Green Bearings VS. Timken Stockers 8 3/4

[daredevil]

Who has lost an axle with green bearings because of bearing failure? Really that should be the poll.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Axle end play adjustment: First you want to have the non adjustable side all the way tight against the backing plate. Then tighten the adjuster side until there is resistance in turning the adjuster. It's preferable to move the adjuster with a spanner but alternatively you can use a 1/4" pin punch and a hammer. Just don't beat the snot out of the teeth and you will be fine - and if you don't have it too tight not a lot of force will be required to bump it around.

Make the adjustment until you get about .060" end play and tighten the flange and recheck the end play. You will loose some when the flange is tightened so remeasure and see what you got. To move the adjuster nut you will have to loosen the plate a little so do the best to gauge how much you will need to adjust in order to compensate for the end play change as you tighten the flange. The end result should be .008" - .018" end play but I have heard a little tighter like .005" won't hurt anything. If it's too loose you will damage the seal in the plate and at minimum the radial axle movement will be beyond the seals elastic range causing it to leak. Drive around the block and recheck it.

 

[kb67mopar]

Thank you sir!. I have an old somewhat generic service manual somewhere which may have some of that too. It will probably be a little bit before it gets all back together as I need to have a couple of plates machined to replace the flange where the brakes used to be since I am going to come up with my own rear disk package.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Who has lost an axle with green bearings because of bearing failure? Really that should be the poll.

Then you'd have people makin **** up that didn't happen just to try to bolster their opinion.

 

[Budnicks]

I prefer the Tappered style bearings, when ever possible, unless you go to Disc Brake's then the Green "style" Bearing is usually required...

 

[moparmarks]

I had a little chat with Cass, Dr Diff, at the MATS this last spring about Green bearnings.
There are 2 types. Old and newer. The old ones the bearing and plate was one piece. The later ones they are 2 piece. The one piece does not allow any floatation of the axle to the housing. If the axle is off by 1* in the housing then this puts alot of wear on the one piece units. Mostly when cornering. The newer 2-piece ones allow for some float between the axle and housing so they handle corner better and last longer.

 

[Cranky]

Never heard of anyone losing an axle with the Greens but have read where several had quick bearing wear. That might have been because of the early design. On the other hand, a buddy with a 67 Fairlane lost an axle on a stock 8" rear....with stock bearings.

 

[mosquito13]

so anyone running the mopar performance bearing kit? http://www.jegs.com/i/Mopar+Performance/312/P5249444/10002/-1

 

[Cranky]

That's pretty much what the Green bearing setup is....

 

[kb67mopar]

thats the 1 piece design somebody pointed out fails quicker because it doesn't tolerate any misalignment.

***Update****
Just an FYI the stock roller bearings are $38 a piece, seals are $15 a piece and shop labor for the pressing etc is $35 an axle.

So $88 a side for stock bearings (or at least that's what I paid)

 

[lemondana]

Back in the early 80's when I first saw they came out, I thought-good deal! Bought a pair for my 69 Coronet R/T, about a year later I picked up a 69 Barracuda that I had Moser shorten some C Body axles for, Put another set on. Bought a 73 Swinger for a daily driver that I put an A Body 8 3/4 in, put another set in. I believe these were all purchased from different vendors. The R/T bearings started rumbling at about 4000 miles, the Barracuda about 5 or 6000 miles, and the Swinger at around 8000 miles. I thought to myself-what pieces of crap! I will never use another set on the street as long as I live! Timkins only for me!

