Chevy Astro and GMC Safari Forum banner

Bad vibration front wheels 97 GMC Safri help?

3K views 22 replies 4 participants last post by  Dan411 
#1 ·
I have a 1997 GMC Safri 4.3L with 2 wheel drive "Rear drive".

Driving down the road,

When driving down the road it feels like if the Passenger's side front wheel is loose with bad vibration and rough dry sounding noise.I thought is was the tires so ,I took it into Tire Barn and had them install all 4 new tires on it.Still didn't fix the problem.

What I did,

So,I decided to look it over today to see if I can find out what is wrong with it.
Tie-rods,ball-joints "Front end" feels all nice and tight.I pulled the passenger's side caliper off to remove the rotor to check the inner & outer Bearings and the bearings seemed to be OK.I greased the bearings and re-installed the Rotor.

I get to the driver's side to do the same thing.I pulled off the rotor and noticed rust in the grease at the inner bearing .Then I noticed metal shavings/powder near the ABS censer.I thought hum m, something is very wrong here.I cleaned up the axle and find no damage to the axle.But,I looked inside the rotor bearing sleeve and the bearing sleeve moves.The inner bearing sleeve inside the rotor has about a 1/4 inch of play.
Is this Rotor inner bearing sleeve suppose to have slop or play?

My thinking is,the rotor is bad causing the problem?I'm thinking that this bearing sleeve is spinning causing metal to metal shavings.

I cleaned all the bearings up and re-greased them all.And cleaned the axles and added grease.I greased everything as Tie-rods,Ball-joints,Bearings and all.

I don't seem to see a issue with the passenger's side wheel bearing.It' seems the issue is the driver's side wheel bearing.

This is strange?
After I cleaned and re-packed the driver's side inner & outer bearings.I tightened the bearing or axle nut and the put the wheel back on the van.I checked the wheel for any signs of wheel bearing slop.And I find no slop.The wheel bearing seems to be tight and spin properly.
I took the van down the road about a mile and came back home.I jacked up the van to re-check the driver's side wheel to see if there's any signs of wheel bearing play or slop and I find up-down slop in the wheel bearing again.

Is this my problem?The rotor is bad?Is the inner sleeve inside the rotor suppose to have slop or is that sleeve suppose to be tight?(Inner bearing sleeve for inner wheel bearing)Are these sleeves known to go bad?

I just bought this GMC Safari van a few month ago from a used car lot.I'm wondering if this van sat for so long without driving it to where it caused the inner bearing to rust up and seize up is why this inner bearing sleeve is spinning with slop about a 1/4 inch of play or slop???
Any advice?
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Do you have the old style bearings in that van? Where you have an inner and outer that are separate and you grease them in the palm of your hand and so forth?

I'm not really picturing "bearing sleeve with 1/4" play". If that's the newer style bearings, I'm clueless. But if it's the old style, I'd say the bearing seats aren't seated. Buy new bearings (they come with seats) and have a machine shop press the seats in.

Disregard if it's the new style as I'm stoopid to those... :dunce:

Lump
 
#3 ·
Bearing was froze with rust. Tore the inner race loose and the carnage began.
That race should be difficult to drive in and out with a hammer and a socket. It should not move under any circumstances. The race, bearing and possibly, more than likely the rotor are wasted.
 
#4 ·
To answer to Lump,Yes the bearings are the older style type bearings to where you need to grease/pack in the balm of your hand.
The inner bearing seems to be a little different then the outer bearing as size wise.The inner bearing is bigger in diameter then the outer bearing.I called Autozone and they said the rotor cost $49.99 and the outer bearing is $6.99 .But,they want $30 for the inner bearing.I'm short on funds at this time.I called a junk yard and they have a rotor for me for $25 comes with the bearings.I thought of buying the junk yard rotor and buying new bearings.Knowing my luck,replacing one rotor may cause,the van to pull lol.Still thinking on that one.

To chevymaher,
From your explaining,Is it correct that the inner bearing sleeve is suppose to be seated/pressed as tight no slop what so ever?If this is the case that's the feller that's the problem.Thanks!Dan.
 
