78SilverCam

Morning All,

Bottom line up front: Helpful hints, tips, and warnings needed!

I'm about to dive into removing the wheel hub assemblies in order to have the bearings rebuilt by VanSteel.


Reading into the Haynes and Clymer - it's not...helpful...However, the video at:

is very helpful. (do I need to lower leaf spring for just assembly though?)

Any lessons learned from the folks on here?

Chuck72

VanSteel.

78SilverCam

Trying to remove the shock mount - man, that thing is in there SOLID!

Looking at alternatives to getting it off and the most likely solution right now is removing the strut rod at the camber adjustment.

(I just need the assembly off ASAP - can work out the mount later on)

My problem is, nothing I have read or seen have recommending doing that - which gives me the funny feeling that there is a reason for that...

Anyone able to shed light?

Mooser

Shock mounts are a PIA, between the spline and the 'D' and bonding to the strut rod it's a wonder they ever come out.

No real reason not to disconnect at the camber bolt, make sure you mark where your settings (camber) were.
M

78SilverCam

Shock Mount Bolts are OUT! And just in time as I travel to Fl next week (VanSteel).

But I have another problem - how do I remove the wheel assembly from the trailing arm?

doorgunner

Penetrating oil.....Lots of it squirted into the frame "pocket" that the trailing arm fits in...and on the castle nut that holds the t.a. pivot bolt in place.

Work the arm up and down/tap on the head and nut-end of the pivot bolt to jar it loose....more penetrating oil.....Repeat.....

Then follow t.a. removal instructions.

Do a Tech/Performance Forum search ..."trailing arm".

There are some great threads with pics and instructions.

Mooser

Remove the center castle nut to get the flange off the inside


Then there are 4 studs that hold the assy to the arm
They come through these holes on the arms, the studs can be seen in the old arms at the back of the pic



You can see the 4 nuts here in this picture, your spindle will be in the way but there are the nuts you need to remove behind the parking brake mechanism



HIH
M

78SilverCam

Thanks Mooser - that's a BIG help.

Now I've discovered 5 more frozen nuts to spend my spare time cursing at :P

Mooser

Just remember, the 4 studs are replaceable, the large on in the middle is the spindle so maybe respect it a bit more.

78SilverCam

I gotta ask, what did you do to get the finish on those parts?

Mooser

I'm guessing you mean the brake picture
It's not mine, just one I scooped from the internet (I think it's actually a c2) that clearly showed where everything went without the spindle in the way.

I'm guessing it's stainless hardware though. My spindles were done by VanSteel and I used all my old stainless hardware which pretty much looks the same except I used the regular GM pads (apparently the stainless pads are not quite right or something)


M

RBrid

...and as far as the smooth trailing arms are concerned - they're not original, but replacement ones: Replacement Arms

78SilverCam

Thanks for the info - least now I'm not so jealous :p

But I am having trouble getting torque on the spindle castle nut. With the yokes removed - it's just a free spinning hub. Any tips/tricks to get a grip on this thing to get it off?

Mooser

Easiest way would be to put a bar or ??? through the wheel studs. I have a length of square tube with a piece of tubing welded to on end that slips over a stun and rests against one of the opposite ones. I use it for rotating the axles when installing the various u-joint clamps etc.

When I tightened the main nut on the bench, used the same bar but had to have a buddy hold it while I ran the torque wrench.
You could possibly clamp the whole spindle face in a vice or trap two of the studs against one side of the vise and the opposite one against the other side (use wood or something to protect the studs / threads)
Still nice to have another set of arms though
M

doorgunner

I borrowed a large cresent wrench to hold the flange in place whule I loosened the castle nut with a 1/2" drive breaker-bar/socket combo...

You could use a large pipe wrench to hold the flange from rotating, but you would have "grip-marks" in the metal from the jaws of the pipe wrench.

You could clamp the flange in a vice to hold it still.

But do not use anything to grab onto the wheel studs to prevent rotation---they will bend!

78SilverCam

Grabbing the flights tomorrow and those two spindle nuts won't budge

Looks like I will have to defer and ship them down sometime later in the year...so aggravating...

78SilverCam

Back and those castle nuts STILL won't budge. Thinking about sending off the entire T/A at this point...

More Liquid Wrench and Heat...rinse and repeat...

Question: I can't find out how to remove the T/A bushings (removed the entire T/A now) - searches on the forum haven't been fruitful.

Appreciate any help.

Mooser

Look down around post #10 in this thread. I used a mill but a carefull use of a cut off wheel on a grinder would work.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...post1579325799

After all that found the arms had been bent by someone (wider tires were bubba'd on at some point)
M

sug

You could bolt your wheel on and get some one to sit on it while you loosen the castle nut

Rally68

I clamped an old rotor to my workbench for both loosening and final torque of the spindle nuts