TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Apr 11, 2012 1:26 pm

hey guys,

I purchased some trailing arms some time ago, and they came disassembled with most of the parts. I played around with the bearings, but can't decide if they are good enough to run.

I know someone will say just get new ones...but how do you know when they are worn out?

Both my roller and ball bearings have no up and down play in them.

The ball bearing has a very slight in and out play long its rolling axis. Is this normal or does that mean it is shot?

My roller bearing inner races look good, and there is no pitting.

If anybody knows how to tell if bearings are good or bad, I would really like to know more.

Thanks!

Wed Apr 11, 2012 2:54 pm

I usually spin then by hands listening/feeling for any clicking, grinding, grating or anything I feel is inconsistent with what bearing should be .... It is a judgement call... With them cleaned really well and properly greased give them a try... IF they ( the bearings) tell you they are bad then change them...

Dale

Wed Apr 11, 2012 4:00 pm

The roller bearings come apart pretty easy so they are easy to clean up. What about the ball bearings? How do you clean them out really well?...cause I don't think they come apart...

Wed Apr 11, 2012 4:09 pm

i agree with Dale if they are in good shape they may be better than the new ones you get :roll:

You might check the fit on the outside of the bearings. For example mine appear to have a pounded hub in that i have play between the outer part of the bearings and the hub itself. I dont think it is fixable.

Wed Apr 11, 2012 4:23 pm

Yeah, I'm hopping I can reuse them because I have heard sub average things about the new ones. They seam kinda hit and miss...some great, some poor.

Quote: You might check the fit on the outside of the bearings. For example mine appear to have a pounded hub in that i have play between the outer part of the bearings and the hub itself.

What exactly do you mean by this?

Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:37 pm

What kind of bearing are they? FAG, SKF, Timkin, No Name?

If they are FAG or SKF, try to clean them and save them. FAG will be original from Germany. SKF is another really good bearing. If there is no name on the bearing, chances are they are China's best.

Dirtkeeper is saying to check the bearing housing to ensure the bearing is not loos in the housing itself. If the arms have been abused, it can sometimes beat and stretch the housing to where the bearing flops around inside the housing. (OD of the bearing to the ID of the housing fitment)

Laquer thinner and compressed air clean them well.

Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:38 pm

Thanks, Ill try the lacquer thinner and compressed air trick.

They are FAG and SKF bearings. The FAG (roller) bearings came in factory boxes, but they must have been used because they have greece in them...It looks like they have been stored for a while because the greece has hardened...unless...

They didn't come from the factory greased would they? That might explain why it was sitting so long that it hardened.

Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:49 pm

I have seen some NOS bearing come with slight grease and wrapped in a wax brown paper in their box. Dino based grease will harden after a period of time.

Try to save them, they are better than anything you can buy new today.

Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:31 am

Alright, this is good news. Thanks you guys! Ill try to get all the grease and junk out of them and see how they feel when I go back downstate after schools done in two weeks. If everything checks out I will repack them and install them once I get my trailing arms all cleaned up and whatnot. I have so many simultaneous projects right now, it could be a while before they get put back together.

Alright, now on to the seals...

I need an inner and outer seal for the stub axle...are these both the same or are they different?

Also, what is this? Do I need this, or is this for swing axles only?

Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:43 am

A IRS (69 and later) rear gasket/seal kit should have a inner and outer seal....

Kit pictured appears to be for swing axle...

Also "mineral spirits" (paint thinner) makes really good solvent as it it does not evaporate off as fast as lacquer thinner and do NOT spin bearing with air pressure, you can dry them and blow crud out but not spin them...

Dale

Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:48 am

Thanks Dale, I havent found any kits for IRS, only individual seals. Are the inner and outer seals the same, and I need two identical seals per side?...or do I need different inner and outer seals for each trailing arm?

Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:30 pm

Quote: Are the inner and outer seals the same, and I need two identical seals per side?...or do I need different inner and outer seals for each trailing arm?

:?:

Fri Apr 13, 2012 3:29 pm

IF "memory" serves me correctly the inner and outer seals are identical...

Don't remember exactly how I did it when I assembled my auto-x car a few years ago (4 maybe) ..

But seem to remember I got two "kits" and two additional seals...

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC-113-501-315

Dale

Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:08 pm

Ok, so the square gaskets are used on each side of the brake backing plates, and the large o-ring inside the bolt on cover?

What about the small o-ring?

I assume the washer is not used with the IRS?

Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:18 am

Nt to be pushy or anything...just trying to figure out exactly what I need...

Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:53 am

IRS uses the same seal on the inner housing and outer cap.

Large O-Ring seals the out side wheel bearing, outside bearing race to the cap so grease will not come out around the outside bearing and cap.

The cap seal rides on a spacer sealing the inside ID of the cap.

The small O-Ring goes behind the outer seal spacer (the outer seal spacer the the cap seals against) and the flat thin washer to seal the stub axle shaft.

So, 4 total seals on an IRS. Two metal/rubber seals, one inside, ones in the cap. Large O-Ring to seal cap to arm. Small O-Ring to seal the stub axle from leaking grease to the drum ares along its shaft.

Sun May 06, 2012 8:17 am

How much in and out play in the inner race is acceptable in the ball bearings?.. like if you hold the bearing by the outer race, and push on the inner race with your thumbs like your trying to push it out... obviously no bearing bam be perfectly tight, but how much is to much?

Sun May 06, 2012 9:17 am

The inner bearing should have no axial play. The inner race should not move in or out with respect to the outer race. The inner IRS wheel bearing is what holds the axle stub from moving in and out.

If the axle stub moves a little, it moves the drum in and out and can grind it against the backing plate.

Sun May 06, 2012 9:49 am

Alright, sounds like I am in the market for new bearings then. Thanks for the help.

Sun May 06, 2012 2:56 pm

Does anybody know anything about the use of tapered roller bearings for use in both the inner and outer bearings? I have heard some class 11 cars use them...thats all I know...