Rear spindle removal

[Kyle Zevena]

Gents,

I will be removing the rear spindles to inspect and lube the rear wheel berings (64 coupe), any words of wisdom, or is the AIM pretty much on the money? any tips would be appreciated

[Don H.]

Re: Rear spindle removal

Depending on when it was removed last and how tight it is, you might need a tool to press it out. Also a set of shims to set the clearance would be good. Don H.

[Kyle Zevena]

Re: Rear spindle removal

I have a standard 2 jaw puller/press, similar to the one shown in the AIM.

also, any thing specific to dropping the drive axle?

[Patrick T.]

Re: Rear spindle removal

Depending on when it was removed last and how tight it is, you might need a tool to press it out. Also a set of shims to set the clearance would be good. Don H.
__________________________________________________ ____________________________

I removed my rear spindles from my '67 after 36 years. Yes, it took a shop bench press and 15 tons of pressure to pop them out of the torque arms. The torque arms were crushed in the process. I didn't care because I replacing them anyway. PT

[Duke W.]

Re: Rear spindle removal

IMO attempting to remove the rear spindle on the car is a waste of time unless someone has previouslly modified them to a "slip-fit" design, which I don't recommend because that was the original design in early '63 and it it didn't work, so effective 12/1/62, the new press fit design went into prodution.

You need to pull off the trailing arms and mount them in at least a 20 ton press to break the spindle/bearing pack apart.

At least with drum breaks they break apart easier than disks, which usually require heat before they will budge and sometimes the inner bearing races have to be literally flame-cut off.

You might get lucky, then again...

Duke

[Mike M.]

Re: Rear spindle removal

in my experience, 80% of the spindles i've removed came apart with the ZIP/Corvette Central/etc tool that threads on the spindle and then is tapped with a 5# maw. be sure to fasten a chain to the spindle because when it lets loose with the maw, it'll go where it merry well pleases(wife's washing machine suffered spindle-induced trauma before i started to chain the spindle to the c-2's frame with a slack chain). the tool was about 10 bucks when i got mine years ago. don't be fearful of giving the maw all ya got. about 10% of spindles i've attacked required the Kent Moore Tool(hateful piece) and the remaining 10% required the hot torch for disassembly. haven't ever had to remove the trailing arm from the c-2 and utilize a shop press. my day may come tho. good luck. mike

[John G.]

Re: Rear spindle removal

FIFTEEN tons of pressure? .. Yeow! ..
IIRC Duke mentioned in a previous thread that rear spindle removal on disc brake cars could be much more difficult compared to drum brake cars.
I have a '64, too, which recently got new spindles and bearings. I went with Timkin bearings though from what I understand they are now made in China? ..

I was able to press out the original spindles, with trailing arms still mounted on the car, using a 3-jaw puller (cheap Taiwan made unit). I also had a regular 'spindle knocker', but didn't use it. A couple of times I had to hammer rap the end of the screw portion of the puller when it felt like the spindle wasn't moving. The 'vibrations' seemed to help loosen it up.

Before you undertake removing the spindles it would good to check the bearing clearance using a dial indicator. The spec is .001-.008. Once you know what the running clearance is you can take a couple/few thou off the bearing shim. This will tighten up the bearing clearance upon reassembly to better than it was, before. Using a piece of emery paper on a hard flat surface the shim follows a figure-8 pattern. A piece of thick glass will work. After about 40-50 'figure 8s' rotate the shim 90*. Use a dial caliper to check your progress.

When I set up my spindle bearing clearance I got it down to .001, initially, on each side. I had about a dozen shims, each a different thickness, to choose from. One shim got me to exactly the .001 desired bearing clearance (lucked out!). The other shim needed about .0045 thou taken of of it to reach the .001 thou bearing setup clearance I was aiming for. The bearings were set up 'dry' (no grease, yet) with a special setup mandrel specifically made for this purpose. Upon bearing installation on the spindle itself I ended up with .002 on one side and .003 on the other. I had hoped to have no more than .0015 on each side. I used Modil 1 synthetic grease on the bearings.

