Help! Could it be the spindal?

[JOHNNYB]

ON A 1989 COUPE COULD THE SPINDLE BE THE CAUSE OF THE CLICK,CLICK,CLICK IN THE REAR UPON TAKE OFF FROM 1ST AND REV confusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfusedconfused

 

[vetteoz]

Rust on the splines between the hub and outer drive yoke have been known to make that noise

 

[JOHNNYB]

Rust on the splines between the hub and outer drive yoke have been known to make that noise

THANKS, ILL CHECK INTO IT IN MORNING DAY OFF TOMORROW HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT CLEANING IT UP?

 

[boomdriver]

well, drive shafts and spindles usually make theier own noise, clanging noises because its metal tubes beating around.

Click..click..click..is speaking from a bearing either in the u-joint OR the wheel hub assy. Dry needle bearings do that click click noise easy. n ot loud....just click click click the first few feet of driving until you cannot hear them anymore then they go away. or they seem to...

i'd wipe the spindles spline shaft with a brass brush. That HUB bearing carrier...that needs to be mounted to be able to tell if it has any slack or work bearings, since it does not come apart. Those bearings ARE NOT servacable. It's throwaway.

 

[TedC]

Just replaced driver's side rear hub and half shaft joints. Took 4 hours. Hardest part was removing the joints from half shafts. Now that I'm an experienced pro, the passanger side should take much less time. I would get the clicking every once in a while, which became noticable after a 4 wheel alignment. At the time of the tire alignment, the tech said the rear driver's side had bearing play but was just within spec. The new hub solved bearing play and clicking. Changing the hub with the half shaft out is pretty easy. Needed a 55 torx and 36 mm axle socket. Junk was correct that you do not need to order any other special parts. I just reused the spindle washer.

 

[JOHNNYB]

Just replaced driver's side rear hub and half shaft joints. Took 4 hours. Hardest part was removing the joints from half shafts. Now that I'm an experienced pro, the passanger side should take much less time. I would get the clicking every once in a while, which became noticable after a 4 wheel alignment. At the time of the tire alignment, the tech said the rear driver's side had bearing play but was just within spec. The new hub solved bearing play and clicking. Changing the hub with the half shaft out is pretty easy. Needed a 55 torx and 36 mm axle socket. Junk was correct that you do not need to order any other special parts. I just reused the spindle washer.

THANKX FOR THE REPLY I WAS WONDERING WHAT SIZE SOCKET THAT IS THE TORX ON THE HUB AS WELL SO I COULD CHANGE ONE SIDE THEN WAIT A COUPLE WEEKS TO DO THE OTHER SIDE EVEN THOUGH DRIVING IT BECAUSE I HEARD THAT YOU SHOULD DO THEM AT THE SAME TIME?

 

[TedC]

I'm not aware of any reason why you can't do one side at a time. Brake pads, rotors or shocks are a different story.

 

[boomdriver]

The torx is a 55 and the spindle nut is 36mm.
Also, you CAN toss the torx if you do not like those, and use a regular hex bolt or even a cap screw (allen head) as long as they are grade 8.8 sae.

You can do one wheel at a time. No real need to do it in pairs unless an alignment is coming right away. Don't let them go too far. If the wiggle in the wheel is enough to see by grabbing at 12;00 and 6;00 then its loose enough to possibly damage the ABS sensor. Taking the axle shaft out makes the job LOTS easier and will alert you to possible U-joint issues before something breaks. Joints are only $28 each.

 

[jonszr1]

i just would like to add if you are doing u joints on the half shafts give thought to using the 799 series spicer u joints ,they are very strong and just a couple of bucks more

 

[TedC]

No real need to do it in pairs unless an alignment is coming right away.

Good point. The difference is night and day using a new hub. My vette has only 60,000 miles, and hub play was just in spec on the driver's side, and a little better on the passenger side. You could feel the play. I installed AZ Duralast Gold U-joints for $15 each without grease fittings. I had good luck with these joints on my other vette. Regardless of the brand you use, verify that the U-joints are designed for mounting in aluminum (they have a special coating on the caps). When removing/installing the inner U-bolts bolts (closest to axle), I found that socket extensions (about 2 feet worth) and spinning the half shaft so these bolts were in the 12:00 position provided better access and leverage. You can use either blue or green thread locker during reinstall.

 

[TedC]

Finished up the passenger side with new half shaft u-joints and hub. Didn't finish the job any quicker. Geez, I had all the right tools out and understood the procedure. One of three torx hub bolts seemed liked it was welded in place. I can't stress enough how important properly working rear hubs are on C4s. Both sides were in spec, driver's side the worse of the two, and that click click noise every now and then (started after full alignment last year, rear camber was off due to improper care of prior owner). The vette tracks better now, and has less tendency to pull left or right due to road imperfections. I appreciate those like Junk and geekinavette who provide such valuable documentation and suggestions.

 

[TedC]

Had 4 wheel alignment completed today with just a little camber and toe adjustment reqired on both sides. Tech showed me how quick and easy it is for them to adjust each setting when everything is tight. I'm still amazed how much better the car handles with the new rear hubs.

 

[joshwilson3]

Rust on the splines between the hub and outer drive yoke have been known to make that noise

Can you repost that pic.

I too have noticed a clicking sound. Usually it is the first mile of driving, then I don't hear it anymore.

I also hear a low howling sound as well. That may be normal though.

 

[vetteoz]

 

[joshwilson3]

I wonder if the reason people have problems with the hub failing is because you can't repack the grease like you can regular wheel bearings?

 

[vetteoz]

I wonder if the reason people have problems with the hub failing is because you can't repack the grease like you can regular wheel bearings?

Possibly but they just fail with use/ age and the bearing type used is not the ultimate for the load application but cheaper for production

 

[TedC]

I would expect more life out of the bearings if we could grease them, but the bearings are under extra stress due to wider wheels, camber movement of independent suspensions, and more spirited driving. I'm on my second C4 and amazed that prior owners would drive around with rear camber being so far off. Zero camber minimizes bearing wear. Changing rear hubs goes on my top 10 list of best vette maintenance items. You can really feel the difference in normal driving.

 

[joshwilson3]

I would expect more life out of the bearings if we could grease them, but the bearings are under extra stress due to wider wheels, camber movement of independent suspensions, and more spirited driving. I'm on my second C4 and amazed that prior owners would drive around with rear camber being so far off. Zero camber minimizes bearing wear. Changing rear hubs goes on my top 10 list of best vette maintenance items. You can really feel the difference in normal driving.

How can you tell if the hubs are bad, or going bad?

 

[boomdriver]

lift car,

grab wheel at 12;00 and 6:00 position and attempt to shake. If movement can be felt, the bearing is bad. IF that movement can be seen, its an emergency. Wheels DO fall off.

You should be able to tell the difference between bearing movement and suspension looseness.

 

[joshwilson3]

lift car,

grab wheel at 12;00 and 6:00 position and attempt to shake. If movement can be felt, the bearing is bad. IF that movement can be seen, its an emergency. Wheels DO fall off.

You should be able to tell the difference between bearing movement and suspension looseness.

I've heard that, and I think I tried that and didn't notice anything. But yet when driving I hear the clicking and wheel howl. Which means it is probably a hub. The OP done replaced the Ujoints.

So what can you tell when driving to suggest a bad hub?