) How to reinstallation of the spindle?
The bearings are pressed on and that why I assume they must be pressed/knocked off. I was only planning on greasing the rear bearings, but once I get them apart I may replace bearings. The question is how do I press on the inner bearing? Does tightening/torque the castle nut on the spindle flange press things together or must it be placed in a press? Again, the vendors sell a special tool to do this.
3.) If the bearing and seats are still good, is it safe to say the the original spacer/shims can be re-used, just double checking runnout?

GTR1999

I use a 20 ton press to remove them. Most times the backing plate and PB shoes are junk so they get replaced,you have to check the arms for being bent or rusted out. If you're going to press them apart to grease them, then rebuild them with new seals and bearings.The new bearings will not be exactly the same so you'll have to set them up.
I have the spindle press and knokcer but only use the knocker to protect the threads while working on the spindle. There was/is a guy on the NCRS forum that made up a plate to bolt the arms to while pressing apart. It takes a lot of force to remove them so be ready for a loud bang! You can also make up a large slide hammer with heavy weight on it to pull apart.
Gary

MILO

I bought the spindle press, it wasn't cheap. I wound up cracking the caliper bracket which at the time got from Van Steel. I didn't use it for the other side. I took the whole spindle out and left the A-arm and used a spindle knocker and hammer, three wacks and it was out. I tried this with the spindle installed and the a-arm moved around too much from me wacking it.

The setup tool or a home made version is the only way to go. My opinion here.

Blue Ace

I just completed this job on my 75 “Both Sides” It is a very doable job at home as long as you use the proper tools. “Spindle removal, Shim adjusters can be made from a old spindle and the installation tool” The installation tool was the best!!! It was the type you use from under and on the inside to pull the assy. together. I did order the tools and shims to have on hand for the job. Take your time and you will be very happy. I found a very good site that has instructions FREE to download that explains everything. Hope it is O.K. to mention other sites. www.fastcorvette.com

Tom454

Good write up at that site.... but I disagree with one nit pick...

" it needs to be completely full when you are finished." (Step 15)

If you do that, there is a pretty good chance that when it all heats up, the grease will expand and ooze out past the outer grease seal... all over your new parking brake shoes. ==> Experience from the first ones I did back around 1975... the last ones I filled to the top. I always leave a little room for heat expansion after that mess.

mandm1200

The instructions seemed to pretty good and they also rent the tools for $40 (pay for them and then get a refund when returned). It did take a few minutes to get to the exact page, so here is where I went to http://www.fastcorvette.com/RearSpindleSchool.htm . I for one don't think there should be a problem mentioning a web site for instructional purposes. Some of the forum vendors have instructions to go along with their products. I find at times that reading from several different sources give a better overall view of the task.

Gary79

first off, you don't want to be in a hurry on this type of work. you can press the spindle assembly off with a 9 inch gear puller, i rented one form O'Reilly's, back in 99 when i rebuilt my rear bearings.pull the bearing assembly out of the training arms and get it in a vice on a workbench. i had none of the "tools" made for this job, and used a local machine shop to check run out and then go back home, pop everything apart and use another shim and check it again with the machine shop. PITA. definitely spend the money on the bearing set up tool to avoid this on and off, trial and error go around. i would not go with slip fitting the bearings. there is a reason why they are pressed on from the factory. what you can do is clean the spindles and polish them with some rubbing compound to make it a little easier to press on & off. my bearings are set at .003 " with about 9k on them now.

EDDIEJ82

I replaced my drivers side bearings a couple of years ago before I knew how important end play was. What a PITA. I did it with all homemade tools. Whew!! I must have got lucky, It's been going a couple of years now with no problems and I beat on my car pretty hard.

I've been wondering about the pass side ever since. I have no noise but I would still like to check it and maybe check the drivers side while I'm at it. How do you check end play with it still on the car? or does it have to be pulled off to check?

Tom454

I did comparisons on this way back in the 70's.

Due to gravity and the tapered roller bearings at each end, the best you can do with an on-car measurement is a "ballpark" number. The factory spec of .001 to .008" is too generous. On a rebuild, I try never to go beyond .002. With that small of a window, on-car measurement is impossible... all you can really do is tell if they are way too loose, or completely bound up.

After my "tests", I never relied on dial indications made on the car. I always remove the assemblies, and take a measurement with the spindle assembly in a vertical position. Since I (used to) do these professionally, I have no choice but to do it this way if I am going to stand behind my work.

I have a special custom made jig that I use for this operation. The variance/imperfections from one measurement point to another on the surface of the spindle flange alone can throw the reading off by .003 or more.... again.... I know this by testing. This means you cannot allow the spindle to rotate or move at all when you take your measurement.
When you push the spindle in-out for the mesasurement in a horizontal plane, it will move side to side as well. It has to... tapered bearings & seats. This makes it pretty tough to get an accurate measurement on-car.

Can it be done? Yes. But you're playing the odds and the numbers will not be accurate... based on my own testing and experience... about 30 years worth.

Ganey

Since this has turned into a rear wheel bearing tip topic, here's something I have never seen mentioned.
It is possible w/ the spindle housing removed to remove the spindle from the housing w/ a common 3 jaw puller & impact wrench. The outside bearing stayed in the housing, i.e. the outside seal held & removed the outside bearing which had become slip fit by itself so only the inner bearing was holding the spindle in.

mandm1200

I posted earlier about re-installing the spindle and questioned the need of the tool instead of just using the flange and nut. Is this not possible because the threads of the spindle will be sitting below the flange until the inner bearing is pressed onto the spindle?
I have not yet disassembled the trailing arm and just trying to get a visualation of the project before hand.

Tom454

The available thread on the spindle is insufficient to pull the whole thing together. Plus... and more important... when you use the bearing rollers and seats to pull the assembly together you are committing a "no-no". A "Bubba", as they say. You can damage your new bearings & seats.

This is why we have all these silly tools to do the job correctly.