Question: TA rebuild. . .what are the odds?

[Hib Halverson]

I read that thread on DC. "Gary" really knows his T-arm work, that's for sure! The only suggestion I'd add has to do with his discussion of rotor "run-out".

What I've done is knock the wheel studs out of the axle, chuck it in a lathe and true the rotor mounting flange. If you do that and then turn the rotor properly, you'll have zero runout.

There's also a lot info on T-arm bearings and brake rotors at:
The Big Block from Hell, Part 12
Big Block from Hell, Part 13

 

[Bolisk]

I thought about that. . .but I don't have access to that kind of equipment in my garage. . .and I didn't think I would be able to afford that work at a machine shop. Too late for me now. . .TA's are all back together.

 

[GTR1999]

I have faced spindles to 0003-0005" and still had runout once a new,NOS,USA,or import rotor bolted up. Some runout was under 005 but most in the 007-010 range. I have bolted on rotors and turned as an assembly as the factory did, dead on, then removed the rotors,rebuilt the arms and had 003 runout once the rotor was removed. I could have left it assembled but it's easier to have the rotor out of the way. Shimming will work fine but be sure there are no burrs to throw off the dial in.

Use 90 or 85-140 Lucas gear oil in the diff with GM LS addiitve.

 

[Bolisk]

Any particular reason for Lucas Oil? I've had some friends who had trouble with their products (burned off to fast, made engine feel slugish. . .etc). Just wondering. Ever use Redline? Or a royal purple diff product?

 

[tcxd40]

Wow I'm impressed! Alot of work there, I admire you for for efforts, more than I did.

I just bought new offset arms and installed them. Quicker and cheaper in the long run for me.

 

[Bolisk]

Thanks,

Where you from in Pittsburgh. I gew up in Upper St. Clair. Still have lots of family in the area.

-JonR

 

[shrekviper]

JonR
Thanks again for the writeup, links, and point out for the tools. I was able to get the set (now includes a dial indicator and magnetic base) for a third the cost of the individual pieces from a corvette parts vendor. I'll attempt the bearings and parking brake this when I get back this summer. I'm not planning on driving it until the fix because anyway. I'll hold off on the full TA/suspension/etc for now...
Scott

 

[Bolisk]

Yeah. . .mine came with the dial indicator and magnetic base as well. I should have mentioned that. They were great tools for the price. Don't forget to get the bushing flaring tool. that was not included. Nor was the shock mount knock out tool.

Recommed that you NOT use the spindle "press tool", just use the spindle knockout tool that comes with that set. . .and get one of those plastic day-glow orange 5lb deadblow hammers from any swap meet or Harbor Freight ($10). carfulle rest the rear of the TA on the end of a wood block on a table, hold the front (busshing end) of the TA in your non hammer hand, and pound down on the spindle / knockout tool untill the spindle falls out. The fact that you use a plastic dead blow, and your other hand helps eliminate shock. . .and helps prevet you from bending your TA.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF PILLOWS COVERED IN A SHEET (or something) TO CATCH THE SPINDLE. You do NOT want to wreck the spindle if it's good.

Also, make sure you remove the rotor before you take the spindle out. You may have to drill out the rivits in the rotor in order to get the rotor off. lastly make sure you mark a lug stud, and rotor so you know how the rotor was installed. I think it only goes on one way (to align the parking break holes. . .but not 100% sure on that one.)

 

[Bolisk]

In all honesty, the hardest part of this job is cleaning all the parts. Setting up the bearings is really not all that hard. . .as long as you have access to a machine shop who can grind the shims down for you.

A friend of mine used the BUBA grinding method. . .where you use a hard FLAT table, a sheet of emmery cloth (150 grit black) and sand each side of the shim, turning the shim 1/8th of a turn after every three strokes, to the desired thickness. It took a damn long time. . .but it seems to have worked for him. I'm not recommeding this. . .but it is a nother option.

