Failed the front wheel bearing on a 65 coupe. When I removed the drum and what was left of the bearings, I found a piece totally siezed on the spindle shaft. Anybody experience this before?

It's about 3/4" long, along the shaft. It has a small flange about 3/4" dia and it's on there good. Smacking vice grips with a 3# dead blow doesn't budge it a bit. Can't even tell where this piece could have come from. Sure doesn't seem like a bearing component. Anybody out there had this issue?

I checked the other side and it has the expected smooth, tapered spindle shaft - no problems. Ideas?

 

You got shafted!

Hard to tell... Did you just bought the car?
Know the history of it?

I have seen people replacing bearing and forget to grease them, or more commonly, overtightening the axle nut...

 

My son has been driving the car for about 4k miles. Very clean and original. Can't figure where this stuck on piece came from. I'll try and post a pic.

 

sounds like the inner sleeve portion of the wheel bearing got so hot it seized to the spindle. Did the bearing fall apart as you pulled the rotor off? If you have a lip to grab, try something like a harmonic balancer puller.

 

Got it. It's the inside portion of the outer bearing. It's siezed good. Tried heating it up a bit with a torch, vice-gripped it and then smaacked it with a dead blow and nothing.

Any ideas anybody? Thanks.

 

Ahhh, just read your reply. You got it right and yes, the outer bearing is in pieces. I can give a puller a try but the flange/lip isn't much. Whatta pisser

 

I hate to say this, but you really need to replace the spindle. You will never get the machined surface the bearing rides on to the correct tolerance. Sorry about that!

 

use a dremmel or die grinder and CAREFULLY cut it in half. Hopefully you can get it off then.

Chances are though the spindle needs to be replaced. I would have to think the surface under the bearing will be all messed up

 

RH side

LH side

disc and drum use the same spindle for 65-66

 

I figured there's a good chance of ruining the spindle. My mechanic of many years (for the newer cars I can't work on), says he thinks it's not a problem and he can get it off.

As long as the raised metal is sanded flush and there's minimal marring of the surface, it should be ok. The origianl profile would stay the same and the bearing surface will decrease very little.