Help! squeaking clicking noise at back tire?

[87vettevert]

My 87 just started squeaking and clicking and making strange metal clicking noises at the drivers side rear wheel. Is it a cv joint, u-joint? Is it a hard job to fix and is it dangerous to drive the car? If i fix the drivers side do i have to repeat on passenger side?hnoes

 

[Black Bart]

My 87 just started squeaking and clicking and making strange metal clicking noises at the drivers side rear wheel. Is it a cv joint, u-joint? Is it a hard job to fix and is it dangerous to drive the car? If i fix the drivers side do i have to repeat on passenger side?hnoes

Sounds like a bad U Joint on the half shaft.

How hard it is to change depends on your skill level and proper tools.
Removing the half shaft is not all that hard to do.
While the shaft is out I would replace both of them on that shaft.

 

[gmjunkie]

My 87 just started squeaking and clicking and making strange metal clicking noises at the drivers side rear wheel. Is it a cv joint, u-joint? Is it a hard job to fix and is it dangerous to drive the car? If i fix the drivers side do i have to repeat on passenger side?hnoes

Jack it up and try to pick up the rear wheel!! If it's loose remove the wheel and check the axle nut!! If it's loose,you probly have a bad wheel bearing like this!! Makes a hell of a racket!!!

 

[rlg]

When I was restoring the C3 Vettes it usually meant a bad wheel bearing.
I haven't had to do any of that on my C4, But in the C3's if it trashed out in the housing you were in big trouble. Of course they had inner and outer bearings if I remember right.

 

[87vettevert]

Thanks for the help i was on another forum and a guy had the same problem said he replaced all six of his u- joints and the sound was still there. I will lift the car today and check the bearing i was also told it could be a spacer or to put anti seize on the spline. Are the bearings available at gm? Does anyone recommend where to buy bearings and u-joints?

 

[gmjunkie]

Thanks for the help i was on another forum and a guy had the same problem said he replaced all six of his u- joints and the sound was still there. I will lift the car today and check the bearing i was also told it could be a spacer or to put anti seize on the spline. Are the bearings available at gm? Does anyone recommend where to buy bearings and u-joints?

I find more bad bearings than bad U-Joints,But while I'm there I change out the joints anyway!!
Make sure you get that axle Nut Torqued to 165 Ft Lb,If not you'll be doing it again!!
I get most of mine from the GM dealer or a dealer supply house,if they can't get them then I check with other Auto Parts stores!!

 

[vetteoz]

Are the bearings available at gm? Does anyone recommend where to buy bearings and u-joints?

$300 from GM dealer
Cheapest genuine GM AC Delco bearings $100 ea
Corvette Recycling - Premium Quallity C6, C5, and C4 Used Corvette Parts!

Need 4 x Spicer 1350 series uni's (Spicer # 5-178X with zerk /5-788X for the solid type ) , truck / driveshaft shops are often cheapest
http://www.actionmachineinc.com/search.aspx?find=1350

Note ; crack the hub nut (36mm ) loose while the weight of the car is on the wheel unless you have a air gun.With age and 160ft/lb allmost impossible to undo with car in air.
6ft of water pipe on socket bar often needed for leverage.
Opposite to tighten

Excellent uni replacement guide with pics.
http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c4/vader86/scorpujoint.html

 

[jonszr1]

the cheapest wheel bearings are actually at the parts ladi on ebay 80 ea and they are white boxed bearings from the same manufacture as gm. also when replacing the U-joints on the half shafts u the super spiecer designation 800 vs799 they have a cool feature press the cups together and they will click locking them on the shaft which makes putting the 1/2 shafts back in much easier . if you get on line and go to denny driveshafts they sell a kit that contains these u joints and straps for 142.00. please dont put ujoints in that have a zerk .it greatly decreases the strength of the u joint. i have the parts ladie rear bearings in my drag car and they have worked awsome for 3 years

 

[vetteoz]

the cheapest wheel bearings are actually at the parts ladi on ebay 80 ea and they are white boxed bearings from the same manufacture as gm.

