1970s 1975 Eldorado Re-assembly

[scottsdaleaz]

Hi all,

I am cleaning up to place in the new CV's and I want to repack the wheel bearings.  The outer seal is pretty crusty.  I have new seals and bearings /races but if I can I am inclined to just repack and re assemble. My new bearings are "WJB / INMOTION " brand and I'm not sure of their reputation.


I think i need to pick up a harbor Freight press and use a bearing separator to get the left and right outer bearings off the hub?  I should try get the separator under the bearing directly (A)?  Any issue in getting the bearing off , inserting the outer seal and repressing the same bearing down?

The inner bearing and seals were not to hard to get out.

thanks in advance for tips and advice.

[TJ Hopland]

Part of the bearing assembly are shims/spacers.  The bearings are supposed to be sold as a factory preset pair with the proper amount of shims and spacers so there is the correct preload once they are installed.  I would want to make sure I knew where those were and that they were not going to be damaged while trying to get them apart. 

RockAuto still lists SKF and Timken bearings for these cars.  Are those still what they used to be?  Who knows at least the name sounds good.

If you want to give up and let someone else do the work I think there are still a couple of the GMC RV people around that as long as you let them know you want Eldorado parts will do an rebuild exchange on the whole knuckle and even control arm assembly.   

[scottsdaleaz]

Thanks.  This project is also expanding my DIY skills and garage tools.. so I will try next step to get a press and try pull the bearing.  The Arizona GMC motorhome place I knew of is now defunct. I had the car since the 80's but i did notice in the wheel bearing cover one side had 3 zinc bolts with star washers and the other grade 8 with 1 of 3 having a  lock washer - so someone has been in there before me.

As for the control arm bushings... if i have success on the outer wheel bearings I might also do the control arm bushings since one has the rubber dropping out (it never ends)..  I do have a GM tool for the torsion bar although I never used it - i bought it off ebay preemptively in case I ever undertook this job.  I assume with the ball joint loose the arm unloads most of its spring? I need to read up on that.

[Big Fins]

NO! You need to unload the torsion bar before trying to break the lower joint. The lower joint carries the weight of the car.    Either way, you still have to unload the side you're working on.

Reloading specs are in the FSM.

[scottsdaleaz]

The bearing pressed out with a little persuasion. 

A bit sketchy to use the bearing puller and arbor plates this way but it's all I had on hand.

The harbor freight MADDOX Front Wheel Drive Bearing kit had nothing in the right size for this car.  For pressing out I had some stainless steel hand railing tube and for reassembly I was able to use some scrap 2" ABS pipe as a sleeve.

I can't imagine what the right tool was. A bearing puller arms would not have much space to get in and under the recessed area it is pressed into.
 

[scottsdaleaz]

Hello,

i think i misordered the left/passenger side output shaft seal..  is the correct part number NATIONAL 470088?  But the product shot doesn't exactly look like the current seal.  Thanks in advance.

Also for the drivers side output i have the skf 17736, as i understand it the part wont have a vent hold but the original will (?) can i just drill a hole in the seal casing?   

Thanks in advance!