rear axle bearing keeps breaking in '90 burb

[Bthumper]

My rear axle bearing drivers side went out on me so me and a buddy spent all day getting the cracked bearing out. We put a neww one in and we cleaned out the gears with a solvent sprayer. All the gears in the pumpkin looked like they were in excellent shape and nothing apeared to be wrong with the inner bearing. We put the shaft back in with the new bearing and seal installed and it fit perfect-no play at all in the axle shaft. It drove fine untill the next day when I heard that same thumping noise and to my dismay the new axle bearing was out again. What is causing these bearings to go out? The shaft itself did not appear to be bent or anything. The rear end gears do not make any noise either,like I said the gears are in perfect condition.

[Fireplug]

You talking about the outter bearing by the brake drum??? Did you install a new bearing race with the bearing????. C-clips all ok and in place.

[Bthumper]

Yeah, we put in a new seal and the bearing and race come all in one piece. c-clips ok too. As far as I could tell it was all put in the same way that the old one came out.

[Fireplug]

how did you get the old race out and how did you install the new race

[Bthumper]

we heated it up with a torch and then used a slide hammer. we used a big socket to tap the new one in

[pkear]

I hope like hell this bumps this to the top and gets a reply because this just happened to me. Exact same thing. I am in the process of trying to remove the axle on the drivers side to take a look at the bearings right now and it won't budge. The passenger's side which I did at the same time came out no problem and is in great shape. The drivers not only developed a noise within 6 months but blew oil when it did. The year on my Burban is are you ready for this 1990?!?

[Ryan685]

On this rear end, the axle bearings ride right on the axle itself. There is no inner race so-to-speak. Roller bearing ride right on the axle. Anyway, what did the axle look like where the bearing rides? If the heat treat wasn't done right, the bearing wears into the axle pretty deep. There is a "repair" sort of bearing that spaces the bearing inwards so it wears another groove beside the first worn area. I don't like that fix, it's temporary at best.

I'm looking at a Yukon axle catalog. I just rebuilt a big Dana 60 4x4 front axle and put Dana 70 axles from Yukon, http://www.yukongear.com/ really low priced for a good axle. If I have to replace the axles in my Suburban, I wouldn't hesitate to buy these Yukon axles instead of going back with factory axles. Surf around for a dealer to get a price. Remember to install new bearings with a new axle.

I've never heard of bearings going out that quickly. I do know the 1/2 ton 8.5 GM isn't really that great for hauling loads over long distances. Pulling a heavy trailer you should have the 3/4 ton rear end. Or a "floater" style. A full floater rear axle means the axle itself carries no load. I should say "inner" axle. You can remove the axle bolts and pull the axle right out without jacking the truck off the ground. You'll have to take the cover back off, remove the pin, push the axles in to remove the C-clips, pull the axle out and look at where the bearing rides on it. Your probably looking at $35.00ea for a Yukon axle. I would do both and forget messing with the rear end again. Oh, and another quick note. When a bearing wears out and allows the shaft to move. It wears the seal out. So bearings & seals kind of walk hand in hand. Replace them together always.

[pkear]

Mine was clean and smooth. No lip or worn edge. I had to replace the drivers side about 2 years ago due to wear and at that point bought axles both as the passengers side looked like it was heated. On mine it just looked as if the seal blew and bearing came apart 6 months ago. I cleaned it up and cleaned both tubes and rear end pumpkin and replaced both bearings, races, seals the works. Now of course as stated in my other post I have 6 months later the drivers side noise, leak and problem BTW I failed to mention I recently replaced all my shocks as they were going bad not blown just worn to the point of needing replaced. Rear not as much as front. I do have a friend that when he gets a break from delivering relief goods will have about a week off and if I have not figured it out by then he told me he will come by and park the big rig so we can figure this out. But I want it done by then so I can take him fishing so if anyone has an idea please post it on my other post.