Bearing Failure

Black Bear

Black Bear

Well-Known Member
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Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Location
Raleigh, NC
Both outer bearings on my 9" shat the bed recently. The driver side rear took a dump first at URE a couple weekends ago. All the rollers were trashed and the inner race was destroyed.



Passenger side was the same deal, just not as bad. The bearing was still intact, but missing 5 rollers. no pics.
I am still looking for the root cause as to why this happened. The only theory that would explain it is the fact that I welded so close to the bearing (air shock mount). The housing doesnt appear to be warped(shafts go in easily), there inst any rust/scale in the housing, oil level was close to full.
 
How did you guys press on the bearing? I have had a couple cases where the person pressed on the bearing incorrectly and deformed the cage enough to do this.

Just a thought.
 
Andy, thats a possibility. I used some tube with that closest dia to the inner race and a BFH, so its possible that the cage got some damage. I'll put some miles on it and pull the shafts, and check it.

Chase, one of the outer races has S20 USA etched into it.
 
the only reason why I say it, is I just had a expedition come in a week ago with a bad bearing he said it had just been replaced, the only thing left that resembled a bearing was an etching "MADE IN CHINA" evrything else was exploded but during install someone may have tweaked the cage as mentioned, not even the far easts fault but I like to blame them for everything.
 
my 9" shafts have done that before...and it was when I used a cheap bearing (value line from Advance) I figured the shaft would be bent or broken by the time the bearings were a worry. I started using nothing but Timken or other good bearings and it has happened since, that may not be your problem though who knows.. just my .02
 
IFRC I have found Timkins that were made in Mexico.
The last time I put a set of bearings on a 9" I used a trick I saw an old timer do.
I put the shaft in the deep freeze, and laid the bearing on the wood stove. I used a cylnder that was the right diameter as the shaft, Heavy as heck, as a slide hammer. Put the hot bearing on the cold shaft, and two slides and it was on.
 
upnover said:
IFRC I have found Timkins that were made in Mexico.
The last time I put a set of bearings on a 9" I used a trick I saw an old timer do.
I put the shaft in the deep freeze, and laid the bearing on the wood stove. I used a cylnder that was the right diameter as the shaft, Heavy as heck, as a slide hammer. Put the hot bearing on the cold shaft, and two slides and it was on.
Click to expand...

that works great if your wife doesnt mind an axle layin in the freezer for a while...
 
bearing swap the john deere way.

upnover said:
IFRC I have found Timkins that were made in Mexico.
The last time I put a set of bearings on a 9" I used a trick I saw an old timer do.
I put the shaft in the deep freeze, and laid the bearing on the wood stove. I used a cylnder that was the right diameter as the shaft, Heavy as heck, as a slide hammer. Put the hot bearing on the cold shaft, and two slides and it was on.
Click to expand...

when i worked for john deere, we would have tractors come in with the rear axle bearing exploded because the farmer didnt grease them. we would boil the bearings in gear oil on a cooker in the shop. a few light taps with the ole trusty hammer, and the bearing slid right on. that is how the actual repair book advised how to replace the bearing. man, id love to have a set of 4960 tractor axles in my f250. they are 3.5 inches in diameter.
 
fatboyf150 said:
when i worked for john deere, we would have tractors come in with the rear axle bearing exploded because the farmer didnt grease them. we would boil the bearings in gear oil on a cooker in the shop. a few light taps with the ole trusty hammer, and the bearing slid right on. that is how the actual repair book advised how to replace the bearing. man, id love to have a set of 4960 tractor axles in my f250. they are 3.5 inches in diameter.
Click to expand...

that works great if your wife doesnt mind an axle in a pot of boiling gear oil on the stove for a while...
 
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