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78 Eldorado Wheel Bearings??

Started by manxie, May 22, 2017, 02:45:13 PM

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manxie

Hi folks. I need to replace both front and both rear wheel bearings on my 78 Eldorado. Any recommendations on bearings and how easy are they to do? I have bought shop manuals for my car but they`re in Florida at the moment and I wont get them until late July! Thanks  ;)
78 Eldorado Biarritz Custom Classic

Dave Shepherd

You will need to use a puller to get them off the hub and a press to install them, the right combo of press tools should be able to press them out if the right puller is unavailable.

TJ Hopland

Rears are easy,  just like the fronts on other cars.    Fronts are another story.    A well equipped shop that does a lot of driveline work may be able to improvise something but I don't think its something a typical DIYer would be able to easily do.   People that do them all the time have special tools for a reason.   I have a press and more than average assortment of tools and I decided not to try it after looking at a few videos online and staring at it on the bench for a while.  I'm not saying it can't be done but with the cost of replacement bearings I don't know that I would want to risk screwing it up if I knew of a shop that could do it.

There used to be a couple really good videos online from a GMC RV guy but last I looked I was not able to find them anymore.  I believe the guy passed away so maybe that is why they are gone.   I think Applied GMC will do them on a repair exchange basis if you can't find someone local to do it.  You do have to specify that you are working on an Eldorado, not a GMC since the hubs are different on the RV's.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

The Tassie Devil(le)

I had no trouble removing and replacing the bearings in my '72 Eldo.

No special tools, and the bearings came out relatively easily.   While I was at it, I serviced the CV joint as well.

Replacements are available, and cheap on flea bay, and various types.   I am thinking about buying a set, just in case, but am waiting to see if there have been any complaints.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/191584640492?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/401000588226?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The original ones are separate bearings, and require shimming to the correct specifications, and these are very expensive.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Glen

The shop manual shows the special tool that is needed to remove the hub and bearing.  I have done it several times without the tool, but it is a struggle.  I have found pieces of the tool on eBay from time to time but I do not have a complete set.  I have extra frames j-22214-5 and j-22214-4.  I need the j-22214-1 and j-22214-2.  The pilots j-22214-3 and -6 in the picture would be nice to have but I have stuff around here I could make do.   
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

manxie

Thanks guys. Mine has just failed the road worthiness test here, just a couple of small bits but the main issue are the wheel bearings. I`m getting them checked out this weekend and hoping they`re just going to need re-packing and nipping up? Luckily I have a pal who is also into classic American cars, who`s has owned Cadillac`s in the past (now has a 62 Lincoln) but I must admit, I didn`t realise how expensive the bearings would be? The joys of living outside the US eh? NOT. Shipping, duty and tax to add to the cost of everything we buy  :(
78 Eldorado Biarritz Custom Classic

TJ Hopland

The front bearings on these cars are in theory 'sealed' and the preload is preset with shims between the two halves before they are pressed into the knuckle.    The GMC folks modify the knuckle with a grease fitting so grease can be added.

The front suspension on these cars is almost identical to the 88+ Chev/GMC 4x4's.   I think the bearing design is basically the same except on those the hub and bearing is a bolt on assembly.    The bolt on assembly is how most FWD cars are.   Actually they often do that on the rears too.  You don't see the bearings on the spindle very often anymore.   
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

manxie

This may be a silly question  :-[ but is there a manufacture tolerance for movement in the front wheel bearings on the Eldorado? If so, can someone tell me what it is and how to measure it? Thank you.
78 Eldorado Biarritz Custom Classic

TJ Hopland

For me its been can you wiggle it with the wheel on and off the ground?    If you can its shot.

I have experienced several bearing failures in these cars as well as the Chev/GMC 4x4 that use pretty much the same setup.   My last one there was probably 3 inches of movement at the top of the wheel.   The really amazing thing is every time I have had one this bad the only symptom was a brake pull.  Every time I was going after and expecting to find a brake issue,  got the wheel off the ground and went what the heck?      I sure would have expected steering being mushy or vibrations but so far I have not had those issues.

In my early days with these cars chasing vibrations had been told the bearings were bad and the cause so had them replaced and it didn't make any difference so I really don't know how or if the bearings effect things other than keeping the wheels attached.   
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

manxie

WOW, 3 inches of play you`d expect some sort of fault showing for example vague steering? My wheel movement cant be felt with the wheel on the floor but when its jacked up, there is about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch, which according to our vehicle examiners is not acceptable??  :-\
78 Eldorado Biarritz Custom Classic

bcroe

Any bearing needs grease to live.  If the grease gets too old, including sealed
bearings, failure is just a matter of time regardless of low miles.  That has been
demonstrated to me a few times.  I certainly didn't want to lose the very low
mile front wheel bearings on my 79 Eldo, so I found a way to add a grease fitting. 
Perhaps a good thing to do, as the GMC people believe. 

TJ Hopland

If you can feel it I would say you have a problem and if someone thinks its 1/4" there should be no question that you can feel that. 

Ya twice I have had a wheel that bad in something I was regularly driving.   Once was a 75 Eldo and the other 95 Suburban.   Both times could not believe it myself.    Its got to be the angle of the bearing and the offset of the wheels more or less keep the wheel where its supposed to be most of the time.   I suspect it happened fairly quickly.   Both cases as soon as I discovered it I didn't drive em again so it could be that it went from slightly loose to terrible in say 30 miles and by the time there was a steering or vibration issue I was more focused on the brake issue so didn't notice.    Both times what got me concerned was a bad brake pull.  I suppose the brake caliper was somewhat holding things together.  The rotor would like be wanting more slack than the caliper could provide so the rotor was likely basically riding on / being supported by the pad.   That drag causing the heat and brake fade on that side.     
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason