rear wheel bearing failure

Belgian1979vette

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Apr 4, 2008
Messages
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Location
Koersel/Belgium
This weekend I experienced a rear wheel bearing. This was during a drive, when I started noticing a rear wheel wobble. Had not heard any noise before, but this wouldn't be unusual with the exhaust noise and all.
Managed to get home ok.

Inner rear wheel bearing was completly ruined, came out in pieces. By the looks of it the rest is intact. Axle was pretty hot. Full of metal shavings.

Looking for parts. I first went to Van Steel to search for the items I need, but the shipping rates from UPS to my place are extremely high. I then checked on Summit and they are a whole lot less expensive with regards to shipping (about 1/4 of that what Van Steel quoted).

Anyway, Summit can deliver the bearings, seals and parking brake shoes as well. I'm a little doubtful about the quality/correctness of the parts as some of their prices seems extremely low. For instance the Timkens are about 1/4 the price of the Van Steel's. Also the parking brake shoes are bonded items and not rivetted.

What do you guys think ?
 
I bought parts from Vansteel and yes the freight to Australia was expensive as well !! On the other hand, I always been happy with Summit, their shipping cost and return services.
You should be able at least to buy the bearings in Belgium, their are common Timken bearing as with the seals. Just buy the solid sleeves and shims from the states. And do the other side as well.
My parking brake shoes are bonded too, no drama there.

Cheers from Down under.
 
The car just did 3000 + kms after a total body off resto. So all of the bearings are fairly new. I checked for play (after loosening the shaft and brake caliper) on the other side but this seems solid.

The shop here had the outer Timken bearing, but not the inner, they gave me an NTN instead, saying that the quality is equal.

The seals were special automotive items, so they don't have them.
 
The destruction of the bearing was quite extensive so not easy to say. However I see some traces of rust on the back face that was exposed to the opening where you would use a driver to push the ring out. It was a kind of rust pattern that I found there. Pitting on the running surface of the outer ring suggest rust too. So I think the seal was diffective and let grease out, water in. Had to drive it to my paint shop during the winter on some wet roads and think that did it. The car was parked in the garage during the following months, so I think that finally did it.

I will tell you this, was driving at 120 km/h and I got a rear wheel wobble. Managed to stop safely, couldn't see anything but decided to head back home. When I was off the fast road and driving slowly, I could feel it braking on the left rear wheel, pulling the car to the left. Even though going very slow, this was a very difficult drive back home. Managed to get there and take out the bearing without too much trouble.
 
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Stay with the Timkens. By right, all the bearing companies should make the same quality but I wouldn't risk it. For seals I use CR and never had a problem. With the vendor kits they supply seals and those I wouldn't use but lately they have gotten better seals in them. For the few dollars more I still use the CR/SKF.

Check the axle good for any heat damage or spun bearing, measure them.

All over the internet world you will be told to set the endplay to 002", while that is not bad I don't go by that spec. I want to remove the lateral play in the bearings so I grind the spacer parallel and then the shim to size to just give me -0- lateral play and the endplay comes in about 0015" - 002" BUT if I stop at the first 002" endplay I get there will be lateral play in the bearings after final install.

The parking brake shoes sound ok but if you use the SS hardware kits or have them now check the hold down pin heads - they should be like an arrowhead, check the star wheels - many times they are too long and make sure the upper spring end doesn't get hit by the lever- I have seen that happen. I just modify ever SS hardware kit I get in now.

If you can't get the parts let me know and I can get them to you.
 
I should be able to get SKF here and avoid all the taxes associated with that. What partnumbers do they have for the seals ?

I would rather have had Timken, but this means waiting again.
 
Another question about this :

Ran into an issue while assembling
I assembled the outer bearing rings, but the inner one apparently didn't sit right. I didn't notice until it was already pressed in about 5-10 mm and it didn't sit in squarly to the edge of the bearing carrier. I took it back out, but it left a ridge inside. I reassembled it in the bore, but I'm not unsure whether this would be good or could distort the bearing outer ring.
I can hit myself in the head but it's too late already.



Any ideas ?
 
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Typically the bore supports are good but I have found some out of round enough to distort the race and give me odd readings on my indicator. you can check it to be sure the race is fully seated. Most of the bores have a lip at the bottom where boring bar stops. Usually it doesn't interfere with the race since the outside is radiused but I still remove it. If I was working on these I would check the bore and make sure there is no issue and the race is fully seated and a press fit.
 
I tried this : I put the bearings on the tool without a shim. Lightly torqued them untill I had some minor drag and turned the bearings. There seems to be something of a heavy spot, so I assume there is some drag because of out of round or a bad bearing. Hm, maybe I should use the spare part I have here.

Damn, just my bad luck.
 
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