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INNER WHEEL BEARING WON'T SLIDE ON SPINDLE-Timken Set 37

2K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  OX1 
#1 ·
Anybody have trouble trying to slide the hub/rotor on a Dana 44 spindle??
Went to push it on and it just jammed way before the dust shield/caliper bkt.
Had to rip it off with a crowbar-damaging the seal and bearing cage.WTF!!
Has anyone else ever had a similar situation.??-Took the other good bearing for the other side and tried it by hand with the spindle oiled up.-and still binds up at the step of the rear race of the spindle. Rotated it on the spindle and found the sweet spot where she did slide on-But how will I do this when its packed with grease and in the hub??
The inner bearing is the Timken Set 37 that is giving me the problem.
Has the spindle swelled??-or are they making smaller bearings???lol

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!-thanks
 
#4 ·
Hi guys -did some research online and there is a bunch of articles up online about the same situation for others-and not just the Broncos either.But I did see allot of Timken bearings being the ones that bind up .There was even a guy who bought a brand new spindle and bearing and had the same issue.-oh well -will try the emery cloth /400 paper trick before I ruin another seal and bearing -boy this could turn out to be a very expensive rebuild!-Can't wait to try the other side:unsure:-wish me luck

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#5 ·
I’ve never personally had that issue, but I would think the problem lies in the spindle. How does the needle bearing on the inside of the spindle look? The one that supports the axle shaft as it passes through the spindle. It’s possible something bad happened to it and caused the spindle to swell. Or maybe a burr raised out of the keyway for the locking washer for the spindle nut? I’ve seen that happen before, though not bad enough to jam the bearing that much, just enough to give it a tight spot
 
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#6 ·
I had this problem back in the day when I broke a lot of stub shafts. All the broken junk in there would egg out the spindle, making the inner bearing impossible to get on/off. But it sounds like your problem is just typical Chinese engineering. I'd Mic out the new bearings and old spindles to see where you are at. If your old spindles are trash, I should have an original set I could Mic for you, see what they were really supposed to be.
 
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#7 ·
Hi guys -gave it another go-old spindle and new Timken 37 bearing- lots of Lucas red n tacky-push straight on and when you get to the lip for inner which you will feel-then just a little jilt-like to giveit a nudge over the step and next thing you know-its On!

So it only cost me one inner and a seal-but it did go just when you thought all was lost.- I just can't explain it guys but there is a hair difference in the OEM Dana spindles of the day and the Timken bearings of today. I have had hands on experience -it does go on!!-I don't think I'll even try to see if it will come off.

Just like Nick said -I thought the spindle had swelled after all these years or developed a high spot unseen by the naked eye.I remember changing rotors before years ago(not a daily driver)-and I never ever! remember having a problem sliding hubs on and tightening wheel bearings. This was quite an awakening experience-you will actually think you have the wrong bearings.
Clean everything and take your time-this is a wide awake day job and not a tired late night one.
 
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#8 ·
You can take a thousand off the inside of a bearing if you need to. I take quite a bit off them to make "setup" bearings when doing R & P on Dana's and Fords.
They start off as press on/off only, but I make them inot slide on/off to be able to keep changing shims. Then I use a new unmodified set upon final assembly, after
I know what shims I want.
 
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