Just changed the bearings on a 57 1/2 ton. Front and rear. Used NAPA for the bearings and seals. There is a big difference in how the bearings on the front are "pre-loaded". Roller bearing needs to be loaded until all clearance is taken up. Ball just needs to be seated into the race. The advantage of a roller has to do with surface area and load. More area, better distribution of load. However there is a trade off. Ball bearing offers less resistance and less heat. With a radial tire and ball bearing you will see less resistance to rolling. With a roller you might, just might get a higher load capacity...might be good for the big bolts that are still used to haul heavy loads. So to my mind (opinion coming) the real issue comes down to cost and availability. The ball bearings we got were expensive compared to what has been posted. The bearings in my 52 1/2 ton appear to be if not original then old any way. How old? I don't know for sure. But have original PN on the race. And when they were cleaned and inspected they were like new. The truck was designed for work. No luxo liners in the bunch. Modern grease is better than what there was in 1950 so that is a plus. Use what you want I don't see any harm in the upgrade so to speak. But I will keep the originals until some thing better is shown to work. Felt seals were still good but I think neoprene is better. Even that has a trade off. Neoprene will wear in a much smaller area and can scar the spindle. So what are you gonna do? Your truck your choice. Do the routine stuff, grease and clean. Keep adjusted and drive happy.
