Re: Rebuild Big Thanks

[Chester]

I am taking in to consideration all the ideas, and one of the catalogs has the three piece set for 179.00. the pulley on the pump is some thing i don't have the tools to do. The hose set is 39.95. Installation should be easy. the body is off and the sight of a clean freshly painted frame(with POR 15) is breath taking. I hate rust and love new parts.. The trailing arms were not to hard to take apart. No real problems to reassembly. Right???

[Patrick H.]

Trailing Arms

Do you mean you took the arms off the car, or that you took apart the entire rear bearing assembly, or something in between?

If the arms/bearings are still together, its easy. If the bearings are still together and need to be put back in the arms, thats not bad either. If you took the entire bearing assembly apart, it's going to take longer to get EXACTLY the right tolerances when putting it back together; you'll likely do it a few times to get it right. Assembling rear bearing shims, and getting the tolerances RIGHT, is one of the toughest things on a 63-82 Corvette. That's why some people do only this for a living, since very few people can do it right.

Hopefully your bearings are together; otherwise go very slow ... and look at as many magazine articles & books as you can. But then again, you didn't say how much it was torn apart.

By the way, if your trailing arm bolt was a bear to get out, i.e. rusted, consider one of the commonly available stainless replacements. After having to use a torch to cut mine, the decision was easy.

[chester]

Re: Trailing Arms

I have two spare cars, one rolling (68)and one just a chunk and pieces(69). Plus my 68. It is a convertible 427/390 coded black (1 of 708) with red vinyl it has ps, pb, am/fm(which I need to find)(hint, hint) red lines. That's about it. plain Jane. (trailing arms are off the car.) Oh, I knocked the spindles out and took the other parts off( strut rods etc.) and soaked then in kerosene. Sand Blasted the arms, Yes they (bolts)were cut off, and yes they ARE getting stainless steel Shims and bolts. Had to cut (torch)the body bolts off too. Have the new seals and bearings and stuff, one problem though, the outter bearing seems to be pressed on??? or does it need so elbow grease to pry it off, don't want to hurt/ damage the spindle. need to get this off to install new outter seal etc. the Inner who knows what to do??Help, looks pressed in also. Oh, the new dust shield have a sticker on them that says" Can not be used with stainless steel parking brake shoes"?? --have you seen this before?? Average cost to re-plate?? dust shields, caliper backing plate, coil bracket? Color/ shade of tank straps--mine are getting chem. dipped now.

thanks jc

[Tom Buddie]

Rear Bearings

The outer bearing is pressed on, just as the inner bearing. Problem is, it's difficult to remove the outer bearing without exerting pressure on the bearing cage, and ultimately the rollers. I never re-use these bearings after I press them off.... I consider them "damaged" even though the tools I use exert little or no pressure on the cage/rollers. Re-assembly requires a dial gauge and a "shim selector" tool. The tool is a dummy/slip-fit spindle which allows you to torque the assembly to spec and then measure the end-play, multiple times without actually pressing the inner bearing on the spindle. The job can be done without this tool, but it's "Penny Wise and Pound Foolish" not to buy it. If the end play is .001 to .008, you are within spec. I never re-assemble these unless the end-play is .001 to .003. GM still sells the shims required to set the end play. Use a High Temperature/High Pressure Grease... no cheapo stuff. An alternative that I have used with no problems, is to turn down the spindle where the inner bearing is pressed on.... usually about .002. This allows a "slip fit" of the spindle, and the special shim selector tool is no longer needed. However... this is NOT the recommended GM procedure. I have had no problems with it, but it was my own vehicle, and it will never see 150mph. Shim & Bearing kits are also available from aftermarket suppliers. Bottom line: You need 1) shim selector tool, 2) outer bearing removal tools, 3) dial gauge, 4) a source for shims, 5) new bearings, 6) high temp/pressure grease. Method: Assemble the units using a shim which will definitely provide some measurable end clearance when the assembly is torqued to spec. Measure the end clearance with a dial gauge. Select the appropriate shim from the several available to provide .001 to .008 (or .001-.003) clearance. Final assemble, & torque. The shims come in .006 increments. I have the GM part numbers if you need them.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Rear Bearings

Chester, Good comments from Tom Buddie. The best way to do these, IF you do them yourself, is to find someone with the tools, and borrow them. Otherwise you will likely spend as much in the RIGHT tools as you will having them rebuilt. Remember, an entire industry has built up to fix these due to people that 1) don't know how, or 2) screw them up.

I ABSOLUTELY recommend sending your bearing assemblies to Van Steel in Florida. MidAmerica, Ecklers, Zip Products, and many others send them there, and they are absolutely the best in the business. He does a hundred for every one that someone else does. And tell Art Dorsett, the owner, that I sent you. No, I don't make a dime off this. My second choice would be Bair's in Erie, PA (I believe). They also have a good reputation.

This is another one of those projects I considered doing myself, until I added up the cost of tools and the horror stories. I then boxed them up and shipped them. The only things I wouldn't touch on a car would be auto trans rebuild, rear end rebuild, and Corvette rear bearings. Some things are for pro's.