Axle bearings green or standard

[AmadeusCharger500]

I am at the end stage of rebuilding the rear to my 73 charger. 8.75 with 3.55 gears. I want to purchase bearings but not sure what to get. The only difference I know is the green bearings do not need end play adjustment. Question remains in my mind that there is a drawback to the green bearings. Can't recall what that is.

[Mike DC]

 
The Green bearings don't handle lateral loads very well compared to the stock tapered roller type.  It's not a problem on a dragstrip but don't try to drift around on gravel roads with them. 

[AmadeusCharger500]

This doesn't actually affect handling right? I assume you are saying the bearing would break or stress under that sort of driving condition.

[flyinlow]

I went to the green bearings about 18K miles ago. I like the original design , however my adjuster was shot and I was going to put rear disk brakes on so I went with the green bearings. I occasionally corner hard, to the limit of the BFG's . No problems yet.

[AmadeusCharger500]

yeah I am missing some parts and don't have that adjuster.

[Chryco Psycho]

there really is no comparison , if you can use tapered roller brgs do it , the green brgs are a compromise

[elacruze]

there really is no comparison , if you can use tapered roller brgs do it , the green brgs are a compromise

The original manufacturers didn't use tapered bearings because they didn't know about standard rollers...could have saved a bit on engineering, materials and assembly if they had. I'm all for tapereds, unless you have some particular reason to change them, such as dragrace-only or can't find missing/failed parts fast enough.

[flyinlow]

 .

[b5blue]

Dr Diff has adjusters I think.

[flyinlow]

I had the axles out last year when I installed the rear disks. the  green bearings still where snug like new with about 12k on them. In retrospect I would have left the rear drums on and replaced the adjuster. The rear disk are only a marginal improvement over properly working drums and the disk parking brakes do not hold well compaired to drum parking brakes.

I would like to know how much lateral load the green bearings can take. They use a similar bearing in Ford trucks.

I planed on replacing the green bearing every 50K or so. Assuming I  drive it that much. They do make axle removal/installing very simple if you want to swap carriers. I do carry a spare bearing for long road trips. If they are like modern hub bearings that the auto manufacturers stuck us with , they go out at the most inconvenient time ( 04 Ram 1000 miles from my garage, giving less then 100 miles of warning)

Properly maintained the original tapered bearing should last the life of the vehicle. Even if its 50 years.

[Cooter]

there really is no comparison , if you can use tapered roller brgs do it , the green brgs are a compromise

[squeakfinder]

    I'm sure there's plenty of cars running around that still have the tapered bearing's that they came with from the factory. Hard to beat that for durability.

    But the one advantage I see with green bearings is if you plan on doing allot of gear swaps. It would simplify things if your not having to adjust for endplay everytime. But even then..

[AmadeusCharger500]

Its been so long since I did this. Is this the adjuster that sets the endplay?

[b5blue]

yup...

[squeakfinder]

yup...

     



   Hope this helps.



http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/techarticles/drivetrain/mopp_0404_8_3_4_rear_axle_housing_swap/photo_15.html

     

[Musicman]

    I'm sure there's plenty of cars running around that still have the tapered bearing's that they came with from the factory. Hard to beat that for durability.

    But the one advantage I see with green bearings is if you plan on doing allot of gear swaps. It would simplify things if your not having to adjust for endplay everytime. But even then..

My 67 still has the original bearings...
Where the end play adjustment is concerned... I've never understood why folks complain about it so much? I mean what's hard about it? 
Pop the axles in, adjust for Zero end play, then knock the adjuster back about 4 knotches and lock it down... Done! Whew, that was hard...

[AmadeusCharger500]

Yeah the first time I did this, I went with green bearings, 10 years ago. I was young and easily intimidated then. I think the endplay thing gets stuck in your mind as a black hole of misunderstood concept until you spend a few moments reviewing the directions and the the a-hah moment strikes. Looks like I'm going with tapered bearings. I found them from DR. diff for 100(timken) 65(standard). Can't make a decision until I get this adjuster removed as he also sells a new adjuster kit. Its a butt pain to remove it since the axle is removed from the housing. Hope I didn't damage it so far.

[xpbprox]

What's this about everyone using green bearing with their discs? Can't use the tapered ones?

[flyinlow]

I had to use green bearings with my kit.

[xpbprox]

Yeah I have wilwoods and I'm pretty sure I have to use the green ones but I have no clue as to why

[Musicman]

What's this about everyone using green bearing with their discs? Can't use the tapered ones?

Some kits require the use of green bearings... but not all.

I'll take rear drums over rear disc's any day of the week anyway, but that's me...

[John_Kunkel]

Most disc brake setups won't tolerate the axle end play recommended for tapered bearings but the front taper bearings run with no end play so why not the rears?

The main reason the Greens have become so popular even for non-disc use is because owners are becoming more lazy.

[AmadeusCharger500]

Can anyone tell me how to get this dang adjuster loose?

[squeakfinder]

The main reason the Greens have become so popular even for non-disc use is because owners are becoming more lazy.
[/quote]












Have you tried a hammer and punch to try and knock it loose?

[Chryco Psycho]

Can anyone tell me how to get this dang adjuster loose?

Heat & penetrating fluid

[AmadeusCharger500]

yep that did it!

[Chatt69chgr]

Autozone has Timken tapered bearings.

[AmadeusCharger500]

good stuff, thanks I will call them!

[AmadeusCharger500]

Autozone couldn't help. Went with Dr Diff, he added a bearing adjuster lock for $5. I'm happy. Still have to figure out how to remove the inner axle seals without owning a seal puller.

[Troy]

Autozone couldn't help. Went with Dr Diff, he added a bearing adjuster lock for $5. I'm happy. Still have to figure out how to remove the inner axle seals without owning a seal puller.

A few ways:
If you have a slide hammer, use one of the hook attachments (this is the method referred to in the FSM - once you buy the special tool)
Rent (borrow) a puller from Autozone
If you have the diff out, jam a broom handle in the other end of the axle housing and pop it out
Use a punch and whack it on one edge (this was the fastest way I found after trying for 6 hours using the other methods).

These are cheap enough that you won't want to reuse them and are a big enough pain that you don't want to disassemble it all again so don't worry about messing them up during removal.

I got one out with a sharp chisel but this is NOT recommended as you can tear up a lot of stuff this way.

Troy