Rear Wheel Bearings & Spindle

[Oren09]

I'm working on Izzystiva and today is rear wheel bearings.
The car has a drone when driving and especially loud over 60MPH.

I have taken apart the rear end and all the bearings seem fine. They're not obviously damaged or seized.
What a are signs of a bad bearing? How much side to side play is acceptable? How stiff should they be when you spin them with your fingers?

I now these bearings are cheap, about $17 a side at Oreilly's for the non store brand. I may just replace them but I'm not sure how to change the races.

Also, the rear spindles are damaged. I don't know if that would have any affect on the existing or new bearings.


Driver's side spindle.


When I put the inner bearing on the spindle, the whole bearing spins- the inner part does not grip the spindle like the outer bearings do.


Someone had been in there before and used a suspension castle nut as a stake nut.


Passenger side spindle is beat to hell where the outer bearing seats.


Very beat up stake nut. It came off surprisingly easy. I was expecting difficulty because of how worn it was and the opposite thread.
The bearings on this side are Timken.


So, would the spindle damage cause an issue with the bearings?
And what do normal Festiva rear bearings look/feel/act like?

[georgeb]

I would get some used spindles. Some have a hole for a cotter pin so you don't have to use that cheesy stake nut method.

[Oren09]

Yeah, my 93 has the cotter pin setup. Much better.

[WmWatt]

Photos at www.photobucket.com/festiva-backwheel
Time to go looking for rear wheels at the junk yard.
I got a decent pair of axle nuts there too.

[htchbck]

Photos at www.photobucket.com/festiva-backwheel

Wow, just went through all 27 pics... that should be a stickie if its not already. One of the best tutorials I've ever seen! Would be nice if the pics were full-size though, but still they show everything needed to do the job right! Well done!

[georgeb]

A better way to set bearing preload is the VW/Porsche method where you tighten the nut until the washer behind the nut (if there is one) is able to be moved by twisting a large screwdriver between it and the bore. They also had a nut with an allen pinch bolt for exact settings. Wonder if they would fit a Festiva?

[chadzeilenga]

Bad bearings will usually get discolored from the heat or have physical damage to the metal such as pitting or galling.

[htc]

Yeah, my 93 has the cotter pin setup. Much better.

Fronts too? Or are they all stake nut type?

[georgeb]

The fronts are different, having a spacer to keep the bearing preload adjustment. You just have to tighten the axle nut to 100 something ft/lbs. It has a stake nut but is not really necessary IMO.