dana 44 housing, wheel bearing race spins inside, bearing destroyed

1983Bronco

1983Bronco

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Location
On your mom in Winston Salem NC
I know some of yaw followed my death wobble saga on my Cj-7 with a narowtrack 44 rear. Well I replaced the drivers side axle and wheel bearing, seal, all was good for a week of road driving, then yesterday I noticed major seal leakage, went home axle had up down and side to side play, pulled axle followed by bearing pieces shooting out at me. After further examination, the new race spins partially inside the housing. So I guess the housing might be partially wallered, How can I keep the race from spinning, hammer new one in there and then tack weld it in place? Anyone ever dealt with this, or have any trick ideas.
 
If the outer race spun inside the housing, unlikely you'll have to hammer it in! :lol:

Depending on how bad the housing is, you might be able to clean it real good, use a center punch to symmetrically dimple the ID (until the race is a bit more snug), clean it again, and use the green Loctite (for sleeves & bearings) to keep it in.

If it's wallowed out real bad, I've run a few beads around the inside & used a die-grinder to take it back down where the race was snug again.

Not sure they make a "speedi-sleeve" for the OD, but might be available also...
 
Here is what you do. Get some feeler gauges and green locktite, put them around the bearing then cram it all in the hole.
 
Caver Dave said:
If the outer race spun inside the housing, unlikely you'll have to hammer it in! :lol:
Depending on how bad the housing is, you might be able to clean it real good, use a center punch to symmetrically dimple the ID (until the race is a bit more snug), clean it again, and use the green Loctite (for sleeves & bearings) to keep it in.
If it's wallowed out real bad, I've run a few beads around the inside & used a die-grinder to take it back down where the race was snug again.
Not sure they make a "speedi-sleeve" for the OD, but might be available also...
Click to expand...


X2 on the center punch, the more punches the tighter the fit. We have to do this same thing on the machenery he at work if the bearing housing distorts to much during welding.
 
filthy jeep said:
Here is what you do. Get some feeler gauges and green locktite, put them around the bearing then cram it all in the hole.
Click to expand...

sounds like some shit I'd try!!lol
 
Caver Dave said:
If the outer race spun inside the housing, unlikely you'll have to hammer it in! :lol:
Depending on how bad the housing is, you might be able to clean it real good, use a center punch to symmetrically dimple the ID (until the race is a bit more snug), clean it again, and use the green Loctite (for sleeves & bearings) to keep it in.
If it's wallowed out real bad, I've run a few beads around the inside & used a die-grinder to take it back down where the race was snug again.
Not sure they make a "speedi-sleeve" for the OD, but might be available also...
Click to expand...



So what exactly do I center punch, the race? or the housing the race sits in, work with me I'm an idiot:beer:
 
Punch the housing, first with your fists, then with a hammer and centerpunch. The housing is regular steel and will deform locally (at the punch). The bearing race is hardened steel and needs to keep the precision round shape. You could also talk with a bearing house (Motion Industries, etc) and see if there is an oversize race to fit. Sometimes they make .001" or .002" oversize for a tighter fit, but it could also work in your application depending on how spun out it is.
 
^^^first with your fist!!! LMAO
 
jeepinmatt said:
Punch the housing, first with your fists, then with a hammer and centerpunch. The housing is regular steel and will deform locally (at the punch). The bearing race is hardened steel and needs to keep the precision round shape. You could also talk with a bearing house (Motion Industries, etc) and see if there is an oversize race to fit. Sometimes they make .001" or .002" oversize for a tighter fit, but it could also work in your application depending on how spun out it is.
Click to expand...
should I put on boxing gloves:flipoff2:
 
Caver Dave said:
If the outer race spun inside the housing, unlikely you'll have to hammer it in! :lol:
Depending on how bad the housing is, you might be able to clean it real good, use a center punch to symmetrically dimple the ID (until the race is a bit more snug), clean it again, and use the green Loctite (for sleeves & bearings) to keep it in.
If it's wallowed out real bad, I've run a few beads around the inside & used a die-grinder to take it back down where the race was snug again.
Not sure they make a "speedi-sleeve" for the OD, but might be available also...
Click to expand...

So should I put the green loctite on the outer portion of the race before I punch it into place? Thanks again for the help Caver and everybody
 
also where can I get the green loctite, don't remember seeing it at advance auto, specialty product?
 
OK new problem, got a new bearing yesterday and the race and bearing are all one unit, so I cant put the race in first and dimple it into place. Since I had to press the bearing/race and spacer onto the shaft, it will all go in as one unit, no way to dimple it into place, any suggestions here?
 
1983Bronco said:
OK new problem, got a new bearing yesterday and the race and bearing are all one unit, so I cant put the race in first and dimple it into place. Since I had to press the bearing/race and spacer onto the shaft, it will all go in as one unit, no way to dimple it into place, any suggestions here?
Click to expand...
Return the bearing you got, and find one that is divorceable to that you can tap the race in place.
 
4x4K5 said:
Return the bearing you got, and find one that is divorceable to that you can tap the race in place.
Click to expand...

tried that, so far no luck
 
1983Bronco said:
OK new problem, got a new bearing yesterday and the race and bearing are all one unit, so I cant put the race in first and dimple it into place. Since I had to press the bearing/race and spacer onto the shaft, it will all go in as one unit, no way to dimple it into place, any suggestions here?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure you read caver's post right, or maybe I'm reading yours wrong. The idea is to use the center punch along the housing to create lots of 'knurls' that effectively decrease the diameter where the race sits...before the race is installed. Then juice it up with green loctite, then the race (or race/bearing/shaft) are installed.
 
You might be able to put the bearing in the housing, and then beat the axle into it. I've found wheel bearings take about 5-7 tons of pressure though, so that will take a BFH. Also, probably not the best for the bearing.

I bought some bearings for a 76 Scout D44 rear at Autozone and they were the seperable type, but snapped together. They were Timken and I believe the part number was SET 10. I would confirm, but their website isn't working right now, and AA and Napa don't show the Timkens.
 
RenegadeT said:
I'm not sure you read caver's post right, or maybe I'm reading yours wrong. The idea is to use the center punch along the housing to create lots of 'knurls' that effectively decrease the diameter where the race sits...before the race is installed. Then juice it up with green loctite, then the race (or race/bearing/shaft) are installed.
Click to expand...
yea what he said.
 
RenegadeT said:
I'm not sure you read caver's post right, or maybe I'm reading yours wrong. The idea is to use the center punch along the housing to create lots of 'knurls' that effectively decrease the diameter where the race sits...before the race is installed. Then juice it up with green loctite, then the race (or race/bearing/shaft) are installed.
Click to expand...

yeah I wasn't sure at first, but after looking at it I realized that I needed to punch the housing where the race actually sits, initially I thought I needed to install the race first then punch around the race to keep it in place.

I center punched the housing in several places then installed the axle, turns out the race just pops of the bearing as jeepinmatt had described. Put some green loctite on it and put it all back together, gonna drive it this week and see what happens:confused:

Guess we will see what happens, if it does fail, hopefully it won't be on I-40 going 65!

Thanks everybody for the help:beer:
 
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