Loose yoke bearings?
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From: ca
Loose yoke bearings?
My '87 has been acting a little squirrely lately. I've been putting off looking at it because I knew, I would find bad wheel bearings or that the suspension bushings were all shot. Left rear wheel seems to have a noticable amount of negative camber. Right side looks OK.
Having read "posts" about wheel bearings in the past, I searched the subject for a refresher. The rear is on stands, but I'm not sure what I have found. If the bearing is bad, should I be expecting a really loose condition when I push/pull in the 6 and 12 oclock position? I don't. The 3 and 9 position feels about the same. At the 4:30 and 10:30 position ( aft and fore respectively, driver side), there is a lot of movement if I pull really hard. I'm pretty sure the movement is coming from the rear end yoke. For a better look at things, I bolted on backwards a 13" corvair wheel and tire. With a two foot prybar in the slot of the wheel I get more leverage and can observe the knuckle and half shaft. With my finger resting on the edges of the dust shield and the disc rotor, I don't feel any movement between the two.
Am I testing the wheel bearings correctly?
I am equally puzzled by the yoke bearings. Both sides seem to be loose, but only the left has excessive neg camber.
Having read "posts" about wheel bearings in the past, I searched the subject for a refresher. The rear is on stands, but I'm not sure what I have found. If the bearing is bad, should I be expecting a really loose condition when I push/pull in the 6 and 12 oclock position? I don't. The 3 and 9 position feels about the same. At the 4:30 and 10:30 position ( aft and fore respectively, driver side), there is a lot of movement if I pull really hard. I'm pretty sure the movement is coming from the rear end yoke. For a better look at things, I bolted on backwards a 13" corvair wheel and tire. With a two foot prybar in the slot of the wheel I get more leverage and can observe the knuckle and half shaft. With my finger resting on the edges of the dust shield and the disc rotor, I don't feel any movement between the two.
Am I testing the wheel bearings correctly?
I am equally puzzled by the yoke bearings. Both sides seem to be loose, but only the left has excessive neg camber.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 89
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From: ca
Sorry about the long winded post. Just trying to explain what I've found and am unable to diagnose.
The '87 manual says very little about the yoke bearings. It tells you how to replace the bearings as part of the rear rebuild, but nothing about checking them. I'm concerned about them being a source for my loose rear suspension. Take off in a straight line feels normal. Take off with the front wheels turned and it feels like it's on marbles or both rear tires are flat.
The '87 manual says very little about the yoke bearings. It tells you how to replace the bearings as part of the rear rebuild, but nothing about checking them. I'm concerned about them being a source for my loose rear suspension. Take off in a straight line feels normal. Take off with the front wheels turned and it feels like it's on marbles or both rear tires are flat.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 89
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From: ca
Hello.
The '87 Service Manual ,on pg 4B-23, says the yoke end play should be .0005" to a max of .0085". I have about .027" and the reading isn't consistant, which tells me there must also be some side movement. Pg 4B-7 has nine drawings called "Rear Axle Diagnosis" and labeled Fig 4B-5. I can't find a reference in the text about this. The nine drawings are of a bearing and shaft with nine different types and stages of wear and refers to them as "axle bearing" ang "shaft". Pg 4B-2, rear axle exploded view shows the yoke (33) as "yoke (axle) shaft" and bearing (36) as "yoke (axle) bearing".
I also may have a problem with the half shaft. It apears that the "U" joint cups are turning in the aluminum. The bottom photo shows one of them.
I could not detect any looseness in the axle hub, but the grease seems have started to come out. All three hub bolts required a 14" breaker bar to get the bolts loose. There is a wear mark on the top of the axle hub and in the recess of the E-brake housing. This is a fresh wear pattern and as I said, the bolts were tight.
Hello. Anyone out there up to this problem.
Pictures This is a link to the same pictures. If I ever get this fixed, I'll remove the pictures and leave only the link.
The '87 Service Manual ,on pg 4B-23, says the yoke end play should be .0005" to a max of .0085". I have about .027" and the reading isn't consistant, which tells me there must also be some side movement. Pg 4B-7 has nine drawings called "Rear Axle Diagnosis" and labeled Fig 4B-5. I can't find a reference in the text about this. The nine drawings are of a bearing and shaft with nine different types and stages of wear and refers to them as "axle bearing" ang "shaft". Pg 4B-2, rear axle exploded view shows the yoke (33) as "yoke (axle) shaft" and bearing (36) as "yoke (axle) bearing".
I also may have a problem with the half shaft. It apears that the "U" joint cups are turning in the aluminum. The bottom photo shows one of them.
I could not detect any looseness in the axle hub, but the grease seems have started to come out. All three hub bolts required a 14" breaker bar to get the bolts loose. There is a wear mark on the top of the axle hub and in the recess of the E-brake housing. This is a fresh wear pattern and as I said, the bolts were tight.
Hello. Anyone out there up to this problem.
Pictures This is a link to the same pictures. If I ever get this fixed, I'll remove the pictures and leave only the link.
Last edited by RichardJ; Jun 5, 2005 at 12:13 AM.
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Joined: May 2002
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From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
I might have a similar problem. I have it the whole rear end torn out of the car as we speak, and need to take a closer look at this thread.
Sounds like I'll be replacing some parts in the rear end.
Sounds like I'll be replacing some parts in the rear end.
