Rear wheel bearing? - 99 Suburban C2500

[Supercharged111]

I welded the ends of my axle shafts to quell end play on my Camaro. Also got some custom c clips that were made a little thicker than stock.

 

[92GMCK2500]

I welded the ends of my axle shafts to quell end play on my Camaro. Also got some custom c clips that were made a little thicker than stock.

Seems like fatter C clips could be a solution.

What is the cause in the first place? Worn axle shaft ends &/or C clips?

 

[Supercharged111]

Seems like fatter C clips could be a solution.

What is the cause in the first place? Worn axle shaft ends &/or C clips?

Center pin can get beat up. Not all diffs are created equal. My Truetrac got me down to .004" total endplay. It doesn't use a center pin, it has a puck that sits between the axles and floats.

 

[92GMCK2500]

Center pin can get beat up. Not all diffs are created equal. My Truetrac got me down to .004" total endplay. It doesn't use a center pin, it has a puck that sits between the axles and floats.

Going back to the OP, i guess the question is; is up to 2 mm (1/16" or 0.079") of end play a problem?

Are there specs out there indicating acceptable thresholds of end play...

 

[Supercharged111]

Going back to the OP, i guess the question is; is up to 2 mm (1/16" or 0.079") of end play a problem?

Are there specs out there indicating acceptable thresholds of end play...

It's a lot IMO, not sure what factory spec would be. I was working to eliminate knock back in the Camaro, set a target of .010" per wheel initially. I think when I started one side was close to .040" and the other was high 20s. But I think my 88 C1500 had a bunch too.

 

[92GMCK2500]

Interesting. Sounds like its a common thing.

Chime in anyone else!

 

[Schurkey]

On the C-clip semi-float axles like Pinger's 9.5" ring-gear unit, in-and-out play on the axle shafts is common. I'm not saying it's desirable.

The C-clips can get worn, the ends of the axle shafts can get worn, and the pin through the differential housing is often worn.

I'm thinking that with G80 or other "posi" or "LSD" differentials, excessive clutch wear can cause the axle shafts to float in 'n' out, because the side-gears in the differential have excess play due to the reduced thickness of the worn clutches.

While too much side-play on the axle shafts isn't good, it's not a huge problem until there's so much play that the C-clip falls out. Then the axle shaft works it's way out of the housing, and into the car in the lane next to you. Eventually, the wheel breaks off the shaft or the shaft bends, and either way you've got a 3-wheel vehicle.

I'd expect the service manual would have specs for the amount of axle side-play...but I've never noticed them.

I've got a couple photos, but they're not ready for publication yet. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe not--gotta cram an alternator onto a Ford Fookus 2.0L, and I've been putting that off since Sunday.

 

[Pinger]

Have checked what the service manual requires or the unit repair manual?

Yes and no!
Yes, I looked - but at wheel bearing/hub end. Will look at diff end later today.

 

[Pinger]

Going back to the OP, i guess the question is; is up to 2 mm (1/16" or 0.079") of end play a problem?

Are there specs out there indicating acceptable thresholds of end play...

I found another GMT 400 forum thread where it said 1/4'' was OK!

I'll check the GM manual later for a figure.
My concern (one of them!) is what will happen in the MOT (annual safety inspection) test. Generally, any movement at the wheel will be attributed to a defective wheel bearing and fail the test.

 

[Erik the Awful]

You have to think of how a c-clip works. What limits its movement is the pinion cross shaft that holds the spider gears in place. If you're pulling the rear axles, you pull the pinion cross shaft first, and that alone is what allows you to push the axles in and drop the c-clips out. Nothing but the pinion cross shaft limits the movement. You can check the ends of the axles and the pinion cross shaft for wear, but a significant speed differential between the axles only occurs when you're turning.

While too much side-play on the axle shafts isn't good, it's not a huge problem until there's so much play that the C-clip falls out. Then the axle shaft works it's way out of the housing, and into the car in the lane next to you.

Yup. This is why c-clip eliminator kits are a thing. One of my high school friends had a '70 Camaro, and rounding the nearby intersection on his way to school, his c-clip broke. His inside wheel and axle departed and his car ground to a stop with the right rear corner sitting on the asphalt.