Posted by chriscase on Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 19:00:17 :
In Reply to: Bearings & Raceways - Yeah, I'm a novice posted by Sam on Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 16:17:59 :
'Drift' is a technical term, It means a big, dull center punch. There is usually a pair of notches in the rib behind the 'cup'. Put the drift there, and alternate whacking between the two notches. Use your mashie, a nibblick is too small. You'll need to be more careful re-installing, no notch for guidance. But those bearing parts are the hardest thing on the truck, you'll chip your drift before you damage the cup. Just make sure you get all of the drift chips out of the area, bad for bearings. Again, alternate driving the cup in , in two or three places. You will hear it RING differently when it hits bottom. Whack it a couple more times for good measure.
Replaceing as a set is OKay on your Chevy Nova, parts are cheap in that size range. Bigger stuff is usually inspectable- Look closely for flaked away chrome plating on either the cup, or the rollers. Or grooves in the face of the cup, from 'jumping' the truck, or running them too loose. Hey, the new parts are NOT a matched set either , anymore than one old one and one new one would be. And, your truck will probably NOT get another 300,000 miles put on them new bearings either.
But, it's your time, and your money. You'll save both if you don't change them. And, if they don't last well enough, you get to whack stuff with your big mashie that much sooner. Isn't that why you own a Power Wagon ? Hey, if you do your own body work, you could even justify your own anvil... and make your own tools on your own milling machine... and lathe..and welders, you need at least three..
I think I'm enjoying this truck too much.
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