#5 ·
Ya lump,I think your thinking of the older GM bearings like on a 70's-80's car or truck as a cutlass,Monti,or even a old 1972 Chevy Nova.Those inner bearings on those cars have a pressed sealed inner bearing in the rotor.
This rotor on this 1997 GMC Safari has bearing seats or bearing ( )sleeves inside the rotors.Looks like a hardened steel tapered ring or sleeve for the bearing to ride on.I wish I had the old school rotors I wouldn't be having this issue.Thanks!
 
#7 ·
Bearings in my 89 sound like the one's you describe. And they take the same A3/A6 bearings. Bearing seat is the conical shaped thing that the bearing rides in/on. It comes with new bearings but any time I've replaced them, I've used the existing pressed in seat or if replacing rotors, used the pressed in seat that comes with the rotor. I've even re-used the seals in a pinch.

But as Maher suggests, if that bearing seat, what he's calling a race, is moving around, either the seat or the rotor is probably toast.

Lump
 
#8 ·
Thank you chevymaher,
I know on the older 70's & 80's GM style front rotors the inner bearing is pressed into the rotor as one sealed bearing.I remember yrs ago when I was a teen I remember how hard it was to remove that inner bearing in those older rotors.I did it but,it wasn't easy.Sometimes you can give them a good hit and they would shatter.After that first time I ended up taking it into Napa to have them press it out and press in a new bearing.
Back to this Safari,
The Bearings don't look bad.In fact, the inner sleeve or as you call it the "inner race" don'y look bad either.The inner race is spinning inside the rotor.I'm not understanding why it is spinning?The inner bearing isn't seized up.Unless at one time it was seized up is why it is now spinning.Thank the lord it didn't damage the axle yet.lol
Thanks!Dan.
 
#10 ·
Lumpy said:
I'm seeing inner bearings at O'Reilly for your year for $13, outer for $14. That's National brand bearings. They're just 5 and 6 bucks for MasterPro house brand.

Lump
That's a bummer for me because,I don't have a O'Reilly near me.I have Advance auto ,Napa and Autozone is all.
Thinking Autozone would be cheaper I called Autozone about a hour ago.Rotor $49.99,Outer Bearing $6.99,Inner Bearing $33.99.

My hours was cut at work.Sad to say but,I don't have the funds to fix it properly as all new parts.It's a bummer I have to pay over $30 buck for a bearing.Is why I thought about simply getting a rotor from a junk yard.I called a Junk yard today and they have a rotor for $25 bucks.I asked them if they can sell me the bearings with it and they said yes.Heck for $25 bucks I can solve the problem now and fix with new another time.

Anyway,I'm glad I found the problem on this Safari.It was driving me nuts trying to figure-out what's wrong with it.The strange thing is the vibration seems to be coming from the passenger's side front wheel.Sounds like a loose front wheel ready to come off.Scare the crap out of ya going down the road lol.Vibration must travel is why I think it's coming from the passenger's side wheel.I better take the passenger's side rotor off and inspect the inner race on that one too before I'm done.

Last question while I'm here,
I jacked up the rear of the Safari .Rear wheels was off the ground.I can pull in & out on the rear wheels maybe a 1/4 of a inch of play.Is this normal to have play?I'm hoping my rear end isn't going out lol.No slop or play up or down just in & out when you pull on the rear wheels.
Thanks!
 
#11 ·
chevymaher said:
Lumpy said:
what he's calling a race.

Lump
That is what we hillbillies call them. It may be slang when used to describe a taper bearing but it gets the job done. Most understand.

Yes it is a pressed fit and shouldn't move. I have put them in with a hammer and socket and they are a bear.
Thanks Lump,
I wasn't for sure if I was calling it the right name for it or not.To me it looks like a tapper harden steel metal sleeve or ring.But,you all know what I mean now lol.

From all the metal shavings I found when I removed the rotor I'm sure the rotor is too far gone to attempt to replace the inner race.Sad it is,the rotor looks brand new.I just bought this van a few month back.137,000 miles on it.Not bad at all for a 1997.
Brand new pads & rotors on it.Makes me wonder who ever installed the rotors tightened the bearings to tight that cause,the race to spin.But,I did find rust within the grease as a greasy rust grease inside the inner bearing.Who knows how long this van sat on the used car lot or when it was ever on the road last.Knowing the car lot,my guess is the van sat for a while.But,I had cars seat for long times before and never had a bearing rust up and seize up from seating.Heck I had brand new tires go bad less then a yrs time just from seating thru the winter.

Thanks.
Dan.
 