Lots of debate on other C4 forums as to quality and actual source of white box hubs.I have the ones from Partsladi and the box states "assembled" in USA from components made in other countries including China

Alternate p/n for wheel bearings, pics, cheaper prices... - Corvette Forum

 

[Robertwav1]

Thanks for the help i was on another forum and a guy had the same problem said he replaced all six of his u- joints and the sound was still there. I will lift the car today and check the bearing i was also told it could be a spacer or to put anti seize on the spline. Are the bearings available at gm? Does anyone recommend where to buy bearings and u-joints?

Mine did the exact same thing, driver's side, warranty at the time, they told me it was the spacer after replacing all the U-joints. I wonder what happens with that spacer to cause such a crcking sound? Anyone know, please post.

 

[87vettevert]

Where is the spacer located? Is it plastic? I raised my car and tried moving the tire up and down it had very slight play not much at all.

 

[87vettevert]

whats the best way to remove hub from axle? I have to take off emergency brake pads first? How do i remove emergency brake pads?

 

[87vettevert]

Thank you vetteoz that was an excellent link on how to replace u-joints ...very detailed...perfect!!!!

 

[vetteoz]

whats the best way to remove hub from axle? I have to take off emergency brake pads first? How do i remove emergency brake pads?

Unbolt caliper and wire up , release park brake , rotor should just slide off.
Hub comes off without touching shoes which remain on the backing plate . Good time to relace them anyway

Make sure you have cracked the hub nut loose before you jack the car !!!!!

 

[87vettevert]

I cant get the rear hub off does anyone know any tricks or do i need a special tool for the job? I turned the hub foward and backward it's making a cracking clicking metal on metal noise but it's not constant? I cant tell if it's the bearings or the u-joint yet anyone have any ideas....im sure once i get the hub off I'll be able to access the situation better.

 

[gmjunkie]

I cant get the rear hub off does anyone know any tricks or do i need a special tool for the job? I turned the hub foward and backward it's making a cracking clicking metal on metal noise but it's not constant? I cant tell if it's the bearings or the u-joint yet anyone have any ideas....im sure once i get the hub off I'll be able to access the situation better.

Do you have the Half shaft out of the vehicle??

If not,you will have to remove the half shaft!!
Then you will have to remove the Splined Axle shaft!!
Then from the back side of the housing there will be 3 Torx bolts that holds the Hub assembly in the housing!!

P.S. The hub assembly isn't supposed to come apart like the one I pictured in post #3,That Bearing is Focked!!!

Also that is a 92 in the photo,same set up and bearing but it don't have the back plate sandwiched between the Hub Assembly and Housing for the parking brake!!

 

[vette079]

When you do all this, check the caliper mounting bolts as well.
When mounted, the end (thread) of the bolts stick out a little, in my case they come very close to the brake rotor.
That caused my metal sound in the "rear".
Put a thicker washer on the other side so the end wouldn´t stick out to much.
One might think, aahh, that means you have loose wheels or shot bearings.
Nope, nothing like that, everything checks out OK.
No metal sound anymore after the thicker washer on the bolt.
I could see though, that the bolt had grinded/pressed the caliper, and yes it already had a washer there.
Makes me kind of think that the prev. owner might have overtightened the bolts.

 

[jonszr1]

i would bet the poor guy lost the thick washer and used a standard washer which is 1/3 the thickness of the factory washer

 

[vette079]

Dumb and poor in that case, cause it was that way on both sides.
I put on new rotors a while ago and the calipers had to come loose, that´s when I saw the thread was almost as close as on the other side.
Same procedure, thicker washer.

 

[87vettevert]

Well I fixed my strange clicking noise it was the U-joint on the halfshaft. I bought the factory u-joints (dana spicer) from Action Machine Inc they cost $20.00 and change each plus $9.00 shipping after i ordered the parts online I called to make sure they were the right parts The receptionist was very nice and she tranfered my call to the shop I spoke with Gus and asked him if the 5-799x were the correct u-joints and also asked him if they had the anti-galvanic coating on the caps for aluminum shafts he said that spicer doesn't make the anti-galvanic caps anymore and deemed them as unnecessary. Gus was very helpful and I highly recommend Action Machine Inc. I ordered the parts Monday morning and got them Wednesday standard delivery...I was very pleased