The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop roller bearings to tapered bearings?

Does anyone know a replacement for roller bearings for the outside FRONT wheel bearing. I am working on a 37 1/2 ton pickup and would love to change from roller to taper bearings. Is there one out there, where? part #?...thanks for any help. I think on this project I bit off more than I can chew........sometimes

Roller and tapered are the same thing. I think you mean from ball to roller.

Best thing to do would be to get the numbers off your bearings and go to the parts store or a bearing house so they can check the cross-reference.

GMC you are right. I said I was stressed out on this. I want to go from ball bearing to tapered roller bearings. Fred, I took the # off the race and the bearing its self and went to ONE place that really couldn't tell me anything. I am going to hit NAPA probably tomorrow. In the past they have been my best resource. I just don't have one close by the house here. Any more help appreciated from someone who has experience with this.Thanks

can't cross from ball to roller w/ part numbers - hafta mic the dimensions: thickness, inner dia and outer dia, and get a good bearing specialty place to match the measurements - good luck guessing how close is close enuff!

Bill

Mr. Chimpmunk,

You are going to go from ball to tapered roller on the front OUTSIDE only..not on the inside? As Bill indicated above, all it requires is a spindle OD measurement and a hub ID measurement. I am afraid that you might have few, if any, choices on how thick (wide) the combination is.

If you have a Applied Industrial or Motion Industries store near you, you can ask them for a Timken catalog. Its dry reading, but you will be surprised how easy it is to spec your own cup and cone.

The usual question that is asked is why switch when the stock setup has performed well for so long..and your only doing the outer bearing!

Well Mr. Chipmunk, good luck at NAPA and keep everyone posted on this, bearings are a hot topic for old iron.

Stuart

As I've said before quite a few BMWs (not always a light car) use ball wheel bearings. If it's good enough for high-performance German cars, it works for me.

Automarc and GMC, I wanted to go with roller because they are more readily available???? And YOU reminded me or something I use to do years ago. I have a some friends at TIMKEN roller bearing plant which is in my nearby hometown of Gaffney. They take my bearing and if its not made there they can still get a replacement for Free....at least back then. I think Timken now requires some type proof of owning a vehicle or something but I'm sure it can still be done. The OTHER reason is that ordering from the vendors like Jcarter or AmericanCl...is that they "upcharge" for it being "old" and I can buy the replacement's usually much cheaper. Example: I can get a front set of brake shoes locally for 22.50 without shipping etc. No vendor offers them that cheap and when you add their shipping you can easily have 30 to even 50 in the same item. And yes, I get quality stuff. This is probably clear as mud now but I will let you know what I come up with today at NAPA.....Thanks for all the suggestions and comments and I may end up with originals. We will see.

The main problem with replacing the inner bearing is the grease seal, which is hard to source. Last time I got new inner bearings (at NAPA) they were in stock and cost less than $50.

Update; First I plan to only change the outside because the inside ones are good. Here is what I came up with. I checked 4 major vendors of parts and compared prices....then I found out the 57 outside bearings are the same as the outside 37 so I went to the parts store and ask for the 1957 bearing. It is BALL bearing like the inside ones so I ordered them. I beat the best vendor price by $2 and paid no shipping. I also ordered the front brake shoes at a small savings and again no shipping. I ordered all this at 7pm and had them the next day when I went by to get the parts at 3pm..... it does pay to look around and also a good parts man that will look what he has available in a book instead of just in the computer. He will be able to help me on more parts as well. Thanks to everyone for the comments, ideas, and help.....I may add one thing here. I was wondering in there was a dual master cyl for a 37 available. I did find one vendor who has a direct bolt in available in case anyone is interested. Thanks again.

Sounds like your bearing question is resolved...I was going to ask "how many times are you going to have to replace the wheel bearings in an antique truck? "

As long as the bearings are properly packed and adjusted, they should last the life of the vehicle...worry about converting to tapered roller when the ball-bearings are no longer available...

You're dead-on about finding that "good parts man"...one who's not afraid of big thick books...they're a rapidly vanishing breed...

Good luck !

Frank54,believe me I wouldn't replace the bearings except the race's are pitted and rough. They wouldn't last much longer. Your right about useing the Ball bearings as long as they can be purchased but before long they will "phase out" and the specialtiy companies will charge us what they want. I also found the Axle seals the same way and at a much better price. It just pays to do some research and homework. Time is money!!!