 

[kb67mopar]

I just wanted to take the time to say thank you for everybody's participation in the poll and your accounts. It was very helpful and I am somewhat surprised by how close the poll actually is...basically 50/50. But the summation of what I see here is:

Street/Autocross - Tapered roller w/adjuster
Drag Strip - Green Bearings

 

[500special]

If we tear down these old tapered units and replace bearings, gear oil dependent bearings that is;
we best make sure to change and clean out that housing spotless of any metal debris or our
new tapered bearings will fail in short order. The set up is also labor and service intensive, although if you get it right, preload with a cleaned out housing your good to go.
For this labor intensive factor alone and for ease of service in future I put in press on "green bearings." ( 489 / 8.75 /w Auburn )
500 Special

 

[bluefury]

I looked at the pros and cons of both green and tapered bearings when I changed them on my 65 Coronet and installed the OEM style tapered. To many unanswered questions about the green bearings.

 

[440amf]

I personally will always use tapered, NOS Timkens if I can get them. Adjusting end play is easy as long as the last guy didn't air wrench the flange nuts without checking where the end play adjuster was and distort it. I do believe the Green bearings to be adequate but will never buy any as long as I can get good quality OEM type. It's kind of a piece of mind thing too, like using a 30-06 for deer hunting rather than a 30-30 if there is a choice.

 

[Cranky]

If we tear down these old tapered units and replace bearings, gear oil dependent bearings that is;
we best make sure to change and clean out that housing spotless of any metal debris or our
new tapered bearings will fail in short order. The set up is also labor and service intensive, although if you get it right, preload with a cleaned out housing your good to go.
For this labor intensive factor alone and for ease of service in future I put in press on "green bearings." ( 489 / 8.75 /w Auburn )
500 Special

The stock tapered bearings are not supposed to see any gear oil. If they are, the seals are bad.

 

[kb67mopar]

yup supposed to use bearing grease only, if you get gear oil in them you will wash out the grease and burn up the bearing.

and to the comment of cleaning out everything from the housing, I actually washed it out with my garden hose before assembly...of course I blew out all the residual water... but ended up beautifully clean. Now if only my machine shop had packed my bearings with grease before he pressed them on the axle...its hard getting those well packed already on the axle.

 

[GrabberOrange69]

Axle end play adjustment: First you want to have the non adjustable side all the way tight against the backing plate. Then tighten the adjuster side until there is resistance in turning the adjuster. It's preferable to move the adjuster with a spanner but alternatively you can use a 1/4" pin punch and a hammer. Just don't beat the snot out of the teeth and you will be fine - and if you don't have it too tight not a lot of force will be required to bump it around.

Make the adjustment until you get about .060" end play and tighten the flange and recheck the end play. You will loose some when the flange is tightened so remeasure and see what you got. To move the adjuster nut you will have to loosen the plate a little so do the best to gauge how much you will need to adjust in order to compensate for the end play change as you tighten the flange. The end result should be .008" - .018" end play but I have heard a little tighter like .005" won't hurt anything. If it's too loose you will damage the seal in the plate and at minimum the radial axle movement will be beyond the seals elastic range causing it to leak. Drive around the block and recheck it.

I stayed with the tapered bearing - and used MeepMeep's technique. Thanks, it was easy!

 

[Cornpatch MO]

yup supposed to use bearing grease only, if you get gear oil in them you will wash out the grease and burn up the bearing.

and to the comment of cleaning out everything from the housing, I actually washed it out with my garden hose before assembly...of course I blew out all the residual water... but ended up beautifully clean. Now if only my machine shop had packed my bearings with grease before he pressed them on the axle...its hard getting those well packed already on the axle.

I just installed timpkin bearings that are well packed with grease. I did not put extra grease in between the inner seal and the bearing. How many miles before I need to pack them again?................MO

- - - Updated - - -

Why have there been problems with the Green bearing set up? I can see if the wrong bearing is used ( like a substitue for the Mopar bearing) or faulty installation. I figger , why take a chance when I know the timpkin bearing WILL hold up. It's no biggie to adjust the axle end play, so I will stick with what I know works. ..............MO

 

[Cornpatch MO]

Still wondering how long before timpkin bearings need to be re-packed?

Also, I would be leery about not knowing what the axle end play actually is, with green bearings..................MO