Rear wheel bearing on 84

[Duke W.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

I recommend you verify that the rear wheel bearings are "worn" before you proceed with replacing them. As previously stated, I question how an inspector could make the determination with the car on the ground.

Duke

[Wayne W.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

I hear you Joe, and I agree that there are differing qualities within a part line, but, if some supplier like Moog is supplying a part to GM and also selling the part to the public, the quality will not be any less than the part they sold to GM. And, it will most likely be the same part made on the same line. Now, Moog might just supply a Chinese version to the aftermarket, but you can bet it will be under someone else`s name.

[Dick W.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

I hear you Joe, and I agree that there are differing qualities within a part line, but, if some supplier like Moog is supplying a part to GM and also selling the part to the public, the quality will not be any less than the part they sold to GM. And, it will most likely be the same part made on the same line. Now, Moog might just supply a Chinese version to the aftermarket, but you can bet it will be under someone else`s name.

Agree 100%

[Walter F.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

I think I will make certain the wheel bearings are bad as suggested. After getting a quote of near $1,000 from a shop if they use Delco bearings ($500 in parts and $400 labor) I will have my brother who is a retired mechanic look at the car first. Who knows maybe the guy shaking my car does not know what he is talking about. Nobody elses car seemed to get shook but mine. I have taken many a fast turn with the car and never heard any strange sounds.

[Bill H.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

I think I will make certain the wheel bearings are bad as suggested. After getting a quote of near $1,000 from a shop if they use Delco bearings ($500 in parts and $400 labor) I will have my brother who is a retired mechanic look at the car first. Who knows maybe the guy shaking my car does not know what he is talking about. Nobody elses car seemed to get shook but mine. I have taken many a fast turn with the car and never heard any strange sounds.

That's a very good idea Walter. I'm an SCCA Chief of Tech and have been teching cars for a long time. All my guys can do in the tech line is give the top of the tire a hard pull. If play is observed, it's more likely to be an upper ball joint. And I've only seen this happen once in many years. You just can't feel these things with the car on the ground. If the tech could actually feel something, you'd certainly know it when driving the car. IF the tech shook the tire with his hands at the 9 & 3 o'clock position, he would most likely be feeling tie rod play and should have double checked that by working the steering wheel back and forth. This whole thing doesn't make much sense to me. Good Luck.

[Walter F.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

Brother came over today and we jacked up the car. There is a little play in the drivers side wheel and a very slight clicking sound.My brother who has never worked on a Corvette was wondering could the play and noise be in the axle shafts from being worn out.? Is there a way to tell the difference? There are no strange wheel noises when you drive the car around turns even at high speeds. Hate to have the hubs changed pay close to a grand and find out the axle shafts were worn.

[Jim T.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

Joe, when we had the parts business, we saw major price differences in the identical parts, down to the manufacturer. One piece would be in GM/AC-Delco box, and the other would be in an aftermarket supplier (which was the OEM supplier to begin with). I doubt that SKF is in any way inferior to the AC products.

Another example of this is the power brake vacuum unit for a 1985 Corvette. I bought a new power brake vacuum unit for my 1985 Corvette at Auto Zone for a lot less money than what the GM/Chevrolet counter replacement part was. I not only saved a good amount of money, but the part I bought from Auto Zone was a exact name brand and exact match for the power brake vacuum unit I was replacing. Identical parts and my failed power brake vacuum unit was the original one installed at the factory.

[Jim L.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

There is a little play in the drivers side wheel and a very slight clicking sound.My brother who has never worked on a Corvette was wondering could the play and noise be in the axle shafts from being worn out.?

The wheel is located entirely by the bearing hub. If you notice play, the hub is responsible. Best to measure the play (radial and axial) with a dial indicator so you'll know for sure what you've got.

Hate to have the hubs changed pay close to a grand and find out the axle shafts were worn.

Changing the hubs is really a simple job you can do yourself, saving a lot of money and gaining useful experience in the process. And if you are going to drive the car in SCCA events, you really, really, really want everything in good condition. In my opinion, it's false economy to cut corners on safety items (like wheel bearings) in any vehicle but especially in a competition vehicle.

Jim

[Bill H.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

Brother came over today and we jacked up the car. There is a little play in the drivers side wheel and a very slight clicking sound.My brother who has never worked on a Corvette was wondering could the play and noise be in the axle shafts from being worn out.? Is there a way to tell the difference? There are no strange wheel noises when you drive the car around turns even at high speeds. Hate to have the hubs changed pay close to a grand and find out the axle shafts were worn.

The way to determine (as Jim said) is with a dial indicator. You have to release the brake pads, either pry them back a bit or pull the calipers. You can C-clamp the dial to a jack stand, put it on the hub and pull the hub in and out. GM's "replace" spec is .005 but that's fairly loose. You can't feel the difference between .002 & .005 by just pulling on the hub. There's just no other correct way to do this.

[Dick W.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

Another indicator of pending failure of hub assemblies can be grease leaking past the seal. Anything more than a dampness on the seal lip is a good indicator. Quite often as bearing go bad, there will be enough movement to damage the seal allowing grease to escape

[Jim L.]

Re: Rear wheel bearing on 84

Here are examples of how to measure play in the bearing hub. Note that I've run some lug nuts down against the rotor so it can be used as a measurement surface.

First, checking for axial play: I used a dead blow hammer to give the hub some love taps to drive it as far inboard as possible. Then, after noting the "zero" reading on the dial indicator, I used a pry bar to gently but persuasively push the hub outboard.





Next, checking for axial play: I applied my weight to the wheel studs to push the hub down. After again noting the "zero" reading on the dial indicator, I lifted the wheel studs and noted the change in reading.




There are probably other valid ways to check axial and radial bearing wear but this worked for me. I have always been able to catch bearing hubs which were suddenly exhibiting an increase in free play and to swap them out in a timely manner.

Jim