Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

[Tom P.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Now a dumb arse question from Down under. Tom how many times can you pull the axle before you replace the bearing ? I plan on doing this a few times a year to swap my diff around. I wasn't sure when the bearing should be changed ? Stewy

I don't know.
I can't count the number of times I've popped axles on my old Chevy and the 56 Vette without replacing the bearing. Thus, I don't think removing/re-installing them has any effect on the life of the bearing.

[Stewart A.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Thanks Tom I regard your technical expertise on rear ends to be the real answer. You have fiddled with one or two of them in your time I think Stewy

[Joe M.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Tom,

Wasn't there a discussion regarding the new bearing being modified by removing the seal and exposing the bearing to lubrication by the gear oil?

See any benefit to that?

[Tom P.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Tom,

Wasn't there a discussion regarding the new bearing being modified by removing the seal and exposing the bearing to lubrication by the gear oil?

See any benefit to that?

Joe,
That absolutely CAN be done.
An additional benefit when lubed by the rearend oil????? Man, I don't know.
No more than these old cars (55-64 pass cars/56-62 Vettes) are driven these days, it would seem to me that it would take a lot of time, and miles, to determine if any benefit would be derived from removing the inner seal.
I guess a home grown test that could be done is to install a bearing on one side with both seals and a bearing on the other side with the inner seal removed, drive it 100Kmi, pull both axles, break down the two bearings and inspect the balls and races and see what kind of difference in wear, if any, there is between them.
I drive the 56 more than most people, but since I bought it in 73, I doubt that I've put 100Kmi on it yet.

Now, with that said, let me add this comment for thought.
Originally, in 1955 when this type of axle bearing was put into service on Chevy pass cars, the bearings only had an OUTER seal and they were lubed by the rearend oil. EARLY replacement bearings also had a seal on only one side. Then later (I don't know what year, about 57-58) the switch was made to bearings with seals on both sides. You would LIKE TO BELIEVE that GM's engineering expertise would know more than we do about which method of axle bearing lube was better, permanently sealed or open to the rearend oil. One thing that does come to mind for me, is that as the rear gears mesh and wear for many miles, there are tiny metal particles that chip off and become deposited in the oil and circulate their way out to the bearings which are open to the inside. Will these tiny metal particles which are circulating in the oil eventually contribute to bearing wear? I don't know, but it's food for thought.
For the most part, people here restore their cars to perfection and treat them with kid gloves, never abusing them. So, probalby most people here don't have an ocassion to observe rears, engines, trannys, etc that have been both abused and neglected.
Not only have I seen busted drive train parts, but I've torn up my share------------------and continue to do so. From my warped point of view, Corvettes were made specifically for the purpose of abusing them at will, and I continue to subscribe to that philosophy. Of course, I have also learned to fix it when I break it and put a little $$$$$$$ away to replace broken parts. Unfortunately, I'm not independantly wealthy like most people here, so I have to make do the best I can with what I have. So I spend a fair amount of time making sure I've put things together and using the best parts that I can afford. I do a lot of parts shopping also. Like the bearings from Allied Bearing.

[Keith R.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Called Allied and the RW607 is for non-posi. He said that the posi bearings are no longer available. Does anyone out there have a source for a '60 posi?

[Tom P.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Called Allied and the RW607 is for non-posi. He said that the posi bearings are no longer available. Does anyone out there have a source for a '60 posi?

USE THE RW607 series, posi or non-posi------------it doesn't matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Additionally, are you REALLY planning to be abusing it as it may have been abused 30-40yrs ago???????????

[Keith R.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Thanks Tom,

From your previous threads, I wasn't clear if the RW607 was just for non-posi. So the bottom line is that a RW607 will work without using the .1" spacer - its just a ball bearing vs. a roller. I get it. I guess I could try and use the old Hyatt 1542s but they've got some rough spots when I spin them and it's probably not a smart move. Paragon claims that they have the roller bearing type. Part # 7829. Not sure what it measures out at though. I'll probably go with that as the engineers must have specified roller bearings for a reason.

[Gary C.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Keith, bought bearings from Old Car Bearings in the past. They had the correct roller bearings for '57 posi's. Gary....

BEARINGS, seals for: axles, clutch, differential, pinion, transmission, wheels, all years. Olcar Bearing Co, 135 James Creek, Southern Pines, NC 28387, 910-693-3324

[Keith R.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Thanks for the tip Gary. I'll also do a little more research on the Paragon bearings and post it for the good of the group.

[Keith R.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Paragon's roller bearing is part # 7829 which is a RW-307ER industry bearing number. A research of bearing dimensions on-line give 1.375" ID; 2.997OD and .995" width. The Hyatt-1542 bearings I pulled off my car measure the same ID and OD except they are .90" wide without the spacer. With the spacer, they are 1.0" so it looks like a RW-307ER will work without the spacer.

[Keith R.]

Re: Need Help! Rear C1 Axle Bearing and Seal

Keith, bought bearings from Old Car Bearings in the past. They had the correct roller bearings for '57 posi's. Gary....

BEARINGS, seals for: axles, clutch, differential, pinion, transmission, wheels, all years. Olcar Bearing Co, 135 James Creek, Southern Pines, NC 28387, 910-693-3324

George from Old Car Bearing called me today and he has NOS bearings made in the good ole' US of A instead of the Chinese crap. He's sending me a pair this week along with Japanese made front roller bearings. Now, this guy does business the old fashioned way - he sends the items and says to drop a check in the mail in return. Nice guy! The bearings were a bit more than what Paragon offers but they are the real stuff and made with US steel so I think it's worth it particularly when it comes to steering components. Thanks Gary!