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Crypt Car is Broken Again

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Tinster

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Crypty will be going back on jackstands.

Need some forum help with diagnostics and then repair;

15 miles out from home Wendy and I are cruising (40 mph) thru a gradual sweeping left turn. Suddenly Ctypty's rear end feels loose and I hear what sounds like a flat tire. Thump, thump, thump, thump coming from the passenger's side rear..

I pull over - no flat tire.

I pulled the rear wheel off expecting to find the bolts backed out of the passenger side rear lever shock. Nope, everything tight as a drum. Checked every bolt and nut I could reach. All tight. Brand new coil springs looked good.

So I put the wheel back on and limped home at 20 mph and flashers blinking.

All the u-joints in the car are new with less than 300 miles
driven on them. But could be a u-joint. How do I check?

Wheel bearings are original to my purchase. Could be bad bearings- How do I check?

Could the axle have broken? How do I check?

what else could cause this condition?

That lazy a$$ Crytpy sure hates being on the road and driving.

Thanks as always

D
 
Dale:

I am so sorry to hear, good news is you got Crypty home safely this time. Things are getting better.

Patrick
 
Crytpies just showing you where else he has been neglected over his lifetime.

Does the wheel wobble while still tightly bolted to the hub? Check the six bolts that hold the rear hub to the trailing arm. Another weak spot in the rear suspension that is very susceptible to wear.
 
Dale....
You're probably correct suspecting a bearing failure.
Before tearing apart check the studbolts that secure the stub shaft to the aluminum trailing arm. I think there are 5 of them and you access them throught the 2 big holes in the wheel flange on the end of the shaft, you have to remove the brake drum first.
There is also a large rubber device over the inboard u joint (you would have seen it when you replaced them) which can come apart and make noise as it flails around, but that would not explain the "loose" feeling you described.
To check the wheel bearing, jack up the wheel grasping opposite sides of the tire and try to wiggle the wheel, if you can feel any significant play then the bearing is shot and you should ship the 2 stub axles to TRF (or Moss etc) and get rebuilt ones. This is not something you should try to repair yourself due to specialized puller equipment needed.
Glad you got home OK, keep us updated.
 
Hi Dale,

How old are your tires? Mine did something like that and it was the old Redline tires. They looked fine and even balanced fine, but the plys were separating and it tended to shift sideways and feel unstable in corners. A new set of tires and all was well.

Good luck,
Tom
 
Good thought, would have never given it a consideration. I only experienced it once on the old bias belt tires on a 53 Merc.
 
Lordy Graham!!

I looked them puppies up over at Moss.
Yikes times two. $600 a pop plus shipping
to Puerto Rico. That's like $1,500 in parts
and then I have to add mechanic costs here.
You just suggested another $3,000. put into
the Crypt Car.

For $3,000. I'll bloody well figure out how to
do it myself. Folks told me I could change out both
trailing arms and diffy mounts myself. Done!

Tom- The tires are so new they still have the
stubbies on the outside. But you are dead on correct
with your theory. Crypty had 20+ year old Reds and
the car was all over the road. I replaced them one
week before the car died for the duration.
 
They pretty much covered everything in the list above. While you got the wheel off, check the inboard nut/bolt sets attaching the 1/2 shaft to the diff.

Even with nylocs they can loosen. It won't cause your problem (I'll bet yours is wheel bearings) but it will cause clunking down the road that'll make you think your diff mounts cracked. It's so easy to check while the wheel is off...
 
Tinster,

Good point about the tires. Jack it up and look VER CAREFULLY for a bulge on the tire tread or a 'wiggle' in the tread pattern...a definite sign that a belt has broken loose inside the tire.

You can also rotate the tires to the front and take it for a quick spin...the noise and vibration will shift to the front...
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]I looked them puppies up over at Moss.
Yikes times two. $600 a pop plus shipping
to Puerto Rico. That's like $1,500 in parts
and then I have to add mechanic costs here.
You just suggested another $3,000. put into
the Crypt Car.[/QUOTE]

Don't do it. Buy the CV axle upgrades from Kevin at cvaxles.com. You get new hubs with them for under $1600. You can get about $3-400 back from TRF in core charges for your hubs, some more for the halfshafts on ebay and you'll swap them out in an hour a side.

Personally I'd do this anyway (oh yes, that's right I did /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif )

edit: Oh and you do not want to try to repair them yourself unless you can get the puller. You will break them and then they are worthless, even as cores.
 
