Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

[Gerard F.]

You may remember this thread of my wheel bearing saga:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?p=370721&uid=1944

Well, I decided last Friday afternoon to bite the bullet and buy two new trailing arm assemblies w/ rotor. Ordered them from Paragon and thought I'd be waiting a while.

Well, what do you know, look what I found on my porch in two 60# boxes this Friday morning:



That's an amazing delivery time for me in Sonora, CA. Thank you Paragon.

Note the riveted rotors:



And all complete, Made in the USA. I guess you can tell from the boxes who the vendor was.

So I think I have my work cut out for me this weekend. Since I have some other accessory parts still coming, I might just see if I can get the broken side replaced so that I can get the car out of my gravel parking lot and to a place where it can be worked on a little more comfortably, then finish it up and do the other side later.

Well time to shoot the bolts on the broken one with some Liquid Wrench and PB Blaster.

Stay tuned,

[Kevin G.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

One week, nice! Have fun, and good luck.
You'll be back on the road in no time!

Regards,

Kevin

[Joe R.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Jerry,

You made a very wise decision! You'll be happy with Pat's product and it's guaranteed 100% by a person that's been around Corvettes for as long as I can remember.

JR

[Michael W.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Note the riveted rotors:

Simply for ease of machining and handling, same process as GM. The rivets are essentially superfluous once the wheels are installed.

Nice looking stuff!

[Gerard F.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Well I thought I'd check the runout on the left trailing arm on the bench:



Turned out to be just under .003". Is that good or bad?

Do these numbers on the rotor have any special meaning:




Looks like I might have had some shipping damage on the pivot end with a small bend in end near the pivot bushing:



The bushing seems nice and tight though. Wonder if this is something to worry about or whether I should try to bend it back straight. Any advice?

[Michael W.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

.003" runout is pretty good, but getting accurate measurements without preloading the shaft can be difficult.

I wouldn't worry about it.

[Joe L.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Well I thought I'd check the runout on the left trailing arm on the bench:



Turned out to be just under .003". Is that good or bad?

Do these numbers on the rotor have any special meaning:




Looks like I might have had some shipping damage on the pivot end with a small bend in end near the pivot bushing:



The bushing seems nice and tight though. Wonder if this is something to worry about or whether I should try to bend it back straight. Any advice?

Jerry-----


As Mike mentions, you can't get an accurate TIR reading on the disc unless you remove all of the end play in the bearing prior to performing the TIR check. There's no way for you to do this now. However, 0.003 is fine, especially considering that it's being measured with the spindle end play. You should have no problems, at all, with this.

The stampings on the end of the rotor include the "minimum thickness" specification and, likely, other manufacturing codes. These are NEW rotors and all NEW rotors have to have the "minimum thickness" somehow stamped or cast upon them. In days of yore, before there existed a DOT, this was not a requirement. Note that the "minimum thickness" is stamped in millimeters.

I suspect that the slight "distortion" that you picture on the end of the arm is not shipping damage but, actually, a slight manufacturing "defect". However, I think you will find this same sort of "defect" on some original arms. I don't think it will cause any problem, at all. I wouldn't attempt to try to straighten it.

I would be interested in seeing photos of the bearing supports. I'm curious to know if they use reconditioned original bearing supports or some sort of new reproductions. I've never been able to confirm if there are actually reproductions of these supports being manufactured.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Joe,

Here's are some pictures of the inboard side:






Not sure one can tell from these pictures, but the catalog description says that the bearing support, spindle flange and caliper mount are used originals. Everything else is new.

I can't detect any lateral free play on the bench. Even picked it up by the rotor with the dial gage in place. But it turns smooth as all heck.

[Joe L.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Joe,

Here's are some pictures of the inboard side:






Not sure one can tell from these pictures, but the catalog description says that the bearing support, spindle flange and caliper mount are used originals. Everything else is new.

I can't detect any lateral free play on the bench. Even picked it up by the rotor with the dial gage in place. But it turns smooth as all heck.

Jerry-----


Yes, it's pretty hard to see much of the spindle support when it's assembled to the trailing arm. That's why the casting number and dates are pretty much "irrelevant" as far as judging goes.

Make sure the bosses ("eyes" for the strut rod shaft) on the lower forks of the bearing support are the right ones, though. Just compare them to your originals. If they're the same size, you have the correct ones. If they're larger, you have the 75-82 style. Either is functionally fine, but, if incorrect, can be easily discerned in judging.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Joe,

Is 5/8" correct for a 67. Looks like both the holes in the new and the original on the car fit a 5/8" bolt and nut. 15/16" socket. What size are the 75-82 ?

[Joe L.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Joe,

Is 5/8" correct for a 67. Looks like both the holes in the new and the original on the car fit a 5/8" bolt and nut. 15/16" socket. What size are the 75-82 ?

Jerry-----


It's not the size of the shaft and hole that's different; that's the same for all 1963-82. It's the size of the machined boss into which the holes are drilled.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Joe,

The boss is 1-3/4" diameter on the new one.

Funny thing, the message notification from NCRS came across to my email as red hot junk mail. I guess you just can't put shaft and hole in the same sentence. But here I go.

On the floor laughing These silly filters.

Have I got the right one for a 67.

[Joe L.]

Re: Update on my 67 wheel bearing saga

Joe,

The boss is 1-3/4" diameter on the new one.

Funny thing, the message notification from NCRS came across to my email as red hot junk mail. I guess you just can't put shaft and hole in the same sentence. But here I go.

On the floor laughing These silly filters.

Have I got the right one for a 67.

Jerry-----


It doesn't sound like it, Jerry. The 63-74 bosses are about 1-1/2" OD; the 75-82 are about 1-3/4". You might want to verify that by comparison with your originals, but I think what I've described is what you'll find.

Like I say, they'll work just fine but won't be "correct".