Rear Bearings & U-Joints
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,043
Likes: 3
From: San Jose Pat Tillman - American Hero
Rear Bearings & U-Joints
I've got a vibration from the rearend on the freeway above 65mph. I have replaced a slightly bent wheel, replaced all 4 tires, had it "Road Force" balanced (aka Computer Ride-Match), and it's still there. I'm pretty sure it's either a bearing, u-joint, or combination thereof. My quesiton is:
How do I approach the repair shop and "suggest" this as an issue to investigate. I'm afraid if I tell them I suspect a bearing/u-joint, they'll put it up on a lift for 3 minutes and say, "Yep - you were right. Here's a quote for $$$$ to replace both bearings and U-joints." If it's just one that's causing the issue, that's the only one I want to replace.
Am I worrying too much here? I just feel like the fact that I 1) have a Corvette and 2) am relatively young (24), I have "Take Advantage of Me" tatooed on my forehead whenever I walk into a shop. Can anyone lend some advice on this matter?
Thanks! :cheers:
How do I approach the repair shop and "suggest" this as an issue to investigate. I'm afraid if I tell them I suspect a bearing/u-joint, they'll put it up on a lift for 3 minutes and say, "Yep - you were right. Here's a quote for $$$$ to replace both bearings and U-joints." If it's just one that's causing the issue, that's the only one I want to replace.
Am I worrying too much here? I just feel like the fact that I 1) have a Corvette and 2) am relatively young (24), I have "Take Advantage of Me" tatooed on my forehead whenever I walk into a shop. Can anyone lend some advice on this matter?
Thanks! :cheers:
Racer
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 280
Likes: 0
From: Honolulu Hawaii
Re: Rear Bearings & U-Joints (Perfusion)
Sounds like a wheel bearing problem. To check the wheel bearing: First Jack up the rear of the car and put it on jack stands. Then grab the wheel and try to push the wheel from side to side and top to bottom to see if there if play in the wheel bearing. If there is, then you know the wheel bearing is bad.
-Tim
-Tim
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Re: Rear Bearings & U-Joints (drjimmy)
When you get the car up on the jackstands you want to grab the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and see if you get any wobble. If you grab it at 9 & 3 that will check for tie rod ends.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 506
Likes: 12
From: Savannah GA
Re: Rear Bearings & U-Joints (Perfusion)
1st off, how many miles on your 96?
Bearings and u-joints are suspect around 100K miles
From my experience the wheel bearings aren't the #1 cause of the vibration its the u-joints. Replace them all, you should use the correct ones for the aluminum drive shafts without zerks. They might not clunk either. Don't worry about the driveshaft it doesn't move, mine showed no wear at 200k miles. Oh, look at those ujoints while the car is up on the lift. See any rust at the cross on the outer joints? If so, they are shot!
The shake will make you think everything is loose. A rear tierod end might be borderline to.
To check those wheel bearings you need to take the wheel off and use a dial indicator as per the shop manual.
Look at the earlier posts about the bearing prices.
Labor will eat your lunch I saw something about 4.7 hrs to do the u-joints. They can be done at home by almost anyone in a day. If you don't have a floor jack or tools you will more than pay for them on this job.
There are posts with pictures on doing the job.
just my 2 cents.
SJ
Bearings and u-joints are suspect around 100K miles
From my experience the wheel bearings aren't the #1 cause of the vibration its the u-joints. Replace them all, you should use the correct ones for the aluminum drive shafts without zerks. They might not clunk either. Don't worry about the driveshaft it doesn't move, mine showed no wear at 200k miles. Oh, look at those ujoints while the car is up on the lift. See any rust at the cross on the outer joints? If so, they are shot!
The shake will make you think everything is loose. A rear tierod end might be borderline to.
To check those wheel bearings you need to take the wheel off and use a dial indicator as per the shop manual.
Look at the earlier posts about the bearing prices.
Labor will eat your lunch I saw something about 4.7 hrs to do the u-joints. They can be done at home by almost anyone in a day. If you don't have a floor jack or tools you will more than pay for them on this job.
There are posts with pictures on doing the job.
just my 2 cents.
SJ
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
Likes: 87
From: Boston, MA
Re: Rear Bearings & U-Joints (jsinga)
If you decide to do the u-joints yourself.
http://personal.tmlp.com/scorp/vette/images/ujoints/
http://personal.tmlp.com/scorp/vette/images/ujoints/
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,858
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria CA
Re: Rear Bearings & U-Joints (scorp508)
Just an additional note:
If you do indeed find play in the wheel bearing assemblies, check to make sure the spindle nuts are torqued to 165 ft. lbs. I had play in one of my rear bearing assemblies and was about to spend all that money on a new one when I decided to check the spindle nut. It was loose, so I torqued it down. The play went away, and I avoided buying something I did not need. :thumbs:
[Modified by 86PACER, 12:08 AM 5/28/2004]
If you do indeed find play in the wheel bearing assemblies, check to make sure the spindle nuts are torqued to 165 ft. lbs. I had play in one of my rear bearing assemblies and was about to spend all that money on a new one when I decided to check the spindle nut. It was loose, so I torqued it down. The play went away, and I avoided buying something I did not need. :thumbs:
[Modified by 86PACER, 12:08 AM 5/28/2004]
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,043
Likes: 3
From: San Jose Pat Tillman - American Hero
Re: Rear Bearings & U-Joints (Brimis)
42,000 miles on the car... And thanks for all the great suggestions. I don't notice any clunking when putting the car in gear, but the vibration does seem to intensify under a load (i.e., cruising at 70 on the freeway in 6th and then accelerating up to 80). Does that help narrow things down any?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Re: Rear Bearings & U-Joints (Perfusion)
Your mileage is kinda low for a wasted bearing or U-joint....Not impossible, but also not likely.
Some other potential sources of vibration;
Bad wheel alignment
Worn or rotten bushings
Bad shocks
Do this. Support the car on jack stands, and do a visual inspection of all rear bushings for wear (unlikely) or decay (likely). Replace any worn bushings and have a good 4 wheel alignment.
Are your shocks original? If so, they are coming up on being 9 years old. A worn or leaking shock can cause a hellacious vibration at highway speeds, as spring movement is no longer controlled and the wheel will bounce like a basketball on crystal meth.
I'm a big advocate of checking the easiest / cheapest stuff first. I'm also a big advocate of diagnosing instead of throwing parts at the car to fix it.
Spend a little time studying your rear suspension and the problem will be found. And don't pay high labor rates for this stuff.....you can do it yourself. There is nothing mysterious about the C4 suspension. It's actually quite simple once you've torn into it.
Good luck, tell us what you find.
Some other potential sources of vibration;
Bad wheel alignment
Worn or rotten bushings
Bad shocks
Do this. Support the car on jack stands, and do a visual inspection of all rear bushings for wear (unlikely) or decay (likely). Replace any worn bushings and have a good 4 wheel alignment.
Are your shocks original? If so, they are coming up on being 9 years old. A worn or leaking shock can cause a hellacious vibration at highway speeds, as spring movement is no longer controlled and the wheel will bounce like a basketball on crystal meth.
I'm a big advocate of checking the easiest / cheapest stuff first. I'm also a big advocate of diagnosing instead of throwing parts at the car to fix it.
Spend a little time studying your rear suspension and the problem will be found. And don't pay high labor rates for this stuff.....you can do it yourself. There is nothing mysterious about the C4 suspension. It's actually quite simple once you've torn into it.
Good luck, tell us what you find.
