Topic: 1935 rear wheel bearings


35ragtop    -- 01-03-2012 @ 11:30 AM
  I have replaced my rear wheel bearings with SKF equivalents (apparently) and noticed with everything reassembled and 100 miles on the speedo that I have vertical movement( on both sides of the car) when I have the car up on jack stands.
My question is - how tight should these roller bearings be in the hub/ axle assembly ? I read somewhere that the races (cage) should be a tight fit in the drum. Is this so ?
Any comments would be appreciated thanks guys.


supereal    -- 01-03-2012 @ 1:14 PM
  Some noticeable play is normal with the three quarter floating system. The bearings are not a tight fit in the hub. It is important that the axle housing be in good shape with only light wear. If excessive, the housing should be sleeved. Be sure to use only the fibrous type of grease when packing the bearings. Most use Sta Lube heavy duty drum brake grease. Any other type will result in rapid wear of the housing.


35ragtop    -- 01-03-2012 @ 2:47 PM
  Thanks Supereal
can you tell me also if any horizontal movement in the axle is allowable. I retightened the taper one castellation as is recommended but can sense some end play in the axle itself.



supereal    -- 01-03-2012 @ 7:48 PM
  That isn't unusual, as long as the hubs are secure on the axle tapers. The axle ends should be clean, dry, and free of any large defects before mounting the hubs. Be sure to retighten the axle nuts after about a hundred miles. They should be as tight as you can get them with a long wrench. For the most part, it isn't possible to over tighten them.


35ragtop    -- 01-04-2012 @ 12:37 PM
  thanks once again ,your wealth of knowledge in all things Ford never ceases to amaze us plebs !
Happy New Year
Daveh


supereal    -- 01-05-2012 @ 8:59 AM
  Thank you for your kind words. Those of us who worked for a Ford dealer many years ago were fortunate to learn the trade from the experienced hands in the shop. Henry Ford believed that this was the best way to train mechanics, and didn't endorse the publication of detailed shop manuals during his reign. Now that Father Time is chasing us old guys, there is a danger that much of the "inside" information is being lost. Old Fords are primitive machines, by today's standards, but unequalled in survival numbers. Learning the "how to" is central to the enjoyment of our hobby, and I am pleased to help when I can.


37RAGTOPMAN    -- 01-07-2012 @ 1:25 PM
  1935 RAGTOP
what I read here is that you have movement up and down,
CORRECT !
depending how much,??? how much play do you have,???
that should not be,to me you would never be able to get the good brake ajustment,distance between the drum and the brake shoes on the backing plate should be with in few thoushands,,and should be constant
and not vary out of specs,
to much play and your grease seals will fail also.
in and out play is ok,
measure the rollers on the old bearing, and the new bearing and see if you have any difference,if there is that must likely is the problem of the up and down play.
rule of thumb, always compare the new part to the old one before using,
sometimes the old part is better,
my 3 cents 37RAGTOPMAN
in and out is ok,

This message was edited by 37RAGTOPMAN on 1-7-12 @ 3:34 PM


supereal    -- 01-07-2012 @ 1:39 PM
  I've never seen sleeves in the drums, but have installed them on the ends of the axle housings many times. If a grease seal fails, it was installed improperly. Replacement seals without the red coating should be avoided, as they tend to collapse as they are driven into place. Evidently, they are made of light weight metal. Be sure that the seal lip is facing toward the bearing, or they will leak. If the amount of play in the wheel assembly interferes with brake adjustment, the brakes are being set too tight, or the linings don't fit the drums. If your play seems excessive, measure the bearings. The early, 28-36, are 3.12" outside diameter. The later, 36-48, are 2.78" OD, and would be very loose in the early hubs. Be sure you have the correct bearings for your hubs. Over the years, the hubs could be switched. I'm not familiar with the SK replacements, and prefer the original "script" type.

This message was edited by supereal on 1-7-12 @ 2:00 PM


35ford    -- 01-08-2012 @ 11:28 AM
  I agree with supereal as "Knowledge is NO GOOD Unless it is Shared" !


supereal    -- 01-08-2012 @ 1:21 PM
  Thanks, 35. My mother used to say "no one lives long enough to make all the mistakes". In all, over seven decades, I think I've tried to prove her wrong! A common problem with old car hobbyists is a tendency to "over think" problems. Henry Ford insisted that his creations be made as foolproof as possible so the "common man" could make most repairs with ordinary tools. That, combined with designs that retained similarity between years, was a major reason for the success of the brand. We have become spoiled with today's vehicles that can virtually run themselves for hundreds of thousands of miles, a fact that has made today's cars and trucks so complicated that repairs are made impossible without exotic tools. At our shop, we recently spent over ten grand just to replace diagnostic equipment! Celebrate old cars and, above all, repair and drive them, but don't expect them to rival our modern vehicles in performance and dependability.


35ragtop    -- 01-09-2012 @ 12:14 PM
  Sorry Ive been off line a few days.
I went over the wheels again and now believe that the movement i first felt is in fact in and out very slightly.
Apparently this is ok.
Time will tell with the SKF bearings. The seals are the red replacements but went in ok with the retainer rings.
Thanks once again for your suggestions and help
Dave h


ford38v8    -- 01-09-2012 @ 7:41 PM
  35ragtop, pardon me for jumping in here, but is it possible that the movement you describe is not at the axle/drum, but rather, at the axle/spider? This may happen with an incorrect combination of banjo gaskets, allowing the axles to move in and out.

Alan


supereal    -- 01-10-2012 @ 5:25 AM
  It could be, Alan, but the axles are captive in the differential, so the misplaced gaskets would have to allow the movement in the big bearings. In that case, there should be a lot of "clunking" as the pinion turns. As you know, the axles themselves are unsupported at the outer end, and any excess slack between the hub and the housing would likely be caused by excess clearance between the rear hub and the roller bearings. I'm not convinced that the SKF replacements are correct, and a few thousandths of difference between the stock and replacement bearings can be magnified at the wheel.. Also, excessive wear on the bottom of the axle housing can cause the problem as the diameter of the housing decreases.


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