Gary Ramadei, Step Inside Please.

[Dave P.]

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[Gary R.]

Re: Gary Ramadei, Step Inside Please.

Hi DaveI just saw this as I'm leaving for a few days away from work- on an island no less. Thank you for the kind words, I hope I was able to help you and others in the past.I don't see anything wrong with your procedure and you have the "facts" so to speak because you checked them at 25k and they are fine.What I do with the tapered fronts on a vette is just as you did. I tighten them with an adjustable wrench to seat them, back off, tighten, a couple of times, then finger tight backing off to the hole in the nut. If I have to back off more then 1/2 a flat I kiss grind the back of the nut a few thousands to index the hole line up.For the rear TA there are several methods as you mentioned. Some like to seat the bearings by hand by tightening the bearings in the support without the shims or spacers using a set up tool. I never liked that method and even discussed it with long time Timken engineer who didn't see it as the best method. What I do is as outlined on the Digital Corvette thread, I first make sure all the mating parts are ground flat. The shims never are the same size when installing new bearings so those are not used. I check the spacer, these get beat up once torqued and in use. I have found the faces out 005" or more. I grind them parallel then check them on my fixture if good I reuse them, if not I use the new style which is counterbored. I parallel grind these too. I only use USA Timken bearings, others use cheaper bearings and I have seen some imported bearings fail in no time and the arms are then sent to me. Then I dial the bearings in. First make sure the races are fully seated, the support is clean inside and out. I use light spindle oil on the bearings and torque them to 100 ft/lb with a master shim to start. Once I know the amount I have to remove from the shim I grind it to size, I don't like those common shim kits because they come in 003 shim increments and that is not going to be close enough to get then where I want them. Remember the spec is 001-008 so those kits will get you there but I set them up to 0015-002" with no Lateral play and that is the key, the magic trick I don't see mentioned elsewhere. The number I read on all the forums is 002" get it to 002" and you're good, well partially true. Every bearing set I dial in has the lateral play in them at 002" leaving them there usually will result in the endplay opening up at final installation, probably in the 004" range, still in spec and most likely will work, but the spindle will have lateral play in it and you will feel it more then expected. I grind the shim a few 0001" at this point until I just reach the point where the lateral play is gone and the bearings are not in preload state. This is not the common procedure most rebuilders use,either because it is more labor intensive, machinery is not available, or they just don't think it's necessary. It is the only way I will do the job. Now there is a different method I use when setting up Tom's HD 31 spline axles. Not too many NCRS guys go to these axles so can disuss this later. These axles are the strongest you will find for a IRS vette though. Note on Axles (spindles) there are USA made and imported on the market. Stay away from the imported ones, they are cheaper in cost and quality many sell them though.With steering boxes there is a preload on the end bearings and lateral dimension in the bushings I set them up to.For vette differentials, the pinion bearings are preloaded. Higher rating with new bearings then resetting used bearings. Both the pinion and case bearings are preloaded using shims.Note that is for tapered bearings. Ball bearings are a different animal. I spent years rebuilding Bridgeport Mills at a dealership in CT. The spindle bearings are a precision bearing set that is well beyond corvette tapered bearings in accuracy. They come in matched sets and must be corrected installed to preload them, spacers on both inner and outer races. Those we would place on a bearing heater cone to allow them to slide on a spindle without pressure. Spindle oil only must be used and 001" is junk.South Bend lathes used a bronze bearing and those are setup by checking using the "lift0" method and shimming. I know this isn't a machein tool forum but I just wanted to point out setup depends on application and bearing type, sounds like your bearings were correctly done. Hope this helps you out. Now I'm off for the week!

[Joe C.]

Re: Gary Ramadei, Step Inside Please.

