How to check rear wheel bearings?

[gr8vet]

ALright guys, I have read sooooooo many posts on the trailing arm bearings, the old eyes are bleeding!

One thing I have yet to see, how to you check for play? Is the whole thing put in a vise, spin and watch dial indicator? Is the rotor horizontal or vertical? Any force applied to rotor to induce possible movement.

I tore into my TA's and found that both have new spindles, wahoo, maybe wahoo. So far those suckers have no noticable play. After removing the half shafts, spinning the rotors, listening with stethoscope, sounds smooth to me. I have put about 6000 miles on car since I got it, not sure who did what before then, thus the above questions are being asked.

One final note, after driving 200 miles or so and after each gas stop I always check temp on hubs, the rear hobs are just warm, never hot. Assuming all is well???

THanks for any input.
tt

 

[BBShark]

Here is Gary's (GTR1999) paper on rebuilding trailing arms. It includes a section that describes checking endplay:
http://www.vettemod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129

 

[MYBAD79]

the rear hobs are just warm, never hot. Assuming all is well???

it's likely fine.... when the bearings are bad or if you have way too much clearance you should hear it - whining or clunking noise... both are bad....

You already have the halfshafts disconnected; mount the dial indicator magnetic base to the trailing arm and point the indicator on the spindle, point it onto the surface where the brake rotor mounts to - assuming rotor is already off. Now stand (or sit) next to the car and push the spindle towards the differential and pull it back towards you - watch the indicator. If you see less than .005" clearance I'd say you're good.... ideally you want .002" but if it's running fine with .005" clearance I would not tear it apart just for that...

 

[gr8vet]

Here is Gary's (GTR1999) paper on rebuilding trailing arms. It includes a section that describes checking endplay:
http://www.vettemod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129

Thank you , great write up.

 

[gr8vet]

the rear hobs are just warm, never hot. Assuming all is well???

it's likely fine.... when the bearings are bad or if you have way too much clearance you should hear it - whining or clunking noise... both are bad....

You already have the halfshafts disconnected; mount the dial indicator magnetic base to the trailing arm and point the indicator on the spindle, point it onto the surface where the brake rotor mounts to - assuming rotor is already off. Now stand (or sit) next to the car and push the spindle towards the differential and pull it back towards you - watch the indicator. If you see less than .005" clearance I'd say you're good.... ideally you want .002" but if it's running fine with .005" clearance I would not tear it apart just for that...

Good deal, I was kinda assuming the above, but not sure to use hand power or work it with some type of lever. I did check and found I could manage to get .001 and that was it, pushing, pulling, grunting....... Lots of grunting. Initially the fear came from a loose yoke, I thought was the bearing, which I am assuming has a missing retainer clip. In there next.

Thanks for the help guys. I would normally not worry so much running around town but planning on doing the entire HRPT this year so it will be around 5,000 miles without my garage. Scary.... Yes, it's easy to just send them off and have redone, but with this economy, $700+ is precious around here, especially to fix something that does not need it.

Thanks again!
tt

 

[gr8vet]

BTW, MYBAD79, the HRPT is starting close to you guys, Cocoa Beach, if you manage to come to the event, please look us up.

 

[MYBAD79]

I'm hoping to be able to drive the first leg to GA.... I moved the HRPT thread to off topic and made it "sticky" ...

 

[gr8vet]

:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

 

[damoroso]

Karsten,

That HRPT trip sounds like a blast, maybe we can get a few of us from FL to get together for at least some of the trip, I'm certainly interested. I checked the sticky you moved this too, and although the stop information is there, the registration info isn't. gr8vette, could you please post the registration info in the sticky for this?

Thanks!

 

[gr8vet]

Karsten,

That HRPT trip sounds like a blast, maybe we can get a few of us from FL to get together for at least some of the trip, I'm certainly interested. I checked the sticky you moved this too, and although the stop information is there, the registration info isn't. gr8vette, could you please post the registration info in the sticky for this?

Thanks!

Headed there right now to post up. It is by far the bestest thing I have ever done. If you like to drive and hang out with other car folks, of all kinds.
tt