Drilling axle question

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olddog12

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I am going to have my axles drilled to the BBP, well as soon as I can find a Canadian supplier for 1/2" x 3" screw in studs.
The axle has the tapered bearing on them with the adjuster, will the bearing need to come off to redrill the axle? If so, can they be reused or do I need new ones? If I need new ones should I just get the green bearings? The car will just be a hard weekend driver if it matters.
 
Depends on your machinists set up.

I had mine drilled with the bearings on. They just taped off everything below the flange and drilled away. New studs are available from Dorman all day long.
If they have to be pressed off, clean them thoroughly, check the race/bearing to make sure they rotate smoothly together, and check the cage and bearings to make sure they are clean and pit free.
Check the races for wear marks like chattering or galling.

If they pass inspection then repack them and reuse them.
 
IMO, you can do them while on if you protect the bearing set and have sound way to hold axle center. I think preference though is to have the machining done while the bearing set is off or being replaced. Clean up the centers and check the flange face and axle run out. If they are 8-3/4" axles you should fill the old SBC holes. The closer drilled to perfect, the easier the lugs go through the wheel. Don't be cheap on the studs.
 

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It is an 8 3/4 yes. The bearings are pressed on are they not so I will see if the machine shop can do that also. When the bearing is pressed on is how can you tell how far to press it on?
 
How much is all this machine work going to cost? Would it be more cost affective to buy after market axles with the big bolt pattern and green bearings already installed.
 
I paid $100.00 to have a set done last year. That's drilling and installing of the studs.

The axle shaft has a shoulder that the bearing race rests against.
 
Thanks momoparman. seems pretty simple. Perhaps I will just take the bearing off anyway to inspect in to make things easier.

Andy, the shipping along with our current dollar, new axles would be costly. The machine shop told me 100$ to do both.

Thanks guys.
 
Green bearings suck.

Until you have a set go bad that's just an opinion. When they first came out, there was an issue with them. Since then they have improved the design and there are o more issues. I have had them on 3 cars and never had a problem.

Moser and all the rest of the big boys use the green bearings.

Show us some data to prove your comment is more than just ignorance.

Here is some good reading material for you straight from Dr. Diff


Why Green Bearings?

Drawbacks of the OEM design

An OEM adjustable, Set 7 (A7) tapered wheel bearing is definitely strong but it is has a few drawbacks.

The bearing is flipped around backward, so the race is captive between it and the axle flange. This means the bearing must float in the housing end and requires an adjuster, thrust block or thrust pin. Of course, an adjuster, thrust block or thrust pin must pass through the center of the differential. A hole drilled in the cross shaft of a 4 pinion carrier creates a stress riser that is prone to breaking. A 2 pinion carrier allows the thrust block to pass around it unobstructed, but the 2 pinion design also limits the differential’s strength.

Axle spline engagement also suffers because the width of the thrust block (which must have room to slide side to side) protrudes into the splined area of the side gears. This limits spline engagement in differentials with a 2 piece cone or clutch-hub/side gear arrangement.

Beaded steel and foam gaskets don’t keep water from running into the housing end and into the non-sealed wheel bearing. Don’t forget to check your pickup’s A7 wheel bearings if you ever back a boat into the water.

Axle flange stand-out is not held constant unless you blueprint the axle lengths. Measure the axle flange stand-out on both sides of any stock 8 3/4″ rearend. Because of production tolerances, a single adjuster causes the axle flange to stick out farther on 1 side than the other.

The length of both axles, and the housing width is critically dependent on each other. Because everyone uses tape measurements to specify axle and housing lengths, making a set of axles with adjustable set 7 wheel bearings for a custom application is very hard. Axle flange standout varies greatly unless the axles are cut long, installed then blue printed to length.



The need for non-adjustable wheel bearings

Most of these problems can be avoided by installing non-adjustable sealed ball “Green” wheel bearings. The name comes from the Green Bearing Company which first produced them. The company has since been purchased by Bearing Technologies.

Unfortunately, the original Mopar Green wheel bearing design has 2 problems.

First generation (RP-400) Green bearings, still sold by Mopar Performance and others, are problematic because the crimped-on flange will not allow the bearing to wiggle around inside a housing that is not perfectly straight (none are).

In addition, the design causes the axle to be inserted DEEPER into the housing than necessary. This results in pre-loading against the differential thrust block and early bearing failure.

Second generation (MO-400) snap-ring style Green bearings are forgiving because they can move around inside the housing and they do not preload the differential thrust block in a stock application.

Most guys who have problems with Green bearings are running the RP-400 first generation version or incorrectly made aftermarket axles or housings or poorly designed rear disc brake kits, all of which cause pre-loading and premature bearing failure.

I have several customers running MO-400 snap-ring Green bearings in daily drivers. The design is no different than what came stock in millions of other vehicles, including ’60s era Mopar 7.25″ and Ford 9″ rears. (For example, see here) I do not stock, nor do I recommend the first generation RP-400 Green bearing with the crimped-on 5 hole retainer. I only carry the “loose fit, snap ring style” second generation MO-400 design.

http://www.doctordiff.com/green-bearings-pair.html
 
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