Rear hub bearings

F

fordfixer

Senior Member
I ran into some undersize rear wheel bearings. The car I was working on, wanted to lock-up the rear wheels when backing up. Pulled the rear hubs and of course the rear linings were shot. Relined the shoes and proceed to re-assemble. I didn't think to much about the bearings. I just repacked them and put in new seals. What struck me odds, was the grease in there. It was a silver gray, and like clay. Anyway, adjusted the brakes and lowered the jack. The wheels locked up tighter than you know what. Would move forward, but not backwards. Disconnected the rear brake rods and the parking brake rods. Still tighter than all get out. Well now, what in billy blue blazes is going on here. Shock arms are not hitting anything. Jacked it back up and the wheels turn free. Backed off the adjusters all the way. Set it down and she locked up again. Well, what in the hello is wrong here. So after supper and some thinking, I went back and jacked it up one more time. Set it down real slow and watched the rearend. Everything was tight, no movement. Jacked it up one more time and put a long pry bar under the wheels and lifted. Dang drat it. There she be. The darn wheel moves up about a quarter to three eights of a inch. This is not good. Removed the hub and pulled out the bearings. Ah Ha, these sure look undersized. Got a new set and compared them. Almost a half inch difference. Packed a new bearing and installed it. Fit real nice, no slop. Went to the other side and packed the bearing. Went to install it and it won't go into the hub. There was a raced added to the hub to use a smaller bearing OD. Went to the shed got another hub and drum. Installed bearing. Now everything is as it should be. So what kind of a fix was this? I've never heard of this before. No numbers on the bearings, so I don't know what they were for originally. Any comments? Jon
 
Don't have the right bulletins and stuff here, but Ford went to a smaller bearing in about 1936, with a sleeve in the hub which IIRC remained the same bore before the sleeve went in.
I believe the hardware for this is now sold as a repair kit...think I saw it in Bratton catalog. You likely have something related to that but with something done incorrectly!
I have all the details in proper books, but not here at the computer.
 
Bruce is correct; I put a set of these in my coupe, the kit comes with a set of new hardened races that you press-fit in the hub, and they are matched to the new bearing set. I had to bring mine to a guy in the club with a big press to get them in. The races are supposed to be Loctited in the hub, too. So, sure can't figure what happened to that one of yours!!
 
Check the bottom of the axle housing race. If it is worn you can feel the wear. This will cause your problem.
 
The axle housings are in good shape. Have no idea why they went this way. Unless at the time, like said they couldn't find the correct bearings. All is well now.
 
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