Rear wheel bearings

Hey there Vette Fans,

Let me have it straight - my trailing arms have 96K on them, everything is original. I did u-joints and have read all the horror stories about the DIY'ers screwing up their spindles trying to do wheel bearings themselves. Mid america sells $400 worth of specialty tools aside from the cost of parts involved in a rebuild. Or I can pay anywhere from $250 to $1000 for recon to new complete TAs.
So, what's reasonable? put em in yourself? let a garage do everything? Buy rebuilds? Buy new? Just drive til a bearing siezes? Help!!

Thanks!! Here's the W A V E !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Happy Memorial Day, God Bless America and SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!!

Sorry I haven't been back for a while guys, have been a bit preoccupied with other crap in my life.

Problemenko, the taxes and crap coming into this country aren't all that bad for parts on cars over 30 yrs old so thanks for the offer but it's probably just as easy to get them direct.

Back to the rear end. I now have all parts to do the job (finally) The old screwed spindle I have just machined down to use as a setup tool. While machining, I have found that this spindle has been REPAIRED! It looks like the inner bearing had seized and someone had built up the bearing mating surface on the spindle with weld then turned it down.

I am now so glad I tore it all down. Will be like new when I have finished and I'm glad I'll only have to do this once.

All done. Glad I took the trailing arms out and I recommend to anyone performing this task to do the same. It all went back together without a problem. I had to order a new spindle for the right hand side so i turned the old one down to a clearance fit to use as a shim setup tool. It worked great. No more horrible noises and clunks.

As I say, a simple job once the trailing arms are out and you can work on the bench with them.

You are like me Paul. I never did think of trailing arms or bearings on my 69 until I got on this site. Now I think about them alot, even got me under the car looking. I have had my car 10 years and have no idea when or if they have ever been changed. Right now I have no problems....so guess I will drive it until the wheels fall off. Good luck.
Ken

I'm going to do mine myself. It's not that difficult if you have a press etc. All I need to do is get a test spindle made to the same dimensions as the wheel spindles with a non interference fit on the bearings to let me set up the correct shims. Timken bearings you can get and any bearing specialist. Mine says he can also get seals if he has a sample to go by so I will see what happens. My rear end is really clunky and needs doing. If I break them I know I can always buy new ones.

I'm also doing mine myself. I was given this website as a place to rent the install tool and found that they have great packages too. If your going to take all the trouble to do the spindles and bearings you may as well also do the emergency brakes and other things while you in there.

Check it out:
http://www.fastcorvette.com/PartsMain.htm

Glenn

I bought my new spindles from Fast Corvette and they look great. I also found the bearing tools on ebay. Bought the bearing set-up tool and the install tool for $90.00, thought I would use it and then resell them on ebay.then I found out I could rent the tool I needed from Fast Corvette for $140.00, use it and send them back and get $100.00 back. They also sell the shims and what you don"t use, they buy back. I wish I had found them before I went to ebay.

So have any of you guys actually finished the bearing/spindle change yet?

I have rebuilt and subsequently re-rebuilt a trailing arm on my last 69 because i didnt get it exactly right.

when the other side went out i sent it to a pro

there is a guy on this site who does complete rebuilds for 300$ or so.. parts and labor..

i think it is well worth the 300$

if you dont have the tools and havent done 50 of them before.. its well worth 300$.

I haven't done mine yet. I'm waiting for some more cash.
I expect to do it next month, when I will publish some pics of the process.