Rear Axle Bearings Replaced

[sschutze]

I got the first project on my T-Bucket out of the way.
Driving the car home for the first time I noticed a clanking noise coming from the rear axle on the left side. I tore it down this weekend and the bearing literally fell apart. The outer bearing housing was split in half and was only held in place by of the mounting plate. Luckily the inner housing was in one piece so it didn't cause any damage to the axle shaft or any other parts. Luckily I decided to replace both sides, the guy who pressed the new bearings onto the shafts said the right side fell apart as he was removing the old one.

During this process I also found out I have an Oldsmobile Rear Axle, not a Ford 9" like I assumed. The axle shafts have 16 splines, not an ideal setup but it works for now. I'll replace it if/when it goes bad or when I can no longer get parts for it.

New Bearings - $36 each
New Seals - $12 each
Bearings Pressed onto the Axle Shafts $31 each side

$158 later it is all back together and rolling smooth.

One other thing, I found out O'Reillys Auto Parts and Autozone in this area are USELESS. If they can't find something using a simple search on their computers they figure it doesn't exist.
NAPA was able to find the part numbers by crossreferencing the old part number I took off the bearing, AND confirmed it was correct by looking it up in a catalog.

Steve

 

[akitagandy]

I think all O'Reillys Auto Parts and Autozones are like that,If they can't look it up on a computer you can hang it up and when you say 23 t-bucket its like ilot: year,make and model, no body cares about hotrods now days

 

[iroct]

I think all O'Reillys Auto Parts and Autozones are like that,If they can't look it up on a computer you can hang it up and when you say 23 t-bucket its like ilot: year,make and model, no body cares about hotrods now days

As an Auto zoner, you're just going to the wrone one. Everbody at the store I work at knows how to use catalogs as Mike said in an other strip it's tough to spend an hour looking up a certain part for a customer and have them say I'll order that off the web cheaper. Please don't put all chain parts stores in the same boat. I also look up parts # on the web before I leave home Dwight

 

[Youngster]

Back in the day, as they say, that Olds rear end was a much sought after unit for anyone look at hot passes on the strip. After scattering several tri Chevy rears we found a '57 Olds That never whimpered once in 3 years of hard use.

Ron

 

[gfigms]

Things have changed since I work at an auto parts store ... won't mention which one, but I would take pride in finding a solution for a customer. I knew how, and was not afraid to drag out the old hard copy catalogs and, many times, spend hours researching the RIGHT part. I would even second guess the computer and found it to be wrong about 35% of the time.

Now days it is “how much have you sold today” and “how long did the customer have to wait”. They would rather say “we’ll have to order that for you” or “the computer says, part not found”. That is ONE of the reasons I ‘retired’ again.

 

[Screaming Metal]

One other thing, I found out O'Reillys Auto Parts and Autozone in this area are USELESS. If they can't find something using a simple search on their computers they figure it doesn't exist.
NAPA was able to find the part numbers by crossreferencing the old part number I took off the bearing, AND confirmed it was correct by looking it up in a catalog.

Well...you got to remember, we don't have mechanics anymore, we have have computer literate parts changers. At the Auto Parts stores, if it isn't easy, a Honda, or its more than 20 years old....your up a creek.
Recently, I was in a parts store, I told this kid I wanted a Part #-*******....he looked at me, what car do you have? I replyed....'YOU don't want to go down this road with me kid, just give me the part....', the mgr. whose a good friend got me my part....he said the folks now adays are almost a 40 year throwback compared to what we were when it comes to cars. I believe him.
I looked at the kid and asked, I'll give you a $20 if you can tell me the firing order of a chevy v8 and a I-6 and a v6. Nothing. I'll give you a 5if you tell me a v8....nothing.

By the time I was 16, I could tell you the firing order, the size of valves, the diff. model engines and horse ratings....all that kinda stuff...

Anyway, sorry, the old Olds rears, looked alot like the Ford 9 in.'s of today, were beefy and sturdy. You could find them in Rails and FC's in the early and mid 60's.

 

[Ted Brown]

I always found them to be stronger than any ford... plus they looked great, everything centered...

 

[Screaming Metal]

I'm with Ted...they're the classic heavyduty hotrod rearend....centered and smooth.

Ted, didn't one of your earlier cars have one in it???

 

[putz]

I was in a parts store and somebody called in looking for a predator carb.I thought they where going to explode looking in the edelbrock and holley catalogs .I said good luck predator is there own there was an older gentleman there I thought would remember them.

 

[VegasBruce]

I was in a parts store and somebody called in looking for a predator carb.I thought they where going to explode looking in the edelbrock and holley catalogs .I said good luck predator is there own there was an older gentleman there I thought would remember them.

I walked into Autozone last week, and set a top post battery on the counter. First question, what kind of car is it? So I play along 73 Chevy C10. He comes back with a side post.

Me, DUH thats the wrong one.

Him, No this is what your truck calls for. you need the right cables.

Me, Can I talk to someone else?

Him, Let me see what I can do.

Me, Just get me a group 24 battery.

And to think this guy was about my age.

 

[Northstar T]

I was in a parts store and somebody called in looking for a predator carb.I thought they where going to explode looking in the edelbrock and holley catalogs .I said good luck predator is there own there was an older gentleman there I thought would remember them.

I saw a car (32 ford?) at our "back to the 50s" show a couple weeks ago with a Predator carb on it. pretty rare bird these days.

Russ