1969 rear wheel bearings

[Bill Stephens]

The driver's side rear wheel bearing on my 1969 had zero play before I disassembled the control arm. It's supposed to be between 0.001" and 0.008". I used a gauge to measure the play. The bearings seemed damaged, there was a lot of play in them, so I'm replacing them. I put in the new bearings and bought new spacers and shims.

I've put on the thickest shim (0.145)from the set I bought, and there is still zero play on the spindle. The spindle also seems to turn a little stiffly. Does this indicate some other problem, or does it must mean that I need to put on more than one shim? I've verified that the races are pressed in tightly. I haven't disassembled the other side yet, but it reads zero play too.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 rear wheel bearings

Bill-----

Based upon what you've described, I'd say that you may be in over your head on this one. With the thickest shim, you should have all kinds of end play in virtually all circumstances. I've never seen a case in which the thickest shim was the one actually required. You should ABSOLUTELY NEVER install more than 1 shim. It should absolutely never be necessary, anyway, if everything else is right.

As I've said before on numerous occasions, this is a job which requires BOTH the proper tools and EXPERIENCE. One can obtain the proper tools but there's just no way that I can impart the experience to anyone.

[Joe C.]

Re: 1969 rear wheel bearings

A few questions:

1. What is the reason for inspection/replacement of yout rear wheel bearings?
2. How did you measure bearing clearance? Dial indicator?
3. You say that "the bearings seemed damaged, there was a lot of play in them" What do you mean by that? Are they scored? Brinnelled?
4. Are you using a Kent-Moore setup tool to set your end play before final assembly?

If all is well, then you can safely install with .0005" end play. The shim rings can be carefully shaved with emery cloth for a tighter assembly once you are close. Just be sure to check the thickness of the altered shim with a micrometer, at 8 places around the circumference to verify uniformity.

Joe

[Bill Stephens]

Re: 1969 rear wheel bearings

Joe,

YOu may be right. I've never done this particular job before. I've restored MG's but have only recently gotten the corvette. I did buy the correct tools.

Multiple shims didn't seem right to me. I'm not sure what could be wrong. The outer bearing is pressed on all the way, I've inserted the spacer and shim, and pressed on the inner bearing. As I said, the races are seated tightly. It doesn't seem that there is anything else that could be our of place.

I'm in no hurry for it. I'd rather take my time and get it right than take the chance of losing a wheel. If I don't figure something out in the next couple of weekends, I'll probably take it somewhere to have assembled. Is this something a chevy dealer would be willing to do? We have a local one that houses the local corvette club. There's a local corvette shop, but they're hard to get ahold of.

Thanks for your help.

Bill

[Bill Stephens]

Re: 1969 rear wheel bearings

Joe,

There was a lot of play between the inner and outer rings of the old bearings. They were almost loose enough for the bearings to fall out. I had originally taken them out because I just got the car and don't believe it was well maintained. I used a dial indicator to measure the play. I was setting the play on the spindle, not with the set-up tool.

Thanks for your help.

[Joe C.]

Re: 1969 rear wheel bearings

Bill:

All roller bearing/cage/inner race assemblies feel "loose", even brand new ones. It's impossible to determine the condition of yours without actually seeing them. Normally, worn bearings exhibit discoloration, scoring, or brinnelling (a wavy pattern). From your original description, it is possible that yours are just fine. If you tried to measure the end play when the rollers were greased, then you might have gotten a false reading if your play was at the low end. It is possible that everything was AOK before the teardown. Please send your assembly to a REPUTABLE CORVETTE trailing arm rebuilder. It is such an incredible PITA to remove and disassemble the trailing arms, that you want to get it right the first time.

PS: You cannot "lose a rear wheel" with a bearing failure after 1963, because the spindles are held in place by the bearing races, which are press fit. 1963 were "floating" type, which were not.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1969 rear wheel bearings

Bill,

I would rather sell my Corvettes than let a Chevrolet dealer touch them (a 71 and 72).

In addition, few local Corvette repair centers deal in enough rear wheel bearings to do them well.
I've repaired or rebuilt virtually anything on a Corvette, but still send out rear wheel bearings because I'll never see or do enough to do them correctly. As a result, I'll side with the others and suggest you send them to Van Steel or Bair's for rebuilding. Rear wheel bearings on a Corvette are different from any other car, and what you've learned before is unfortunately no longer applicable to these unique creatures (i.e. the rear wheel bearing assemblies).

You're welcome to search the Archives and see that we tell everyone else the same thing about rear bearings. And remember, you have some very knowledgeable people on the board.

Good luck!

Patrick

[Chuck R.]

Re: 1969 rear wheel bearings

Setting up the rear wheel bearings is one of the more critical, time consuming and hair frustrating chores you will ever perform on a Vette.

There's little to no fudge factor in the bearing work, you have to be pretty much right on, or your destined for a road side visit by Bubba and his tow truck.

I fabricated a setup tool from a dead spindle and without it, I would have still been pressing and pulling the spindle assemblys apart trying to get the right amount of end play.

If your dead set on doing this work yourself, invest the $99.99 and bone up the prosess from the service/repair manuals so your moving ahead with a solid undestanding of whats going on behind the scenes.

If your not inclined to dig into it the proper way Bill, then spend a few bucks and send it to Baires and sleep well knowing it was repaired by the pro's and it's gauranteed.

Regards,

Chuck