Swivel Hubs, Wheel Bearings, & Damn Snap Ring

Dicko,

I used to have the same - but opposite problem on my old Maverick ute. Those snap rings are a nightmare to get back on - especially if the ends are a bit worn. However, my problem was casued by the drive shaft slipping back inside the clutch assembly by about 0.5 mm. Thus the groove that holds the snap ring all but disappeared as I tried put the snap ring in place. It was fiddle to get it on but I could do if I didn't lose my cool!

It's that long since I did this, I'm having trouble remembering the bearing set up but here's my advice - based on a hazy memory!

It seems like the bearings could be a tad oversize as you suggest and now you have the opposite problem to the one I had. It seems that you've done the right thing in machining the clutch end faces. You could try putting a vernier on the new bearings and comparing them with the old ones - assuming you haven't binned 'em - but that would mean stripping 'em out again. I can't see it causing a problem as the drive shafts float at the diff end with only the snap ring to stop it actually going too far into the diff.

Are you sure that the steel clutch slip rings - it looks like a thin flange inside the alloy clutch housing and the clutch asembly fits into it - are fully home in the alloy housing? This could cause the clutch to be a bit proud.

Were the wheel bearing housings immaculately clean when you put the inner bearing tracks into the housings? Any chance of a bit of grit getting stuck behind the track?

Was the problem the same on both sides? If so, it looks like the bearing were oversize. If not, then it could be an assembly problem on one side only.

Bilbo

Axles on both sides were the same distance poking through the clutch assemblies. I never measured the old bearings as I binned them straight up and I didn't think to compare the chamfer on the inside of the bearings against the old ones before installing them.