Axle Housing Condition Help!

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Joined
Feb 1, 2016
Messages
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Location
Va
My Car
72 Mach 1
My 72 had been sitting in a garage since 1985 and it literally had only been rolled onto tow beds since I got it two years ago.  I am slowing getting it back on the road but I've only gone a few miles -- I hear a consistent scrape, scrape, scape sound from the passenger side rear that sounded more like bearing than a rubbing brake/out of round drum.  It increases and decreases with speed.

So I finally pulled the axles yesterday to check the bearings and I noticed that the passenger bearing collar is much smaller than the driver's side and it looks like it's dug a groove in the collar race area in the housing.    I've put pics below to show the driver and passenger axles and housings.  The bearings seem ok even though they are at least 30 years old.  I bought new ones today but the collars are much too small.  The bearings seem correct and they slide all of the way down.    I picked up the RW-207-CCRA bearings.

Here are my questions:

1.  Is the original passenger collar correct?    

2.  Does only the collar get pressed on?  Does the bearing slide on without being pressed?

3.  If I get the correct collar, is the housing so chewed up that I'll just need a new housing?  I got a seal to check how well a new one would fit and it looks like only 50% of the collar would seat.   After the groove, nothing would touch until the bearing.

Any help is welcome!

Passenger side:



Passenger side axle:



Driver side:



Driver side axle:



 
So I will go from memory on this to see if I can help.

1) I think your drivers side collar looks more original.  Mine was a solid ring like your drivers side.

2)  Yes, the bearing should slide on pretty easily and is retained by the collar that is pressed on.  Take it to a machine shop to have the old pressed off and the new pressed on.

3)  I think you should be fine with the housing you show.  The axle bearing should fit pretty tight in the outer step of the housing.  Since the collar is pressed on to the axle it theoretically should not touch the housing.  There should be clearance between the collar and the housing.  It looks like the wear on your housing is from a failed bearing  Where the collar wore on the housing.

Hope that helps.

kcmash

 
So I will go from memory on this to see if I can help.

1) I think your drivers side collar looks more original.  Mine was a solid ring like your drivers side.

2)  Yes, the bearing should slide on pretty easily and is retained by the collar that is pressed on.  Take it to a machine shop to have the old pressed off and the new pressed on.

3)  I think you should be fine with the housing you show.  The axle bearing should fit pretty tight in the outer step of the housing.  Since the collar is pressed on to the axle it theoretically should not touch the housing.  There should be clearance between the collar and the housing.  It looks like the wear on your housing is from a failed bearing  Where the collar wore on the housing.

Hope that helps.

kcmash
Thanks for the response!  So, I guess just a basic question...

Does the collar need to fit into the housing as shown on my driver's side and be a tight fit?  Or is it just the bearing that takes the load and the collar just holds it on the axle?

 
Yep I believe that is correct.  When you "seat" your axle in the housing, you are pressing the bearing in for a snug fit.  the only contacts should be the seal to the axle, the bearing to the housing, and the spline engagement.

This is how I remember doing it:

http://www.diyford.com/disassemble-ford-9-inch-axles-brake-drum-axle-shafts/

I don't think you press the bearings on or off, but I do remember the cold chisel trick to cut the ring for removal.  I just found it best to go to the speed shop and have them do the whole thing since they have the press to complete the job.

 
Yep I believe that is correct.  When you "seat" your axle in the housing, you are pressing the bearing in for a snug fit.  the only contacts should be the seal to the axle, the bearing to the housing, and the spline engagement.

This is how I remember doing it:

http://www.diyford.com/disassemble-ford-9-inch-axles-brake-drum-axle-shafts/

I don't think you press the bearings on or off, but I do remember the cold chisel trick to cut the ring for removal.  I just found it best to go to the speed shop and have them do the whole thing since they have the press to complete the job.
Awesome!  I have all of the parts I need then.  Thanks again for the help!

 
I have put many bearings on 9" axles and the bearing should also have some press fit to it. I do not like to press the old bearings off the pressure can explode the outer race on the bearing so wrap rags around just in case. I usually take a cutting torch and cut the outer off and take a cut on the inner and throw cold water on and it cracks then it will fall off. I cool the axle off before putting the new one on.

I have loaded a Ford van I had so heavy in the back that both axles pushed out until the tires hit the body. Another time it started shearing the lug bolts off going down interstate and axles were coming out. I carried extra bearings in that van because I loaded it so heavy and they would break. I change one once in Montana sitting in the Ford dealers parking lot. The outer race had split and they loaned me a puller to get the piece out. When doing road side repairs I did use cold chisel but wear safety glasses. I would heat the inner race with propane torch to make it expand then use the chisel. I carried a piece of pipe that fit over the axle and rested on the inner race to hammer them on in emergency repairs.

I think your housing is shot. Those bearings should fit snug in the housing. When they press the bearings on they should only press on the inner race some guys do not do that. If you press on the outer race it damages the balls or race and will cause early failure.

 
Thanks for the help everyone!  I took the axles to a local garage, got the bearings pressed on, and installed the axles a few hours ago.  The noise is gone and the car has no noises from the rear end!   Of course it was dark and now my front turn signals don't work but the interior dash lights blink, and the rears blink.  I guess this is a perpetual project!  :)



 
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