'75 rear wheel 'creaking'

Just bought a '75 Vert, 1 owner w/ 53k miles. Receipts show both rear
trailing arms were 'rebuilt' about 8 years ago and car has only gone about
4K miles since. I noticed both sides have a slight 'creaking' sound when I
drive beside a building, etc. I can hear the echo. It's cyclic and constant
and applying the brakes doesn't change the noise.

Is this bearing related? Can the rear bearning be changed / lubed or does
this typically involved a rebuild of sorts?

thanks for any advice.

It is very hard to diagnose sounds over the computer, but it could be the
bearing. In 8 years and 4000 miles, they shouldn't be, but could be if they
were not done right.

Yes, they can be lubed. There is a grease fitting attachment that looks
like a collar that slides over the spindle shaft. You have to disconnect
the half shaft at the spindle, remove the spindle nut and flange, slide the
collar on, and snug the spindle nut.

It takes a bit of practice to squirt enough grease without doing too much.
Too much fills the emergency brake area with grease and creates new
problems.

If your rotor is not riveted anymore (common when the bearings are
replaced), you can slide it off and check when grease begins to appear past
the outer seal. As soon as it does, stop. And extra squirt or two will NOT
help, but hurt.

Be sure to mark the rotor in relation to the spindle hub. You must return it
to the exact same position. Also, sometimes you will find shims between the
rotor and the hub. These must stay in place. Otherwise, you can increase
the runout of the rotor and start pumping the brake caliper pistons, which
introduces air into the brake system, making your brakes spongy or even
giving you no brakes.

You should start with the easy stuff first though. It could be u-joints that
are needing grease. If you have a grease fitting on them, grease them first.
Many don't use the ones with grease fittings because the non-fittings ones
are stronger. I have never broken one, even when road racing 427s.
However, I only had limited drag racing with any, so in drag racing, you
could break one if you are extreme and are abusing on launch.


"Roger Shook (rshook)" > wrote in message
...
> Just bought a '75 Vert, 1 owner w/ 53k miles. Receipts show both rear
> trailing arms were 'rebuilt' about 8 years ago and car has only gone about
> 4K miles since. I noticed both sides have a slight 'creaking' sound when
> I
> drive beside a building, etc. I can hear the echo. It's cyclic and
> constant
> and applying the brakes doesn't change the noise.
>
> Is this bearing related? Can the rear bearning be changed / lubed or does
> this typically involved a rebuild of sorts?
>
> thanks for any advice.
>
>

> You should start with the easy stuff first though. It could be u-joints
that
> are needing grease. If you have a grease fitting on them, grease them
first.
> Many don't use the ones with grease fittings because the non-fittings ones
> are stronger. I have never broken one, even when road racing 427s.
> However, I only had limited drag racing with any, so in drag racing, you
> could break one if you are extreme and are abusing on launch.
>

Never use a "U" joint with a grease fitting in the swing axle of a Corvette.
If it breaks, and I've seen more than one, it will wipe out the rear of the
car. It's just not worth the risk. Buy the best joint you can, or the
original GM part. What the axle does flopping around back there is not nice.

Al

"Tom in Missouri" > wrote in message
hlink.net...
> It is very hard to diagnose sounds over the computer, but it could be the
> bearing. In 8 years and 4000 miles, they shouldn't be, but could be if they
> were not done right.
>

Wonder if it is just the trim rings or the center caps making that noise? Alleys
seem to magnify sounds. That would be my first test by removing them and making
another drive through before tackling the rear drive system.

--
Dad
05 C6 Silver/Red 6spd Z51
72 Shark Black/Black/4spd

In article >,
"Dad" > wrote:

> Wonder if it is just the trim rings or the center caps making that noise?
> Alleys
> seem to magnify sounds. That would be my first test by removing them and
> making
> another drive through before tackling the rear drive system.

What a great suggestion! Eliminate the simple and easier things before
suspecting the worst.

Here's waving to ya - \||||

Owen
___

'67BB & '72BB

-- not affiliated with JLA forum in any way -- alt.autos.corvette is
original posting --
___

"To know the world intimately is the beginning of caring."
-- Ann Hayman Zwinger

Wow, the trim rings. Hmmmmm, I would have never thought of that (always had
alloys on my other vettes) but I'll sure give it try and hope for the best
and cheapest solution. Thanks guys for the quick, great advice!


"Dad" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Tom in Missouri" > wrote in message
> hlink.net...
> > It is very hard to diagnose sounds over the computer, but it could be
the
> > bearing. In 8 years and 4000 miles, they shouldn't be, but could be if
they
> > were not done right.
> >
>
> Wonder if it is just the trim rings or the center caps making that noise?
Alleys
> seem to magnify sounds. That would be my first test by removing them and
making
> another drive through before tackling the rear drive system.
>
> --
> Dad
> 05 C6 Silver/Red 6spd Z51
> 72 Shark Black/Black/4spd
>

Dad wrote:

>
> "Tom in Missouri" > wrote in message
> hlink.net...
>
>> It is very hard to diagnose sounds over the computer, but it could be
>> the bearing. In 8 years and 4000 miles, they shouldn't be, but could
>> be if they were not done right.
>>
>
> Wonder if it is just the trim rings or the center caps making that
> noise? Alleys seem to magnify sounds. That would be my first test by
> removing them and making another drive through before tackling the
> rear drive system.
>
Great Idea!.................... for a Bush Supporter! hehehehehe ;-)

--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

"RicSeyler" > wrote in message
. ..
>> Wonder if it is just the trim rings or the center caps making that noise?
>> Alleys seem to magnify sounds. That would be my first test by removing them
>> and making another drive through before tackling the rear drive system.
>>
> Great Idea!.................... for a Bush Supporter! hehehehehe ;-)
>
A bush supporter, does that have strings attached? Oops, sorry, you may never
have been exposed to a supporter.

Dad wrote:

>
> "RicSeyler" > wrote in message
> . ..
>
>>> Wonder if it is just the trim rings or the center caps making that
>>> noise? Alleys seem to magnify sounds. That would be my first test by
>>> removing them and making another drive through before tackling the
>>> rear drive system.
>>>
>> Great Idea!.................... for a Bush Supporter! hehehehehe ;-)
>>
> A bush supporter, does that have strings attached? Oops, sorry, you
> may never have been exposed to a supporter.

:-)

--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

I had a cyclical creaking sound on my '76 (on the driver's side rear wheel)
about a year ago. Hoping that it wasn't the bearing, I lifted the back of
the car and while the wheels were turning I found instead that one of the
original emergency brake shoe return springs had snapped and a small piece
of the broken spring had wedged in between the shoe and the rotor/drum and
was slightly scraping the inside of the drum as it turned.

Now, putting in the new spring in was fun work .

"Roger Shook (rshook)" > wrote in message
...
> Just bought a '75 Vert, 1 owner w/ 53k miles. Receipts show both rear
> trailing arms were 'rebuilt' about 8 years ago and car has only gone about
> 4K miles since. I noticed both sides have a slight 'creaking' sound when
> I
> drive beside a building, etc. I can hear the echo. It's cyclic and
> constant
> and applying the brakes doesn't change the noise.
>
> Is this bearing related? Can the rear bearning be changed / lubed or does
> this typically involved a rebuild of sorts?
>
> thanks for any advice.
>
>