Swivel Hubs, Wheel Bearings, & Damn Snap Ring
Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 18, 2006 at 18:26
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dicko1980
I've have just done the swivel hub and wheel bearings on my Coil Cab and had a extremely difficult time trying to fit the snap ring on the ends of the axle over the drive clutches. I tried everything possible and to no avail. I pulled down both sides repeatedly and put them back together and still made no difference. I read all the posts looking for advice and tried everything suggested but still no results, and am suspicious that it could be the aftermarket bearings. But they were quality Koyo ones and the swivel hub kit was Maxi Trac. In the end I had to machine 2mm off the drive clutches to fit the snap rings on, time was against me as I had being doing this for three days and I needed the car back for work. This resulted in a tight fit. I went for a drive after putting it back together and there were no problems, so my question is will this affect anything in the future?
Reply By: Bilbo - Tuesday, Apr 18, 2006 at 22:03
Tuesday, Apr 18, 2006 at 22:03
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
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167681
Follow Up By: kesh - Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006 at 14:24
Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006 at 14:24
They are (can be) a bugger. Easy way is to screw a stud into the thread in the axle end (8mm from memory) so you can hold it out.
Also grinding a very small vee in the ends of the snapring makes it easier for the pliers to open it without it jumping off and disappearing into the vegetation
kesh
FollowupID:
423012
Reply By: dicko1980 - Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006 at 17:51
Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006 at 17:51
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.
AnswerID:
167851