whitehause

Getting ready to put my trailing arm back together and have a question.
(with bearings already grease packed)
1. I've seen it said that you should press the outer, pack the housing with grease, then spacer, shim, press the inner, and put on the inner seal.

2. I've also seen packing and assembling the whole carrier, then sliding that over the spindle and pressing it on with a socket over the the inner yoke.

3. Pack the whole unit, slide it over the spindle, and use the spindle yoke and nut to pull it together. Torque to 125, back off nut, re-torque to 100.

I do have a press, so I could do it either way.

Is one better than the other, or are they just different ways to achieve the same goal?

Mike7143

Mike Ward

The housing is not supposed to be packed with grease. More is not better.

DUB

whitehause,

For what it is worth.

If you are replacing the bearings/races...a set-up is required because maybe 1 in 10 can use the same shim so you can get the .001" to .003" run-out. I know GM says it can go to .008"...but for me that is too much. This must be done with the bearings dry using a specific set-up tool.

Once this is achieved...grease your bearings and light coat the spacer and shim. ALSO lightly apply a coat of grease to the inside of the hub...DO NOT FILL IT WITH GREASE!!!. It is pointless to do so ...and if you are thinking that it will feed grease to the bearings in the future...much like the front hubs..IT WON'T...because it does not spin.

The bearings, spacer and shims are installed and the grease seals installed. And then using a tool that attaches to the spindle...used along with the u-joint flange to pull the spindle through the bearings and tighten to 100 lbs/ft. A hydraulic press is not the same as the "press" tool that is made for this job. Remove the "press" tool and install the thick washer and tighten the nut to 90 lbs/ft and turn FURTHER to align for the cotter pin.

If you choose to do it another way...that is your choice. I do about 20+ of them a year and I have not had an issue with them...EVER I also check the spindle to make sure it is not bent...because when you go and check the run-out on the rotor...nothing is worse than having one be WAAAAY out and having to do it all over again. So once I get the spindle out...I check it to make sure it is at no more than .0015 " out. You might be surprised on how much the rear bearings being out can effect the effectiveness of the rear brakes. Either causing them to suck in air or leak fluid.

DUB

whitehause

Sorry guys, guess I wasn't clear on where I'm at.

All the proper set up procedures were followed. The cleaned bearing housing was taken to a corvette shop with the new races and bearings and they set up the end play. It did need a slightly thicker spacer(027 instead of the 023 I had). The guy there had a wire ring with probably 30 spacers of different thicknesses, so they traded my old spacer even up for the new one of the right thickness, and they didn't even charge me for the setup. the spindle was also checked and is good.

I'm aware of the tool used to pull the spindle together, and if you were doing it on the car it would be a must have, but mine is off the car. I have a garage full of tools and can't believe this job can't be done without that one special tool that I don't happen to have

'75

I've done several sets without any of the special "Corvette" tools. Pack the outer bearing and put it and the outer seal in the housing along with a smear of grease, stand the spindle up and lower the housing onto it. I found a small pipe that fits over the spindle and presses on the bearing race to press it together. Then I add the spacer and shim, then the inner bearing and use the pipe in the press to put the inner bearing on. Then comes the inner seal and dust shield, then the yoke and nut. For bearing set up, I have an old spindle that I sanded down so the bearings will slip on and off. Special tools are nice, but with a little ingenuity, you can get around not having them.

Mike Ward

There's umpteen way of doing it, but at no time can any load be applied to the rollers or cage or from the outer race to the inner to aid in pressing the bearings home. This will destroy them immediately.

whitehause

I would never press past the inner bearing ring, that's bearing 101.

lionelhutz

Not sure exactly what you're asking but with dad's car we dropped the seal and outer bearing onto the spindle and pressed the bearing into place. Then we stood the bearing carrier with the outside facing up and lowered the spindle into it and worked the seal into place, not forgetting the backing plate and the caliper bracket. Once that was done, we dropped the spacers onto the spindle, the inner bearing and pressed it home. Finally, we bolted the carrier into the arm and assembled the yoke and e-brake parts. It worked OK but you have to play with the prying devices to carefully press the seal home and the e-brake parts are an absolute pain to get installed.

I believe you can get studs that you press through the backing plate and into the carrier so that you can assemble the e-brake parts and then put the spindle into place. You drive the old studs out of the arm and throw them away. So, if I did it again, I would use these studs and put the backing plate, caliper bracket and bearing carrier and all the e-brake parts together first. Then, I would put the outer bearing into the housing and drive the seal into place with an appropriate tool. Then, sit the spindle on the studs and lower the housing over it before using a piece of pipe to drive the outer down onto the spindle. Then, drop the spacers and inner bearing in place and press that bearing into place. Bolt the carrier into the arm and then install the yoke and nut.

whitehause

I know what you mean about the e-brake, they are a pain. I have all that assembled on the backing plate already and will bolt the backing plate, caliper bracket, and bearing housing to the trailing arm before I press the bearings in. I plan to install the outer bearing and seal in the housing before I press anything on.
I just wondered if people find it better to press the outer then install the spacers and press the inner then seal, or to put everything in the housing(with the seals on both ends) then lower on to the spindle and press on as a whole unit, and the technique they used to press them on.
Not sure what studs you are referring to that get pressed in to the backing plate, I'm just using the stock stud set up that are in the trailing arm.

wombvette

The only special tool you need with a shop press is a fixture, pipe, etc. that fits over the spindle shaft and rests on the inner surface of the bearing. Install the outer bearing and seal, then turn the whole assembly over in the press with the flange down. Install the shim and spacer and place the inner bearing on the assembly. Then press the whole unit at one time. Done.

whitehause

Thanks, I've been leaning this way, so on the press it goes tomorrow.

Rally68

Here's my high-tech bearing tool:



1 1/2" galvanized pipe nipple & cap. I had to open it up the ID slightly with a die grinder to keep it from binding on the spindle. Works great

Mike Ward

You'd be surprised how many people never took that class.

whitehause

After seeing some of the stuff done to both my 68's, nothing would surprise me.

The whole reason I had to do this spindle is because some bubba drilled the rivets out so they could remove the rear disc, but never punched them all the way out the back of the spindle. At some point one of them backed out and hit the large top bolt that the e-brake shoes rest against breaking the caliper bracket.
Of course in Chevy's wisdom, there is no way to replace the rear caliper bracket without pulling the spindle

Anyway, I just got done pressing it all together and it worked out fine. I put in all the bearings, spacers, and seals, then assembled the entire trailing arm, slid it over the spindle, and used the splined end cap and a 2" socket to press the bearing home. I figured the splined end cap would keep everything centered and true. Torqued to 100 cotter pin, done. Checked end play and it was at .002. Now off to put it back on the car.

DUB

I hope you installed the rotor and checked the rotor run-out. I have had NEW spindles be bad when I checked them before installation. I check every spindle new or original. And nothing is worse than getting it all together and seeing that you have .020" rotor run-out...which will create havoc on your brakes....which I have encountered before I got a bench center.

DUB

whitehause

It's the original spindle/rotor combo, so if it was true before, and the spindle is true now, it should be fine....but yes,I'll check it.