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Old 12-30-2013, 05:36 PM
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Teej Teej is offline
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Default 1958 Rear Wheel Bearings

Does anybody have any good information about the R&R of the rear wheel bearings for a '58? This is on my Chieftain Wagon and I'm starting to get a grumbling noise that I think is the rear wheel bearings. (hoping it's not the diff)

I'm trying to find part numbers and sources for them. On e-bay there is some listed as part number 514003 for a Timken bearing, but I'm always a bit leary of "fits".....

Or if anyone has specs for it to find it that way or compare...ID and OD

And I've read with the fronts it's wise to swap to a tapered bearing, so if there is any such improvement to be made here, I'm all ears. I'm not doing the fronts yet as I'd like to do the Scarebird upgrade soon.

Thanks

Thad

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1958 Chieftain Safari (370,4 spd, 9 passenger) Daily Driver
1966 Bonneville Wagon (Factory 421,3x2,4spd, 9 passenger) On the road!!
  #2  
Old 12-30-2013, 08:06 PM
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Stuart Stuart is offline
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Fabcraft sells a complete rear wheel bearing kit: http://fabcraftmetalworks.com/cgi/co...key=RA6-0400-A

They need to be pressed off and on, unless you have a press it's probably best to take them to a local machine shop.

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Old 12-30-2013, 09:52 PM
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Bill Hanlon Bill Hanlon is offline
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Rock Auto specs these http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...042&cc=1351011 at $21.79 each.
Timken 514003 specs are here http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1119770.

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My Pontiac is a '57 GMC with its original 347" Pontiac V8 and dual-range Hydra-Matic.
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Old 12-31-2013, 04:59 PM
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buds56 buds56 is offline
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California Pontiac restoration has them
part# C955000R for 56-58 $74.75 ea.
The axle seal is built into the bearing
Just put two in my 56 last winter
Hope this helps

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Old 09-14-2020, 06:02 PM
694.1 694.1 is offline
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Bumping this post:

My '57 axles are leaking and I have determined that it is the bearing seals. Bummer that I have to trash great bearings...
The Timken 514003 bearings do not appear to have the outside groove for the O rings utilized to seal against the tube and I am sorta loath to goober it up with RTV or some such product to seal the new bearings.
Our host dos not offer the correct bearing but this Timken # was used by B.O.P. and many FOMOCO products so it is readily available.

Any thoughts Guys??

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Old 09-14-2020, 06:07 PM
389 389 is offline
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If going through Fabcraft, you might as well get a pair of reconditioned rear axels from them. The price used to be very reasonable..

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Old 09-14-2020, 08:00 PM
Poncho60 Poncho60 is offline
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I wouldn't waste my time looking for front tapered bearings for your existing drums. Wait till you do the Scarebird front disc swap. JMO.

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Old 09-14-2020, 08:12 PM
694.1 694.1 is offline
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389,
I would love to bag that my old 347 is hard on axles but that is only in my dreams!
Poncho,
No tapered bearings (inner) available for the front drums & I can't bring myself to put disks on a car this original.

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"At no time did we exceed 175 mph.”
Dan Gurney's truthful response to his and Brock Yate's winning of the first ever Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining Sea...

Still have my 1st Firebird
7th Firebird
57 Starchief
  #9  
Old 09-14-2020, 10:25 PM
Goatracer1 Goatracer1 is offline
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When I replaced the axle brgs on my 1964 GP I took the axles to the local parts store and they had them in stock along with seals. They pressed them off and on no problem. Don't try that at Auto Zone or other chain store.

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Old 09-20-2020, 09:23 PM
694.1 694.1 is offline
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Default Fabcraft 9.3

Just an update, I ordered up a correct bearing kit from Fabcraft. It comes with inner seals for later cars that won't work in the '57 & 58 but I can pass those on to a friend.
The axles are out & ready for the new bearings.
I just shake my head at the rather Byzantine setup that they used to keep stray lube from the shoes, Dana had a much simpler setup, the only thing that I can think of is that GM had to work around a patent.

See the photo of the outer axle: They have a "cup" that funnels gear lube to a shield that is attached to the back of the flange. This is supposed to channel lube through the flange, out the brake drum, allowing it to escape to the back side of the wheel.

If time allowed, I could update the bearing retainers with the newer setup but this should hold me for years?
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