snakey

I knocked out my spindles with a spindle knocker. (Not too bad! T/A off the car and it took about 50 whacks with a 5 lb hammer.) What did GM use for OEM bearings in 1977? I don't think my rear bearings have ever been serviced but I found Timken bearings installed.

Also, anyone ever reused rear bearings after using a spindle knocker? I believe Tom454 is against it and I certainly respect his opinion over mine, but these look good. (wishful thinking?)

Thanks for any advice!!

69vette66

When I did mine I bought my all of my bearings and seal from GM. They were timkins also.

phxraptor

For what bearings cost why would you want to REUSE them ? :cheers: :seeya

Wrecked82

I used some aftermarket bearings in a recent rear end rebuild and the bearings lasted about 5 months. Now, they were probably set up wrong, but I went with quality GM parts this time around - and rebuilt properly.

GTR1999

NDH (New Departure Hyatt) were the original bearings I believe. Don't bother trying to reuse the bearings. For $25 replace the set. If they weren't damaged knocking out the spindle, the outer bearing most likely will be once you try to get it off.
Get Timkens,they're still made in the USA-I think! NAPA carried 2 different bearings,1 made in China,the other in Mexico. I would Japanese bearings but that's about it.
Gary


[Modified by gtr1999, 7:16 AM 10/14/2003]

Gary79

when i re-did my rear bearings, i pulled timkens out and i had a replacement set from one of the national corvette supplier houses, no names will be mentioned, but the front bearings were timkens and the rear replacements were chinese made, so i went to a regional industrial bearing and belt house, called Berry Bearing. walked in on a saturday at 11:45 am, got the bearings and races, paid them, and they closed for the weekend at noon. i believe the bearings on our vettes are bearings that were also used on Impalas or full sized chevys, although i not absolutely sure of this.

Van Steel

replace them w/the timken bearings

Barry's70LT1

I had the exact same experience. I didn't like the Chinese bearings either and went to a local bearing outlet and they had 100's of Timken in stock.
I asked why they had so many of those bearings. They said they are used in "everything". Utility trailers, mobile homes, cars etc, etc.

When GM developed the IRS for the '63 model year, they used "off the shelf" bearings.

markdtn

You can get Timken in a lot of places, including Auto-Zone. I had to go to a lot of different stores in town before I got a full set of USA made Timkens. Some of them are made in Canada, Australia, maybe Mexico. Anyway, check the box. It will give the country of origin.