The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Loose bearing race on front spindle

Hi. Installed new king pins and reinstalled the front spindles.

Need some advice. Installing new front bearings and races. One race is loose on what is a slight wear on the spindle.

Is there a way to fix to this? I’m assuming the races are not supposed to spin on the machined spindle. Would a couple tack welds be appropriate - will this distort the race? Im thinking JBWeld to fill the worn area behind the race to fill the gap along with a careful tack weld or two..

Also thinking about a sharp punch and hammer and set it with a couple good pings and then use locktite. Less invasive. Not sure I like using heat on a bearing race.
1941 GMC half ton.

Thoughts? Best solution? Without replacing the spindle?

Tom

DO
NOT
WELD
ON
A
BEARING
RACE- - - - - -
EVER!

Once the castle nut is torqued properly with the right preload, the bearing probably won't spin. If you're concerned about it, a little dab of J.B. Weld on the spindle before you slide the hub on will give it plenty of sticky grip. Another way to keep the bearing race from turning would be a drop or two of green Loctite (sleeve and bearing retainer). Either of these methods is goin to make it a little bit interesting to get the hub off the next timer it's time to repack the bearings.
Jerry

How about a few taps on the spindle with a hammer and center punch?

Dennis

I'd be concerned about creating stress points on the spindle that might cause it to break. A choice between a possible spinning bearing and a possible broken spindle- - - -I don't think I'd take a chance on the spindle breaking.
Jerry

Thanks! - Tom

Ps Jerry, not sure if you remember me - met you at a diner in NH or Vermont a couple years ago - and you were a big part delivering a piece of furniture I made for a young lady in Illinois who lost everything in a tornadoe - including loved ones across the street from her. Thank you. Tom

We have had good results with plasma spray to build up worn surfaces but usually only do it on very expensive or rare parts. If common it's cheaper to buy new. Bought the set up after hearing hype on repairing "lacey" rusted areas in floor pans and other areas. It ended up not being better in time or cost than just replacing the panels but it does work good for worn shaft repair and doesn't heat shaft to extreme temps like welding. If you google "plasma spray welding" there is a you tube video showing the process. I'd fire the guy running the lathe because if you hear the cutting tool making that sound it's leaving chatter marks on the surface. Maybe he's roughing it in and follows up with a tool post grinder (I hope).

Yes, I remember that trip well! It was supposed to be a relay by a bunch of stovebolters, and I ended up making the whole thing solo, over 1,200 miles, as I recall. I had been on the way to eastern Pennsylvania to pick up a partially completed Excalibur roadster that a member of another website had given me. (It's still not finished!)

If you have access to a lathe, it might be possible to set the spindle up between centers and put a knurl on the area where the bearing rides. That will expand it without creating stress points like doing it with a center punch( AKA "Okie knurl job")
Jerry

I think replacement is the best and safest option.

Center punch will make it snug for a short while, but then all the weight/load is supported on a few spots of raised metal, and soon enough they get pressed back where they were, and it's loose again.
Knurling might last a little while longer, or longer enough, but is also not the best solution.

I'd be hesitant to use loctite, some varieties may fix the bearing in one place, making it hard to remove, or impossible to adjust.
They do have some products that fill worn areas, and that might work if you fit the bearing alone, let it set, then remove the beairng, with the hope that the magic stuff stays put on the spindle and you still have ability to adjust bearing. I suppose JB Weld might be a similar "repair".

I wonder how this wear would happen. Maybe it was caused by a failed bearing at some time?

Yes, usually.
Possibly as a result of improper bearing adjustment over time.

You didn't mention which bearing is loose. If it's the inner bearing, Loctite it on and worry not- - - -the next time the hub needs to come off, the bearing will stay put on the spindle and you'll need to give the hub a good yank- - - -leaving the inner bearing and the seal on the spindle. Then a little heat with a propane torch will dislodge it without damaging the bearing or the spindle. Looseness of the outer bearing on the spindle is a little more of a concern, but not much. I've taken up a pretty good amount of looseness between the spindle and the outer bearing cone with stainless steel shim stock at times. The lace-panty crowd will moan and wail, but common sense needs to rule occasionally when dealing with these old rigs. They're tougher than a two dollar steak, no matter what the snowflakes claim!
Jerry

Hi. Inner bearing cup is loose on the worn spindle. The cup that lies closest to the backing plate.

My interests in antique trucks affords me on a good week a bologna round steak. A two dollar steak is just a dream. 🤑

Pack it well with good high temperature wheel bearing grease, use some Loctite, and drive on- - - -I'd probably just assemble it "as is" unless there's enough slack to see the bearing wobble or move up and down on the spindle. Just a loose slip fit is no problem at all.

The "cup" is the part that's pressed into the hub. The "cone" is the part that rides on the spindle.
Jerry

Yes it would be the cone.

"tougher than a two dollar steak," I just about choked on my beer laughing so hard! Your gonna drive me ta drinkin, Hotrod Lincoln!

My earlier input was under the false assumption this was the outer bearing.

Inner bearing would be OK with some loctite, though may be a little hard to remove.

609 (green) is great if the gap is very small, under 0.006".
If the spindles are already worn you may need something like 660 to fill a larger gap up to 0.020".
There are other loctite products for filling various size gaps, just read the literature and pick the right one for your exact situation.

This is the 609
http://na.henkel-adhesives.com/industrial/product-search-1554.htm?nodeid=8797928194049

Here is a list of other retaining compounds along with instructions.
http://na.henkel-adhesives.com/industrial/retaining-compounds-14963.htm
Note that for ease of disassembly "If disassembly tools are not available, apply localized heat to approximately 250°C, disassemble while hot."

Still, if you had a replacement spindle that would be a longer term solution.

Grigg

Hey, folks- - - - -let's stop and consider something- - - - -if the inner bearing is not a slip fit on the spindle,

HOW IN THE WORLD IS THE HUB ASSEMBLY SUPPOSED TO BE INSTALLED? WITH A BFH, MAYBE?

Just something to consider!
Jerry

Ok, good question. Is the inner bearing cup supposed to spin on the spindle? My guess? No.

Every one I've installed in the past 50-somrething years has been able to spin on the spindle. Visible slack or wobble is a no go, but simply being able to spin the race on the spindle is the way it was designed to assemble. Have you done any measuring? I'd say a clearance of one to two thousandths would be an acceptable figure. More than that- - - -use some sort of gap filler.
Jerry

It seems to me that model uses ball brgs on the front spindle. If that is the case the inner race could be permatexed (is that a word?) to the spindle & still be assem. & disasem with out any problems.
George

Good points

Don't the ball bearings have an extended inner race that also serves as the contact point for the grease seal? If so, it definitely needs to move on and off of the spindle with the hub. To do that, it absolutely must be a slip fit on the spindle.
Jerry