Well guys, as usual, Tinster the village TR mechanical idiot is asking stupid questions you mechanical gurus know the answers without even thinking hard.

Since I have just zero knowledge of things mechanical I had to take a quick look see myself. here's what I came up with-

Here is some more data:

1.Wheel jacked, no rotational noises in neutral or in 4th gear.

2. Wheel jacked, about 1/2" wobble at 6 o'clock
Wheel jacked, about 1/2" wobble at 3 o'clock
Wheel jacked, about 1/4" wobble at 12 o'clock
Wheel jacked, about 1/4" wobble at 9 o'clock

3. Both new u-joints tight and smooth operation

4. Axle is good shape, tight, square grooves

5. Wheel off, the entire brake/hub assemble wobbles
easily as in item 2.

6. Really strange looking springs inside the trailing arm
stud holes.

7. I removed two studs from the trailing arm with my
fingers. They pulled stright out w/ no roatation
required.

8. In my strange world, where form follows function, without this forum knowledge I would be thinking those odd springs might be the culprit.

Here's a photo of what I pulled apart:
All comments and advice appreciated!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thankyousign.gif

trailingarm.jpg
 
Graham-

I think you nailed it right off the bat!
Trailing arm holes look mighty bad to me.

thanks,

d
 
Tinster said:
Lordy Graham!!

I looked them puppies up over at Moss.
Yikes times two. $600 a pop plus shipping
to Puerto Rico. That's like $1,500 in parts
and then I have to add mechanic costs here.
You just suggested another $3,000. put into
the Crypt Car.
Click to expand...

I just rebuilt my rear drive train. I paid $390 to get my hubs rebuild and that included shipping and replacing one of the races.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]...rebuilt rear hubs are $165.00 each,written warranty 12 months-12000 miles,rebuilding since 1975.

> >Thanks
> >Scott
> >High Point Imports
> >5858 Prospect St.
> >Archdale, N. C. 27263
> >336-884-1455 M-F best time to call afternoon [/QUOTE]
 
Well it sounds like you have the same issue as I have on one of my trailing arms. Stripped out the mounting stud holes.

I am waiting on a set of helicoils to come in so I can fix the arm and get it back together.
 
Part of owning these cars is an occasional SP ( sucky period) but you have had many SP's. These SP's often lead to EW's ( empty wallets) and leave you PO'd.
 
Looks like a Heli-coil repair that was improperly done on the trailing arm. Those 'springs' are Heli-coils pulling out of the aluminium. (That never happens if done properly).

You may be able to repair the trailing arm with Time-serts. They require a hole a little larger then Heli-coils, so there may be enough meat left in the trailing arms.
 
Those "strange looking springs" are probably old helicoils from when a PO made repairs to the stripped-out trailing arm threaded mounts that failed. <-- that's a mouthfull

You might want to check out keyserts https://www.abrasive-tools.com/recoil/rkeysert.html for a more permananet repair. Ask your machinist for their recommendation also as the installation of threaded repair is best done right with specialized tools designed for eath type of repair insert. So ask them what they have the tools for. Then use that type of insert.
 
Dale,

While it may not seem so now, you are one lucky guy. Had that come off while chasing motorcycles, well, it would have been nasty.

I had to replace one stud on my trailing arm, there is not much metal there, and I am not sure you will be able to fix those that were previously "fixed".

Let us know what the machinists say. Hopefully then can repair it.

If not, you will need the help of members here to find a suitable use one...

You may also want to remove the drivers side and have a look-see.
 
Dale....
Yes you figured it out, I agree with all the above.
I know it doesn't seem lucky, but fixing these trailing arms or replacing them is likely a lot cheaper than replacing the halfshafts (if the bearings had gone)
I think you'll find a machine shop (even in PR) that can fix this for you. Gotta look on the bright side I guess. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif
 
Dale, you might be able to go with a slightly larger helicoil and larger bolts or look into the TimeSerts. Either way, a fairly cheap fix that you can do yourself with basic handtools and a drill. Sourcing used trailing arms shouldn't be that bad, just make sure the same holes are ok on the replacement. Indeed, that was a recipe for major disaster. The DSPO that had my car before me used JBWeld to hold the bolts in. Smart, real smart.

Not to worry, it's fixable, lad.
 
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