<VV> Re: The 3 Greatest Corvair Improvements (Blower Bearing)

[John Kepler]

My REAL question would be this: Why is that bearing designed so that
such an extensive teardown is needed to even remove it, even though you
can plainly SEE it. Dependability (long life) of the part is no excuse
for this kind of design, because it's not immortal. 


It MAY not "immortal", but it's NOT a "high-maintenance" item either, and
cars are designed to be BUILT, not repaired!  BTW, before you complain about
a Corvair....tried to replace the SPARK PLUGS in any new car?  How about a
starter?


It will eventually
need replacing. 

With the emphasis on "eventually"!

Reminds me of the Fiat my brother once had. In order to
replace a $2 axle seal, you had to literally remove the entire front
suspension just to get at it. A $2 seal replacement would cost the
customer MAJOR bucks!

The rear main seal in a Ford 351 Cleveland cost 79 cents when I did one in
my E250 van....and took a major week-long gymkhana-flog to change it!  The
price of a part has NO relationship to how big a PITA it is to replace!


 My point is that the very design of it is
defective in that it requires so much unnecessary work to replace, when
a different design (like the Orville/Sedman designs) could have made it
so much simpler.

The guy on the line making a hefty UAW wage has 10 seconds to install that
bearing.....if it takes 15 seconds it costs GM millions.....if it can be
done in 5 seconds but makes the bearing a PITA for you to replace, the
reverse is true!  Your "problems" aren't even a part of the design
equation...never have been, never will!  Welcome to Manufacturing Reality!

Why? Answer me THAT! (Other than the fact that the Corvair was meant to
be a "cheap" disposable car to begin with.)

Ever set the bearing lash on a unit that HAS to operate for a minimum of 1
million cycles.....you've got less than 10 seconds....clock's ticking, get
it right, then do it again and again and again for 8 hours?  Ever replaced
the cam-belt in a $145,000 Porsche 928 (or a Cayenne...same motor)?  NOT a,
"Cheap disposable car" by a long patch, a "regular maintenance" item
according to Porsche....and a 16 hour "flat-rate" job that takes more like
18-20 in the "real world"!  The front wheel bearing in my 2006 Dodge Dakota
4X4 is an integral hub unit that only takes 4 bolts to replace (or build),
but costs over $400 a pop with sealed bearings that you can't
"service"....blow a $2 wheel bearing and you get to pony up 4 large for the
entire hub assembly with few other options.  Good for Dieter....bad for you!
Like I said, Welcome to Manufacturing Reality!


P.S. This STILL doesn't mitigate any other reasons for having it, like
being able to change it on the side of the road. As I said, been there,
done that, don't want to ever have to do it again.

There's this little concept called "Preventative Maintenance".....change out
the bearing BEFORE it fails, then you don't need the expedient of being able
to work on it "on the side of the road".  I replaced a perfectly good fan
bearing in my 67 Vert the last time I had the shrouds off doing other
things, with a top-of-the-line bearing....now I don't worry about it!

Your Grandma understood it perfectly, "An ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure!".....you should listen to her!

John
65 Corsa 140 Coupe
67 Monza 110 Convertible
69 Monza 110 Coupe
66 Buick Wildcat Custom