Center Carrier Bearing

I'm usually pretty good at locating parts, especially for Pontiac's but this one is giving me some grief. I'm looking for a complete Center Carrier Bearing Assembly for my 70 Pontiac. The Rubber Cushion is worn and severely torn. I know for a fact these are interchangeable from 1966-1970, maybe even more years. I've not had any luck in locating one. I did look in my parts book and seems this is a Spicer #210211X, but this has been long discontinued by spicer. I've called numerous drive-line shops and no one will research any farther one they realize it's a discontinued item, or cannot find a Pontiac application. But I know that these are available. It's probably not a Spicer Brand but an aftermarket company. It's just finding someone with enough product knowledge to know how to research and cross-reference enough to come up with one. I've included a picture of one that was bought new last year by someone else last year with a 1969 Pontiac Ambulance. So I know they are out there. I even called the drive-line company he bought his from and the parts guy was totally clueless to a procar application(probably a new hire from autozone). I can send this out and have it re-vulcanized but It would take some time and I'm not sure what kind of quality I would get back.
Any help is greatly appreciated in locating one of these.
(If worse comes to worse I do know where there is a 66 Pontiac combo down the road from me):D
 

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Spicer is only one brand, and there are a few others out there, which are all made by Spicer. You can also try Buyers Products, who also manufacturer and sell drive line products. Have you tried NAPA? Seems that they can locate a lot of items that are not generally available at most other auto parts stores.

Here is the Spicer superseding chart, that shows that the part is discontinued, and there is no substitute part available.. Only way to find it is to keep calling Spicer dealers.
 
Aaron,

I have dealt with Joint Clutch and Gear Service in Romulus Michigan. I don't have their phone number, it's 734 area code. My contact was Jeff. They did a lot of specialty work for me when I was at the GM Medium Truck dealership.
You may give them a call. If this does not pan out, PM me and I will try to come up with some other sources.

My May '69 Pontiac parts book has very few listings for commercial parts, Stageway being the only commercial name mentioned. The last usage listed for a center carrier bearing was 1960, that was the last year of the "Cruiciform" (X frame). This leads me to believe that all the modifications that accompany the stretched chassis were done by the upfitter. But it is also a possibility that the prop shafts were a specially run item for the upfitter, only available through that company. I saw that a lot with Mercury Marine parts for their inboard boats that used Chevy engines. And to a lesser extent with Oldsmobile engines for off road use about 35 or so years ago.

I imagine that the only other solution would be to have the prop shafts rebuilt with a different, more modern bearing that would be easier to find. But, in my opinion if that was the route I was taking, I would take the complete vehicle to them. That way they could address prop shaft angles and clearance issues if any should arise.
 
there are some speciality shops that deal only in this kind of thing. Mosley for farm machinery. either that or a drive line place may have a replacement assembly that will work. they are just a big pillar bearing so there should be a truck one that will work. let us know what you find.
 
What Pinner did in my Chrysler was to have a short drive shaft manufactured and they "plugged" the short shaft into the transmission, and used a pillow block bearing at the opposite end. Then they plugged the original factory drive shaft into the short drive shaft, and hooked it up to the differential. There is always another way to skin the cat than you can thing of.
 
Any help is greatly appreciated in locating one of these.
(If worse comes to worse I do know where there is a 66 Pontiac combo down the road from me)

Let me know Aaron if you need help with that, I won't even need a map!
(let's see how long it takes a certain someone to chime in LOL)
 
the long wheel base CBs were the same as was the 71 superior and this S&S. Roberts 75 also. they made a stub shaft the same size as the stretch in the cb. for there CC GM two short shafts. in the 70s that is, just looked under Jim's 66 it's one long shaft. but of interest I replaced the carrier bearing on the 72 olds with one from a 72 caddy. I did not change the rubber at that time as I did not need it. from looking at the 73 here that's a different mount all together. if I remember right the one in the olds was a two piece one mounted on the sides threw the hole in the cross member. so if a man needs the ruber and all I would start looking at the truck line. find one the same size hole and make a mount if you have to. that all superior did. find one that fit and make the mount for that piller bearing.
 
I called the driveline company back that sold one last year and got a different parts person. told him what I was looking for. He seemed to be familiar with it. I gave him the previous customer name, car info and when he bought it. He soon got back to me and said he ran a sales report for that month last year and was able to find the bearing that they had sold. It's a special order item, but he said he'll order today it and I should have it by next week.:thumbsup:
 
I called the driveline company back that sold one last year and got a different parts person. told him what I was looking for. He seemed to be familiar with it. I gave him the previous customer name, car info and when he bought it. He soon got back to me and said he ran a sales report for that month last year and was able to find the bearing that they had sold. It's a special order item, but he said he'll order today it and I should have it by next week.:thumbsup:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxAKFlpdcfc[/ame]
 
pictures and parts numbers when you get it. we all might need one some day. but it just goes to show you need to not get mad just check back. you finally found a man that was willing to go for the sale.:thumbsup:
 
Yes, I installed the bearing. It fit just and works just fine. This happens to be the same bearing that was used on 1959-1960 pontiacs.
 
Aaron, I'm glad you found a bearing assembly that works! I'm a bit confused by all the above: wouldn't a carrier bearing from a Cadillac commercial chassis be interchangeable? I know that this GM part was the same for many years, all the way up to the last commercial chassis in 1984. Seems that Superior and other coachbuilders would have wanted to use the same bearing as Cadillacs on their Pontiac and Oldsmobile LWB cars. I've bought 2 or 3 of these over the years for Cadillacs, at least one from a GM dealer and another from NAPA. You could get just the bearing or the assembly that had the bearing in a new rubber mount. I'm not sure if they're still available or not.
 
I just had the carrier bearing done in my 68 Pontiac Superior ambulance a few weeks ago, and I'm very pleased with it. The "thump-thump-thump" noise every time I accelerated from a full stop was getting annoying.

The driveline shop found the exact part and had it over-nighted from the States. The car was in and out of the shop in 48 hours.

I'll pop by his shop on Monday, get the info on the part, and post it.

Cheers.
 
Aaron, I'm glad you found a bearing assembly that works! I'm a bit confused by all the above: wouldn't a carrier bearing from a Cadillac commercial chassis be interchangeable? I know that this GM part was the same for many years, all the way up to the last commercial chassis in 1984. Seems that Superior and other coachbuilders would have wanted to use the same bearing as Cadillacs on their Pontiac and Oldsmobile LWB cars. I've bought 2 or 3 of these over the years for Cadillacs, at least one from a GM dealer and another from NAPA. You could get just the bearing or the assembly that had the bearing in a new rubber mount. I'm not sure if they're still available or not.

It would only be interchangeable if the drive-shaft diameter was identical to the drive-shaft diameter of the Cadillac. In all probability, the drive-shaft diameters are different. This is / was very common that a part from a Pontiac was similar, but not the same as the comparable Cadillac part.
 
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