Axle Bearing Retainers

[451 valiant]

Can I reuse the collar that holds the rear wheel bearings on the axle or is it junk after being pressed on and off? If I can't reuse it, anyone know where they're available? THANKS!

Oh yeah, one other question, is there supposed to be a foam gasket between the backing plate and housing or just between the axle bearing flange and backing plate? 

[sweatybetty]

that collar isnt pressed on, if i member right its heated and then slipped on. when it cools its TIGHT. seems that it has to be ground off with a grinder.

[Tom1951]

I've got to dive in here. I am in the aircraft repair business and have been to many bearing classes offered by Torrington/Fafnir and SKF. It will depend on how the bearings were installed and pulled. The axle bearings should be heated and installed with pressure on the inner race only. To remove the bearings again the inner race is the key. You need to use the correct "clamshell" style puller to pull the bearing by the inner race only. This procedure will protect the bearing balls and prevent premature failure. If the answer is yes to all the above the bearings will live upon reuse. Remember the axle bearing is a .0002 to .0005 interferance fit to the axle and a .0005 to .0009 slip fit in the housing.

[mopar_man72]

I don't mean to hi-jack someone else's thread, but I'm kind of in the same situation.  I bought a B body 8 3/4 at carlisle and need to clean it up before I can put it in the car.  there's probaly no way to repack the bearings w/ out removing them, so how do you remove and reinstal the retainer?  all I have to heat it up w/ is a propane torch......thats probaly not enough heat is it?  can new retainers be purchesed at an auto parts store, or is this a speciaty piece?  also how do I remove/ instal the axle seals?  I would like to remove them to clean the insides of the tubes.......any suggestions on cleaning methods?

[451 valiant]

I cleaned out thte inside of my housing with varsol and then rinsed it out with brake cleaner and used compressed air to blow it out. As far as the bearing retainers, I just bought new axle bearings and it comes with the retainer (collar), I figured if I was going to that work I might as well put new bearings on also. In the past I've repacked bearings with them installed on the axle and just used the grease needle attachment between the rollers, it's time consuming but saves removing the bearings. 

[dangerdawg]

grease needle works but it takes time

[mopar_man72]

grease needle works but it takes time

that would be nice if I still had ac                                     
 0,es......cat walked across the key board, sorry.  anyway, that would be good if I still had the use of the air greaser at work......thats a lot to pump by hand!