The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 54 1 Ton 3800 front wheel bearings

i am currently reworking a 54 3800 1 ton and would like to change the front wheel bearings(ball bearings) to newer style tapered bearings. Does anyone have any idea what tapered bearings would fit or any suggestions? Thanks!

There isn't any off the shelf bearings that work without machinig your hub or spindle down. Some of the vendors like Chev's of the 40's and Classic Truck Parts carry Japanese MBS bearings which will work.

To be quite honest, the oem ball bearing style work quite well too. They've been in your truck for 60 years already!

My MBS bearings:

http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/w...mp;_suid=1373921021800026434529687036323

CAUTION- long winded post advisory

I have what I think is a solution to the wheel bearing and disk brake issues.
I have a '51 1 ton single wheel pickup. I worked this out on paper but have not tried it. I have since bought a '48 GMC 1/2 ton long WB chassis and have ordered one of Scott Danforth's IRS cross members and will mount my body on this chassis.

This modification will not alter the sock GM spindles.
The solution I worked out is as follows:
purchase 2 #42 weld on trailer spindles without brake flanges. These are 7000 lb spindles. The bearings are much larger than the stock GM ones.
Machine out the INTERIOR of the spindles to match the dimentions of the GM spindles.
Remove the threads from the #42 spindles and cut them to length.
Secure the modified #42 spindles to the GM spindles with Locktite green sleeve sealant.
Buy 2 7000 lb trailer idler hubs (8 lug 6" bolt circle).
Buy 2 7000 lb trailer bearing and seal sets.
You will use your original spindle washer and nut.
Use top hat brake rotors from a GM 4WD front.
Use calipers from same truck.
You will have to fabricate caliper mounting brackets.

Feel free to use this idea or any part of it.
Since I haven't made this modification I am curios to know if it works.

Cliff

Cliff- I've actually thought of the trailer axle/spindle idea. There's no manufactures that guarantee their hubs for steer axle use. Secondly, the weld on spindle idea. The knuckle actually narrows down behind the stock spindle, it doesn't leave alot of meat on the bone for welding.

Timken actually has a couple tapered bearings that are 1.5" ID and 3.15 OD that will fit the OEM hub. They require the use of a bushing for the seal to ride on though.

As far as the outer goes, Timken only has bearings that are slighty smaller than the original. The spindle would need turned down and new threads cut for the nut.

Spindles:

http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/w...&_suid=13748878880650470017803089918

http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/whitedog76/media/P1020357.jpg.html?sort=6&o=45

Whitedog,

"There's no manufactures that guarantee their hubs for steer axle use."

I would expect as much. After all who would voluntarily give someone an excuse to sue themselves.Having compared a Dexter hub next to the GM hub I think they would work just fine, however, I would not use them because of the weight. These hubs weight 20lb each. My plan was to get some 8" aluminum billet and machine my own (owning a lathe comes in real handy).

"Secondly, the weld on spindle idea."

Poor wording on my part.I did not mean to say that they should be welded to the GM spindles. They would be machined into sleeves with a snug slip fit over the old GM spindles and secured in place with Locktite sleeve sealer. The spindles are sold as "weld on" because they are meant to be welded into the axle tubing when fabricating an axle.My idea was to have the ability to remove the sleeves and return the original GM spindles to there original condition.

"Timken actually has a couple tapered bearings..."

My goal was to find a bearings that were readily available without having to special order them.

"The spindle would need turned down..."

I did not want to permanently modify the original spindles and make them useless to a future restorer.

Again this idea won't be used by me since I have a another chassis to mount my body on. Once I get the body off, the old 1 ton chassis will be available if anyone is interested.

Cliff[b][/b]

Cliff, the Timken bearings I mentioned are actually run-of-the-mill. I don't have the part numbers right now, but I remember the inner bearing was used by Ford AND Lamborghini for years. The outer bearing is just .030 smaller ID than the OEM.

There really isn't any easy way of going to tapered bearing, other than the MBS I mentioned in an earlier post. But, there really isn't anything wrong with the ball bearings either.

Whitedog,
"There really isn't any easy way of going to tapered bearing,"
YEP, that sums it up in a nutshell.

Several ways to do it. MBS bearings (are these still available?), shortened P-30 axle, turned spindles, custom hubs, and i think someone even used a vintage 2 1/2ton GM axle and mated modern p-30 spindles to it. But all require modification, machine work or welding. All costly and time consuming.

If I'd known about the dearth of parts for the HD chassis going in I might not have bought a 1 ton but, with my find of the 1/2 ton GMC and Scotts cross member it's all good. Of course, I'm doing a retro rod. For someone doing a restoration it's a different story.

The biggest problem with the ball bearings is cost. Those things are pricy.

Cliff

czechaholic,

As Whitedog says, no easy way.
Good luck with your project.

Cliff