MOXIE62

Picture shows grease coming out of a 1962 rear axle bearing. The rear end vent line is open so not sure what happen. Just a cheap bearing I guess. Only 500 miles and both of them are leaking

AZDoug

It is hard to tell from the pic, but that doesn't look like a double sealed bearing, is it? It has been way too many years since I had the original axle in my car, but IIRC, both sides of the bearings had seals.

Doug

Redbird

Did someone fill the rear pumpkin with grease vs rear end fluid?

MOXIE62

I had the rear end completely apart and cleaned everything. I filled it with 80/90 gear oil. The bearing is seal on both sides. The inboard side has a lip with a small spring around it. The outboard side, shown in the picture, is flat with nothing showing but the flat liner. I did manage to pry the flat side off with a screwdriver to see if there was any more grease left in it. It was dry and the flat part came off real easy. I believe the bearings are a poor quality. Purchased them from Corvette Central over a year ago. Not sure what brand of bearing it is because it has no markings. If there are any markings they would be covered by the retainer bar that is pressed up against it. I have a friend who gave me a good deal on some new bearings with National stamped on them and in a federal modgul box (maybe spell wrong). There is no doubt in my mind that the grease came from the bearings. And I do not think that inner pressure forced the grease out. The flat seal was too loose in the bearing to hold anything in.

Plasticman

Maybe the bearing was designed to be installed with the lip seal outward. That would allow rear end lube to enter the bearing eventually with the "flat" seal inside (keeping the bearing lubed), and the lip seal on the outboard side to prevent dirt / rust / moisture from entering.

Perhaps a call to CC "might" help.

Plasticman

Pilot Dan

I had my axles out a couple of years ago and they still had the old style original RWB's which were open toward the center section of the car and are directly lubricated by the gear oil. For some reason GM changed that design on the replacement part to a seal on one side and a garter spring and seal on the other side. Plasticman may be correct since oil could not enter from the spring side. It makes sense that you may have installed these backwards since the grease ran out. I don't believe the new bearing is designed to be a sealed design, the GM replacement 907294 that I have in my hand has a series of perforations around the solid seal which would appear to allow grease and oil to pass through. Maybe Tom can confirm this for us. Pilot Dan

DZAUTO

ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL the replacement rear axle bearings that I've seen in the past several years have a SEAL on one side (outside)and what looks like a seal on the other side, which I believe is actually a shield.
The seal which goes toward the outside is flat and, depending on manufacturer, i've seen seals in red, black, green, etc, as shown below.

This is the seal which goes toward the OUTSIDE.






This is the seal (shield) that goes toward the inside.



I have seen plenty of old, hi-mile bearings that leak through the seal, but I've never seen a seal actually seperate from the bearing as shown above. That SHOULD NOT happen and the bearing SHOULD have had some kind of warranty.


Now, by the way, since we're on the subject of axle bearings, SOME of you know that FACTORY posi cars came with ROLLER bearings instead of ball bearings. Replacement roller bearings have not been available for MANY, MANY, MANY years. The choice is only the ball bearings.
But, for those of you who don't know about the early posi roller bearings, or those who have never seen a roller axle bearing from a posi car, here ya go. This was an original Hyatt/New Departure roller axle bearing that I removed from a customer's car several years ago. I have seen a few others over the years, but I tossed them. For some reason I saved this one.

Pilot Dan

Great answer Tom! Just to be clear, are you saying the bearing in your top picture with the green seal (which looks like my GM replacement) is designed to be a sealed bearing and does not get any rear axle oil for lubrication?

MOXIE62

I agree that the green part of the bearing goes to the outside. The 2 replacement bearings that I have seen, the inner race is about .030 wider then the outer race. Which means if you mount the bearing with the green or flat seal on the inside, the wheel will stick out .030 further. May or may not make a difference with the brake shoes making contact with the drum

DZAUTO

All of the replacement bearings (REGARDLESS of manufacturer) I've seen in the past many years are sealed on both sides, BUT, the type of seal in the top two pictures is what goes toward the outside.
I have not seen a REPLACEMENT bearing that is open to the inside in MANY years.
There are different opinions as to which is the best style bearing-----------one which is permanently sealed, or one which is open to rearend lubricant. I have 3 cars with this type rearend and all 3 have the permanently sealed bearings (now) and none have been a problem.

Pilot Dan

Makes me wonder how the grease on a sealed bearing (NOS part) would be after 40 + years on the shelf. The original design ones are in a constant oil bath and have held up perfectly.