Rear Wheel Bearing
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 983
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County NJ
Re: Rear Wheel Bearing (mik)
I did the same last April, and it's not so bad a job, but it will have it's share of frustrations. It all depend on how high you can get the car, your tools and how much dissasembly you're willing to undertake.
-First, I would recommend that you start spraying the three Torx 55 bolts with a good rust penetrant (something like PB Blaster).
-Get the car up in the air and remove the wheel. Remove the 36mm spindle nut - An inpact wrench could be of great help here, but I was able to break it loose with the tranny in 1st and the E-break engaged. If you cant break it loose that way, you'll have to put the wheel back on, put the car on the ground an d go through the center cap hole.
-Here's where it can get frustrating. With the car on jackstands and if you don't remove the halfstaft, the amount of room and leverage you have for breaking a some of the 3 torx 55 bolts is limited. You can rotate the halfshaft and gain access to the bolts, but beware that you'll need an assortment of extensions and universal joints to get your ratchet handle in a spot where you can lean on it. If the PB Blaster did it's thing you could be fortunate and pop the bolts loose without too much trouble.
-After you pull the bearing out examine the spindle. It's not supposed to have any corrosion on it. GM says to replace it if it shows any corrosion, but I just cleaned mine up with some scotch-brite and put a smidgen of anti-seize compound on the splines. It looked to me that the part is nickel or chrome plated so that it doesn't gall to the female spline of the bearing. When the plating breaks down, the parts begin to stick together. (BTW, this is the source of that metallic twang that many vettes suffer from).
-Put it all back together and torque down the fasteners to the proper value.
-First, I would recommend that you start spraying the three Torx 55 bolts with a good rust penetrant (something like PB Blaster).
-Get the car up in the air and remove the wheel. Remove the 36mm spindle nut - An inpact wrench could be of great help here, but I was able to break it loose with the tranny in 1st and the E-break engaged. If you cant break it loose that way, you'll have to put the wheel back on, put the car on the ground an d go through the center cap hole.
-Here's where it can get frustrating. With the car on jackstands and if you don't remove the halfstaft, the amount of room and leverage you have for breaking a some of the 3 torx 55 bolts is limited. You can rotate the halfshaft and gain access to the bolts, but beware that you'll need an assortment of extensions and universal joints to get your ratchet handle in a spot where you can lean on it. If the PB Blaster did it's thing you could be fortunate and pop the bolts loose without too much trouble.
-After you pull the bearing out examine the spindle. It's not supposed to have any corrosion on it. GM says to replace it if it shows any corrosion, but I just cleaned mine up with some scotch-brite and put a smidgen of anti-seize compound on the splines. It looked to me that the part is nickel or chrome plated so that it doesn't gall to the female spline of the bearing. When the plating breaks down, the parts begin to stick together. (BTW, this is the source of that metallic twang that many vettes suffer from).
-Put it all back together and torque down the fasteners to the proper value.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Re: Rear Wheel Bearing (sraft)
Sraft,
Thanks for the hints. It took about 3hrs which included two trips to AutoZone, one for the 36mm socket and the other for the 55Torx. I was lucky that everything broke loose without too much trouble. That top torx was a bit of a challenge though. It was hard to get to with the half shaft in the way.
Thanks for the hints. It took about 3hrs which included two trips to AutoZone, one for the 36mm socket and the other for the 55Torx. I was lucky that everything broke loose without too much trouble. That top torx was a bit of a challenge though. It was hard to get to with the half shaft in the way.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Re: Rear Wheel Bearing (sraft)
You're welcome. :thumbs:
Three hours is pretty impressive for the first time. I bet you could do the other side in 1/2 the time now.
Three hours is pretty impressive for the first time. I bet you could do the other side in 1/2 the time now.
The rear wheel bearing is nowhere near as hard to change as it's made out to be.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
From: Bethalto Illinois
Re: Rear Wheel Bearing (Frizlefrak)
I went the opposite direction on my 86...I was replacing the half shaft u joints and decided to replace the bearings while I had the car apart...at over 100,000 I figured I would be taking it apart soon again anyway....three hours per side with the half shaft in the way is great!!!!! :cheers: