The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1941 front wheel bearings

Hello, does any one know the best way to remove the inner and outer wheel bearing races from the front drums? Thanks.

With a long punch. Tap it a little at a time, moving the punch around the bearing.

Thanks alot Cletis it worked and I got 'em out. Now the next question, putting new races back in. Tap the in with a brass hammer? Or should I pop the races in the freezer for shrinkage, so they'll drop in easier?

You need a race installer, they come in a kit of several sizes. Choose the one that fits into your race the best. You can do it with a hammer and punch, but if you miss even a little, you get to throw out the race and try again.

I am pretty sure for the outer ones I used the old race, maybe upside down to tap it in. The freezer idea seems like a good one.

Using the old ones will work just grind down to O.D. of the old one first, otherwise it gets pressed into hub as well as the new one.

The reason I mentioned the outer ones is because they were not deep enough for the old race to ge caught. I can't be sure if the inner race was similar or not.

Does the freezer idea really work. I have never tried that, but heard it mentioned a few times before.

When I'm ready to install the bearing race, I was gonna set the drum in the sun for a few hours and the race in the freezer for a few. Seems to me it should drop right in.

If nothing else, you'll burn the heck out of you hands carrying the drum to the bench and rip your lips off trying to carry the race in you mouth. At least, that would be my luck!

If it was as easy as sun and a freezer, wouldn't we all do it that way? Races need to be pressed in, if they drop in that easy your hubs are done.

Well you can believe what you want, but I tried it and it definitely helped. The race slid right in and it tightened up after the race warmed back up.

I need an inner race for my 41'. Can/should you buy just the race, or replace as a bearing race set?

You don't necessarily have to replace both sets in a hub (inboard and outboard), but it's best to replace the entire bearing assembly/set (inner race, bearing retainer with rolling elements, and outer race) when one component shows obvious signs of distress (flaking, pitting, brinnelling). When one component of a given set is failed or failing, the mating components see higher stresses and experience more "accumulated damage", even if unseen.

I just replaced the rear wheel bearing and axle half shaft in my '47 after I discovered spalling on the axle shaft. It increases the size of the job, but it's nice to know it's done right.

Have fun,

Bill

They don't "NEED" to be pressed in, heating and cooling the various pieces is much preferred to pressing any day. Although you would need to heat the hub more than sun temperature, more like 225-250 degrees. But it is much simpler, and there is no chance of scoring the various parts. We rarely use the press at work for assembly, there are a few operations that you can't heat/cool the components, but if we have the option....

So has anyone experienced the opposite end of the spectrum - race turns in the hub. Replace it, or other?

It's always best to replace the hub, but at times I have taken a sharp punch and dimpled the hub evenly all around, where the bearing race sits, and then coated with loctite sleeve and bearing retainer. This can work only if the race is only "very" slightly loose, as in that you can spin but not move it sideways in the hub.

Joe

Thanks Joe,
It is only slightly loose. A new bearing is $94 and my fear is that a new bearing won't fix the problem. The hub won't take another turning, so will get replaced eventually. Can I buy the loctite at a parts store like Napa?