Other tools I HIGHLY recommed:
1) The Lisle bearing race and seal install tool. (there are other brands like OEM who make this tool . . .but buy American. . .they are compareable in price and Lisle are made here). You can get them at Sears, or Farm & Fleet.

This tool is used to safely and properly install bearing races and seals. It's impossible to install the seals on the TA with this tool. . .but they work great for the front bearings and seals as well. The driver attachments have two sides. One side is "conded" with a flange, to drive and seat the races. The other side (flange side) is used to seat the seal for that sinse race flush with the housing.

Note: This tool (or any others that I have found) does not come with a driver attachment that correctly fits the inside race of the TA. For the inside race, I recommed using the "seal" side of the largest driver, and get the race started. Tou should be able to installl the race down untill the driver attachement seats on the lip where the seal would normally sit. Then switch to the second largest "seal" install attachment and drive it the rest of the way.

Once installed, try to spin or move the race in any and all directions. . .if it moves at all. . .get a new housing.


2) The Lisle seal puller. Mighty handy for pulling old seals.

 

[Bolisk]

If you are like me. . .you will be nervous about the parking break assembly. All the diagrams make it look complex.

Believe me. . .the parking break assembly could not be more simple. Nearly all of the parts only fit in there correct location. The only "orientation" that matters is that the shoes are installed in the right way. When you look at the new shoes, one end (of the metal backing) will have a cup cut in it. The oppisite end will have a straight edge. The cup goes at the 12 o-clock position on both sides, and the straight edge goes at the 6 o-clock position. The cup on both shoes hug a post (you will see) where the huge bolt goes. Shoes can go on either side.

The only other orientation thing I can think of, is the little lock plate washer that guides the shoes to the post and locks the big bolt in place. The small locking tabs should be on the outside of the assembly. Hopefully Gary will confirm that. Mine were upsided down and is the reason why my parking breaks didn't work The whole assmbley was all miss aligned.

The two long spings only fit in their correct spot. And the two spings with the cups (that hold the shoes down) are inter changeable.

The star wheel I belive will work in either direction. I just made it so that when I tighten them. . . is the same down or up motion with a screw driver was the same after installed on either side.

 

[shrekviper]

Again, awesome information.
Willcox lists to not purchase the SS parking brake shoes when using SS hardware. What's the issue here? I'd rather go all SS, but if it's going to bind, be noisy, or not work properly I'll probably go SS hardware and standard shoes.

 

[Bolisk]

Yeah. . .I saw that two. . .with other parts vendors.

It's doesn't make any sence to me. . .but I did as directed and use the SS hardware with the non-SS break shoes. Maybe someone knows the details.

 

[tcxd40]

Thanks,

Where you from in Pittsburgh. I gew up in Upper St. Clair. Still have lots of family in the area.

-JonR

Seconds away, Bethel Park, right off Logan Road.

tcxd40

 

[Gohot]

So I took the races out in order to inspect the mating flange / chin in the bearing housing. I figured there might be a bur or somethin keeping the races from seating. I did find a couple of questionable areas. So I sanded the high spots down with a peice of 150 grit black sand paper. . .and everything looked good. So I re-installed the races. . .and tried to setup the bearrings again. I had a few shims machined down to the correct size. . .but I still have a slight binding when I rotate the setup tool. The weird thing is that the binding does not appear to happen in the same spot of rotation. It appears to be random.

So I think I'm going to order another set of bearing and races. and see if that makes a difference. The next question I have is. . .

is it ok for me to remove and re-insall the races. . .or is that a bad idea. I ask for future reference.

The Rep was right on the bearings, they are not as 'beatable/durrable' as one would think. I replaced an output shaft/ drive pulley bearing on a Buell motorcycle, and special tools were needed. You could only push it into the housing by pushing the outside diameter of the bearing, if you touches in any way, the cage or inside bearing race, they were considered junk and though new, you had ruined them. It took me two tries, but I got it in with the help of some ingenuity, pvc pipe and washers. Though a bike, the same holds true for a car or any unit using bearings. There is only one way they can be pressed, all other ways will stress and ruin them .....even new ones.