John

[Kyle Zevena]

Re: Rear spindle removal

Thanks for the response.

looks line the "noise" i was hearing is most likely the rear bearings, they appear to roll smooth but sound "dry" to me... the left more so than the right (which is where I heard the noise).

I see no way to lub thsese baby's without pulling the spindle.

Had fun last night, tried a two jaw puller I had kickin around (no luck). I'm going to go look for a larger puller tonight and then I think it's looking like Bairs may get some business....

Is Bairs still the preferred rebuilder of all things trailing.....and rolling?

[Ken Edmunds]

Re: Rear spindle removal

Did you get a good look a the bushings on the end of the trailing arm? If you even think they look a little deteriorated, they are and need replacing. Now is the time to pull the trailing arms and send them to Bair's or Van Steel for a complete overhaul.

[Kyle Zevena]

Re: Rear spindle removal

Mike, the "knocker" is on order incase the new puller doesnt work... Thanks. What is your experience upon re-assembly? HAve you used the Assempbly tool available from Corvette Central etc? or did you just "tap" them back in?

All this just to grease and check the bearings....fun.

If I cant get the spindles out it looks like I will be pulling the Arms and sending the whole works out. Any recommendations? I noticed that Bairs doesn't advertise 63-54 t-arm rebuilds....Anyone used Corvette Central's service?

What do non NCRS members do?...

[Chuck R.]

Re: Rear spindle removal

Hi Kyle,

I fabbed a spindle knocker out of an old one ton truck lug wrench and an old spindle nut.

I cut the excess wrench away so that I had just the wrench end to strike and welded the spindle nut into the wrench end.

The spindles I played with were off a very badly corroded 69 heap so I really didn't have much to lose if it didn't work.

I beat the first spindle that still had grease in it and was surprised at how easily (four or five stikes) it popped apart.

The other rusted up spindle wasn't all that much harder. I trashed my home made knocker but it was a one time deal anyway and it worked!

I cleaned up the trashed spindle and modified it (cut off the flange and lug studs)to have just a slip fit for the new bearings so I could get the correct pre-load.

My spindles when finish mounted ran .001 and .002 so all it cost me was some sweat equity.

Hope this helps you out.

Good luck,

Chuck 32205

[Jim T.]

Re: Rear spindle removal

Kyle I have the Kent-Moore tool that removes the spindle. Never attemped to remove the spindles on my 68 and 70 without it. Since you do not have the tools my vote is to remove the complete trailing arm and send it to Bairs. The cost to do a 64 might be less than the 65-82 Corvettes since they do not have to reattach the brake disc with rivets like the cars left the factory with and true the assembled unit for runout. Money well spend to have a like new system to bolt in and a new front bushing in the control arm. I used Bairs to have brake discs riveted and trued to my spindles on my 70 after the Chevrolet, the largest Chevrolet dealer in Dallas at the time screwed up the runout of my 70.

[Dick W.]

Re: Rear spindle removal

For the average Corvett owner sending the arms to Bair's makes a lot of sense. They do #1 work and are good people to deal with.

If one has never done the spindles it is a very large learning experience. And could be expensive. I have had customers bring me their trailing arms after they destroyed the spindle or the bearing support, or in one case trashed the trailing arm.

Send it to Yoggi and Brian and they will return you a first class product.

[Harmon C.]

Getting the arms off is not easy!!!

Let's see to get off the trailing arms takes some time with the gas axe if you have used one enough to cut the bolt off in quick order not learning. If you don't have a gas axe changing the bearings and buying the tool may be the way to go. I have only taken off about 25 sets of trailing arms in the rust belt and have never had a bolt drive through an arm yet.

Lyle

[Dick W.]

Re: Getting the arms off is not easy!!!

You use a gas axe? Here down South we use a flaming Blue Point wrench to cut the bolts. I have a set to do next week and am going to try my new Miller Plasma torch. We will see how that works.