GM truck rear axle bearing allowable play

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2012 Yukon XL 1500 I have new bearings and axles as of last year, OE GM bearings and new Yukon axles from East Coast. Having a wheel balance issue and it could be the balance but I did lift the wheels today and I cannot feel any up and down movement, but if I grab the tire and 9 and 3, I can move the wheel enough to see it move. To clarify, if you were facing the LR wheel, the 9 o'clock would move into the car, and the 3 o'clock would move towards you, and vice-versa. The RH side is barely noticeable, but the LH is visible. Would this be normal allowable movement?
 
Front or back? I assume front….you do realize they do that by design?

Never mind. I thought I saw rear but now see it in the title. Could be loose suspension bushings
 
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Front or back? I assume front….you do realize they do that by design?

Never mind. I thought I saw rear but now see it in the title. Could be loose suspension bushings
Yeah, the semi-float has some play, especially when cold


Bushings seem ok, I did pull the rotor and this might be the telling story. I will change the seal and bearing this weekend and go from there.

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Yeah you have an issue. Why did you replace the axles? Were they gm or a salvage yard? Repro could just be made poorly.

Poor quality parts or something is wrong with the axle housing.
 
Axle housing is OE, pinion bearing was bad. I rebuilt rear minus the carrier last year, new OE gears, new axle shafts are Yukon from East Coast, and New OE bearings. The rear is quiet, I checked runout at flange and it's barely measurable, safe bet it's the bearing. The bad balance could have worn the bearing.
 
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Yeah, I've always figured ignore semi-float play until it starts noticeably weeping gear oil. So I'd address that bearing based upon the play you can feel and leak you can see.
 
Axle housing is OE, pinion bearing was bad. I rebuilt rear minus the carrier last year, new OE gears, new axle shafts are Yukon from East Coast, and New OE bearings. The rear is quiet, I checked runout at flange and it's barely measurable, safe bet it's the bearing. The bad balance could have worn the bearing.

I generally trust Yukon, But always mic the bearing/seal surface.
 
In and out movement is by design, up down left right is not. Assuming you did everything right, sounds to me there is a size problem with the axle or bearing or seal or all.

good luck
 
In and out movement is by design, up down left right is not. Assuming you did everything right, sounds to me there is a size problem with the axle or bearing or seal or all.

good luck
Right, in and out is normal, no up and down, I have more of a rotational moment...almost like you were trying to turn the front wheels if the rears had rear steering. Minimal, but noticeable..might be normal to have a slight movement but the seal is weeping so I will replace the bearing just in case.
 
I've never understood it but most Toyota small truck axles I come across have a little up and down movement yet don't leak.

I think sometimes the slop is in the splines/side gear and the bearing end is mostly a fulcrum point.....but to the hand it feels a lot like up/down movement. Or at least that's my working theory ;)
 
I think sometimes the slop is in the splines/side gear and the bearing end is mostly a fulcrum point.....but to the hand it feels a lot like up/down movement
I feel the same, however If the seal was dry I would likely leave it alone, but don't want to prolong anything then end up needing an axle shaft. A worn bearing I would assume would exasperate the symptom...which could be the issue.
 
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Pulled axle and the inner race surface looks good, diameter is 1.6185" at the inner race. Not sure exactly what the spec is, but these axles have about 10K miles on them.

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I generally trust Yukon, But always mic the bearing/seal surface.

I checked the manufacturers specs and the bearing surface diameter is 1.620", my Mitutoyo calipers repeatedly measured 1.6185" on these 10K mile axle shafts but those have .001" accuracy. I also had the same 1.6185" measurement where the seal rides.

I used the recommended break in oil on the rebuilt rear then switched to Amsoil Severe Gear 75-90.

I don't remember how these bearings are supposed to fit, but the new bearings are only marginally better in terms of fit than the old. I can place the new bearing on the inner race and it will very slightly wobble back and forth in a twisting manner, along with some direct up and down movement, very small up and down, just enough to hear the rollers take up the slack.

I want to speculate the last GM 1500 rear bearings I replaced in another vehicle, the bearing would have a near zero-lash feel when the bearing was on the inner race, like they would drag slightly onto the axle race.

Obviously we have to allow for oil clearance and heat expansion, but I just don't recall fully how the bearing should fit on the axle race.
 
That's 15 ten-thousandths under....Not enough to be a concern. Could certainly be within the margin of error of a caliper.

Are you fitting the bearings over the axle? The bearings need to be knocked in the housing first as it will shrink just a little.

The Axle seal will easily compensate for 4 or 5 thousandths. OE seals are made by National & OE bearings are made by Koyo/Torrington.

I doubt any of this would cause a vibration....But it's weeping gear oil so it needs corrected
 
That's 15 ten-thousandths under....Not enough to be a concern. Could certainly be within the margin of error of a caliper
I agree, hopefully that's the error of the caliper. New bearings are Koyo from GM, OE seals also. All is back together, no leaks. Will give it some miles and see what happens.
 
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