rear axle bearings

[firman]

i pulled my rear axles out and have roller bearings, first i ever saw this as all my other broncos have tapered bearing. can i replace the rollers with a tapered bearing with no issues.

[TheUnforgiven]

rears are supposed to be rollers. only fronts are tapered on these trucks. No you cannot switch them if you are to keep the rear axle semi-float. a full float kit ($$$), i believe, creates the opportunity to use tapered rollers. However, for stock application this isn't feasible.

[TheUnforgiven]

The bearing assembly in a 9inch rear end (assuming you're working on one of your 79's) is one piece that is pressed on to the axle shaft. The bearing should come out of the housing ON the shaft as one piece.

[firman]

yes, but as you know when you pull the axle the race stays in the housing which requires a puller to remove. this is a ball type roller bearing on the axle not the tapered roller i have always seen, i was just wondering about it. i have other axles and will see if i can use one with the tapered bearing. it is just unusual and was inquiring whether anyone else had expierienced this.

[BigBud]

There should be a kit to do it. Look at some sites for the early broncos and you should be able to find it. What's your problem with the ball roller bearings?

Edit: looks like machining and/or some different parts are needed for the change over. A quick google pulled up a few good results. Here is one that is a fair explaination: http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/88...-bearings.html

[TheUnforgiven]

Originally Posted by firman

yes, but as you know when you pull the axle the race stays in the housing which requires a puller to remove. this is a ball type roller bearing on the axle not the tapered roller i have always seen, i was just wondering about it. i have other axles and will see if i can use one with the tapered bearing. it is just unusual and was inquiring whether anyone else had expierienced this.

The 9 inch i pulled apart had the bearings come out in one assembly, still pressed onto the axle. There was nothing in the housing, nothing to pull.

I asked a friend who knows a LOT about 9 inch axles and he concurred with my statement.

[aic]

I purchased a craigslist 9 inch from a 79 150 and when I pulled the axles out, one came out in one piece(as pictured above) and the other came out with the race staying inside the housing. I mentioned it to the machine shop that I brought it to to have the new bearings pressed on and he made it sound like the replacements were one piece while the originals had the race stay in the housing. The new bearings he pressed on are one piece, with the races attached, and he told me to pull the old race out and toss it. FWIW my 86(still 9", not the 8.8) had both races stay in the housing when I pulled the axles.

[Alvin in AZ]

As you guys already done fiNgured out, there's two different bearing/seal
setups on Ford9inch axles. :)

-------------------------------

BKW (Number Dummy) from FTE sez:
1974/79 F100 & 1975/79 F150 could have the axle bearing/seal
combination, or the seal separate from the bearing. All 1957/73's
have the separate seal.

These bearings have BIN's (Bearing Industry Numbers) marked on
them, used by every autoparts store.

Axle bearing/seal combo:
D4AZ-1225-A .. Axle Bearing/Seal / BIN: U-399-A
D4AZ-1177-A .. Seal only
---------
D8AZ-1225-B .. Axle Bearing BIN: F-208-HL
(replaced: C9AZ-1225-A, C1SZ-1225-A & B)
EOTZ-1S177-CA .. Axle Seal
(replaced: EOTZ-1177-C, C9AZ-1177-A, B7A-1177-A)

Alvin in AZ

[woolf]

The bearing set sold at Autozone and NAPA have a sealed bearing. My 9" has the separate bearing and race. It came stock this way and when I replaced the axles a year-and-half ago they were the same separate bearing and race assembly, which I cannot seem to find.

Is there a trick to installing the sealed bearing set? I can't imagine having to beat the axle into place to seat the bearing, and nut-tightening with the flange seems hardly a durable setup. any tips would be appreciated!

Jim

[Alvin in AZ]

Originally Posted by woolf

The bearing set sold at Autozone and NAPA have a sealed bearing. My 9" has
the separate bearing and race. It came stock this way and when I replaced
the axles a year-and-half ago they were the same separate bearing and race
assembly, which I cannot seem to find.

Is there a trick to installing the sealed bearing set? I can't imagine having to
beat the axle into place to seat the bearing, and nut-tightening with the flange
seems hardly a durable setup. any tips would be appreciated!
Jim

Call the other-auto-parts stores and ask for a "set 20" tapered bearing set?
My notes say the seal number's 3195 but I believe it's included in the box
with the "set 20".

'75 F100 parts truck came with one side original "set 20" tapered bearing
(gear oil) and other side had the one-piece-sealed-bearing (grease packed)
with the separate seal behind it.

BKW sez they are interchangeable. (?)

The sealed ball bearing came out with the axle (outer race and all) and left
the seal inside the housing. You can change that-seal without a press.

The older "set 20" tapered bearing leaves the outer race in the housing but
the seal is trapped under the retaining collar and bearing so the bearing gets
gear oil. At least that's how I 'member it. ;)

Pressing a new-axle-retainer on the new axles was an eye opener for me.
My 8 ton bottle jack couldn't do it, had to use the 20 ton.
I'm going to get help with that-part next time. ;)
I can drive and hour to Willcox and -save- time. ;)

Alvin in AZ
ps- x2 E's post #11. :)

[ehummelman]

Also keep in mind that if you are going from sealed ball bearings to tapered bearings you need to make sure you pull out the inner axle seals (near the 3rd member). Otherwise your new tapered bearings won't get any lube.