#12 ·
To Lumpy and the chevymaher I thank you!....You all are great people to take your time out to give advice when needed.I hope I'm able to return the favor one day to you both.I'm 45 yrs old.I was a big motor head in my younger days.I found as I got older I just don't have the love to work on cars anymore.Even a simply rear brake jobs does me in anymore.When I was younger I could pull and replace a 350 Chevy engine and tranny within 6-8 hours time.Today I just can't do it anymore.In fact,now when I work on a car I think I do more harm then good.I think motor heads lose it in time.Sorry for venting you have a great day!
Best,Dan.
 
#13 ·
Hey Lumpy I got question for ya,
Looking at these threads on this forum.Many if not all of these threads are 5 yrs or older threads or posts.When looking at different threads or topics.it seems this forum isn't sorting threads,topics,post by date or most resent.
For an example,if you want to read the most recent posts or created threads how do you sort to the most resent threads ?

You would think after 5 yrs the Admin would delete older topics and threads to make room on their server.

I was searching on this forum a while ago and found a few questions I could answer to help people out but,then I learned the threads was 5 yrs old.Why is this forum keeping these thread questions that has already been answered for all these yrs?

Is there a link to sort most recent?
 
#17 ·
Lumpy said:
You're right. That's what auto parts catalogs call them too.

Not many hills here.

Lump
Okay I though my old azz got caught using a local dialect from years gone by.
Kind of like saying "Please" when you don't understand what someone said on the west coast. It is like your speaking Russian. They have no clue. It is a eastern thing.
 
#18 ·
chevymaher said:
Okay I though my old azz got caught using a local dialect from years gone by.
Kind of like saying "Please" when you don't understand what someone said on the west coast. It is like your speaking Russian. They have no clue. It is a eastern thing.
Westcoastnglish is easy. Just latch on to a pop culture phrase and repeat it at least once per sentence fragment.

Perfect
You're all set

Lump
 
#19 ·
Plumbers used to replace seats, now they're "O" rings. Ushers would guide you to your seats at the show, now you only see them on Sunday service passing a plate.
Cars go to the races, now my astro can too!

Hey Dan, I wouldn't have a problem using a rotor and bearings from the boneyard provided I took them off. You can get a pretty good idea of their condition before and during dis-assembly.
 
#20 ·
Update April Fools day 2015,

Well today I got a rotor from a junk yard and installed new bearings with the rotor and no more vibration.That was the feller.
I will need to have the rotor turned but,other then that problem solved.

Thanks
Best,Dan.
 
#21 ·
WoodButcher said:
Plumbers used to replace seats, now they're "O" rings. Ushers would guide you to your seats at the show, now you only see them on Sunday service passing a plate.
Cars go to the races, now my astro can too!

Hey Dan, I wouldn't have a problem using a rotor and bearings from the boneyard provided I took them off. You can get a pretty good idea of their condition before and during dis-assembly.
That's what I did.I got a rotor from a bone yard with bearings.I installed it today and have no issues other then a little jumpy on the brake peddle.Seems the more I drive it.It gets better.I'm thinking it's from the rust on the rotor from seating in the junk yard for awhile.I think I will take the rotor off in a week or two to have the rotor turned.

Man alive was that van a death trap ready to happen.Yes the race turned for the inner bearing on the inner part of the rotor that caused the problem.The bearing dirt guard was gone.The van felt like a wheel was getting ready to fall off.I never seen this happen to a GM rotor before.Heck I never had a wheel bearing go out in years.

I packed the wheel bearings with grease and now good to go_Only costed me $25 bucks for a quick fix.Van rides like a charm now.
 
#22 ·
Good job!

Old rotors are very handy around my shop. Big, heavy thing with 1/2-20 studs. Bolt stuff to it. Set it on an old wheel and top it with a jack stand to raise things up several inches. Bolt one to an old wheel, weld on a piece of pipe and make a stand for your bench grinder. Wrap wires with alligator clips around the studs for a "3rd hand" soldering aid that won't move on your bench.

Lump
 
#23 ·
The junk yard rotor was rusty, ate up my front brake pads.I didn't think that rust on a rotor would eat brake pads so fast.
When I first, installed the junk yard rotor I looked at my pads and I had a lot of pad left.With in 30 miles the pads on that driver's side rotor was shot.I sanded the rotor down before I added the new pads.Seems to be fine now.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top