Hi DaveI just saw this as I'm leaving for a few days away from work- on an island no less. Thank you for the kind words, I hope I was able to help you and others in the past.I don't see anything wrong with your procedure and you have the "facts" so to speak because you checked them at 25k and they are fine.What I do with the tapered fronts on a vette is just as you did. I tighten them with an adjustable wrench to seat them, back off, tighten, a couple of times, then finger tight backing off to the hole in the nut. If I have to back off more then 1/2 a flat I kiss grind the back of the nut a few thousands to index the hole line up.For the rear TA there are several methods as you mentioned. Some like to seat the bearings by hand by tightening the bearings in the support without the shims or spacers using a set up tool. I never liked that method and even discussed it with long time Timken engineer who didn't see it as the best method. What I do is as outlined on the Digital Corvette thread, I first make sure all the mating parts are ground flat. The shims never are the same size when installing new bearings so those are not used. I check the spacer, these get beat up once torqued and in use. I have found the faces out 005" or more. I grind them parallel then check them on my fixture if good I reuse them, if not I use the new style which is counterbored. I parallel grind these too. I only use USA Timken bearings, others use cheaper bearings and I have seen some imported bearings fail in no time and the arms are then sent to me. Then I dial the bearings in. First make sure the races are fully seated, the support is clean inside and out. I use light spindle oil on the bearings and torque them to 100 ft/lb with a master shim to start. Once I know the amount I have to remove from the shim I grind it to size, I don't like those common shim kits because they come in 003 shim increments and that is not going to be close enough to get then where I want them. Remember the spec is 001-008 so those kits will get you there but I set them up to 0015-002" with no Lateral play and that is the key, the magic trick I don't see mentioned elsewhere. The number I read on all the forums is 002" get it to 002" and you're good, well partially true. Every bearing set I dial in has the lateral play in them at 002" leaving them there usually will result in the endplay opening up at final installation, probably in the 004" range, still in spec and most likely will work, but the spindle will have lateral play in it and you will feel it more then expected. I grind the shim a few 0001" at this point until I just reach the point where the lateral play is gone and the bearings are not in preload state. This is not the common procedure most rebuilders use,either because it is more labor intensive, machinery is not available, or they just don't think it's necessary. It is the only way I will do the job. Now there is a different method I use when setting up Tom's HD 31 spline axles. Not too many NCRS guys go to these axles so can disuss this later. These axles are the strongest you will find for a IRS vette though. Note on Axles (spindles) there are USA made and imported on the market. Stay away from the imported ones, they are cheaper in cost and quality many sell them though.With steering boxes there is a preload on the end bearings and lateral dimension in the bushings I set them up to.For vette differentials, the pinion bearings are preloaded. Higher rating with new bearings then resetting used bearings. Both the pinion and case bearings are preloaded using shims.Note that is for tapered bearings. Ball bearings are a different animal. I spent years rebuilding Bridgeport Mills at a dealership in CT. The spindle bearings are a precision bearing set that is well beyond corvette tapered bearings in accuracy. They come in matched sets and must be corrected installed to preload them, spacers on both inner and outer races. Those we would place on a bearing heater cone to allow them to slide on a spindle without pressure. Spindle oil only must be used and 001" is junk.South Bend lathes used a bronze bearing and those are setup by checking using the "lift0" method and shimming. I know this isn't a machein tool forum but I just wanted to point out setup depends on application and bearing type, sounds like your bearings were correctly done. Hope this helps you out. Now I'm off for the week!

Exactly! This is what I do with distributor shaft end play as well as the rare trailing arm bearings that I do.

[Gary R.]

Re: Gary Ramadei, Step Inside Please.

Thank you, Gary. Enjoy your island.

Thanks Dave........ I wish Block Island was mine, great place to cruise in a vette - until you go off the main roads, then all dirt. Did I help you out? I have limited access to emails and posting right now but will check it again tomorrow.

[George J.]

Re: Gary Ramadei, Step Inside Please.

Thanks Dave........ I wish Block Island was mine, great place to cruise in a vette - until you go off the main roads, then all dirt. Did I help you out? I have limited access to emails and posting right now but will check it again tomorrow.

Gary,
you lucky man. I spent a few summers on Block Island growing up. Back before there were any large houses. A simpler way of life there.

George