<VV> EM rear wheel bearing grease fitting install?

[Tony Underwood]

At 08:39 PM 3/19/2011, Ray Rodriguez III wrote:
>Greetings Vairfolk,
>
>      One of the remaining areas of concern on the 63' is the rear 
> wheel bearings.  One of my books (HTKYCA I think) shows where to 
> drill the hole and how big, but I don't yet have a shop manual for 
> the EM so I don't know what I have to take apart and how to do 
> it.  Can anyone either link me to instructions or write some up for 
> me?  I really want to get these greased before something goes wrong 
> since they sat for 25 years.


Don't do the zerk fitting on an early bearing.   They come apart too 
easily to go to that sorta trouble.   Just remove the wheel, pop the 
drum off, remove 4 9/16 nuts and slide the axle out.   Make sure that 
side of the car is up so you don't drool gear lube out the 
transaxle.   There are two rivets holding the halves of the bearing 
housing together.   Cut them off and discard them, won't need to 
rivet the halves back together again seeing as how the nuts on the 
studs will do that.    Pry the bearing halves apart and flush out the 
bearing thoroughly with a good species of carb cleaner or 
brake-klene, your choice... stuff them with synthetic wheel bearing 
grease, reassemble.

It's also not a bad idea to (if you can) rotate the outer races 180 
degrees and place a fresh load bearing surface where the bearing 
rollers can run against it.



Once you do the first one, the 2nd will be easier.   '60-'62 bearings 
have stamped housings, '63-'64 bearings have a cast housing with a 
stamped cover.   They come apart the same.


>On a related note, how noticeable is the "rumble" or whatever when a 
>wheel bearing is beginning to fail?


They announce their pending demise.   They start by rumbling... then 
advance to slicking and popping and sometimes screeching, by which 
time it's wise to stop immediately before the axle comes out of the car.


When you have the bearing shells split, check the rollers closely for 
pitting or flat spots.   If they look OK, grease up, reassemble, and 
go on down the road.  If they show wear, or minor pitting, do it all 
anyway and listen closely while you drive the car until you can turn 
up replacements.


tony..