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Classic/Antique Car Repair/corvette rear wheel bearings

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Expert: - 3/16/2008


Question
Brad! I thought your name sounded familiar! I am retired from Tate's Auto Service and I bought a 1978 Corvette new. I wanted to remove the rear wheel bearings to clean and grease. Will the bearings be destroyed doing so? I always subletted the bearing housing for customer repair because I did not have a press. I also have a "porta-power" that could probably be used to remove the axle on-car. Any ideas or links to those that could advise?

Answer
It has been a while since I tackled one of these puppies. The rear wheel bearings are tapered opposed roller bearings much like a front wheel bearing. The hardest part if I remember right is getting the spindle out of the bearings. Once you take off the nut holding the yoke on and remove the yoke, the spindle or stub axle will need a little help getting loose from the inner bearing. The factory manual shows what they call a puller but is actually a pusher, like a steering wheel puller. You may have to make up the center bar for the device. But the bearings should come apart without damage not like the front wheel bearings on some front wheel drive cars.
Brad

Classic/Antique Car Repair

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Brad Sears

Expertise

All automotive including antique and collectible. However if the car has been modified I can only answer in general terms and maybe get you pointed in the right direction.

Experience

Automotive tech instructor. Syndicated auto columnist 1970's though the early 1990's. Syndicated auto radio talk show, Ask Brad About cars, CBS Radio 70's through 90's TV Show "Last Chance Garage" 1980's PBS-TV syndicated. Auto instructor for the following companies: Fram Autolyte Holly Carter AMF Ford Motor University Of Conn Blue Hills Technical School Sugar River Technical Center Grew up in a family garage in Needham Mass and turned wrenches from the age of 14.

Publications
Manchester Union Leader, Nashua Telegraph, Motor Service Magazine, Yankee Magazine, Popular Mechanics (Saturday Mechanic early 80's), Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and lots more.

Education/Credentials
More than I care to remember. Basically Franklin Technical Institute in Boston, Northeastern University, Fitchburg State Teachers College, Tufts University, and a lot of factory schools along the way.

Awards and Honors
Moto Award winner. And much more.

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