Rear wheel bearings

[bearbvd@domain.elided (Greg Hermann)]

Hi All--

It would seem that Tom's 44 rear axle is DIFFERENT than the type used in
the Scout 800's.

Never had seen this design in an IHC before.

It goes together pretty much like the 800 kind, as detailed last night,
with the following differences:

The hub flanges are of one piece with the axle.

The wheel bearing inner race bore is straight, not tapered.

The wheel bearing presses onto the axle shaft from the splined end, and is
retained by a retaining ring. These rings are a VERY heavy press fit on the
shaft. should be heated in warm oil (180 degrees?) before trying to
install. Should be drilled and broken to remove before trying to remove the
bearing in a press.
Never re-use the retaining rings. Ya gotta remove and replace the bearing
if ya wanna install a new outer grease seal in the seal holder. A new INNER
seal is a lot easier, and should always be done when an axle is pulled,
since the inner sealis the one that stops the gear oil, and is mostly
responsible for keeping your brakes oil free.

The two axles bear against each other in the middle of the differential
(using the same devices as described yesterday) so as to establish an end
play setting between the two bearings.

No reason a Lock-Rite will not work in this type of axle--just remove the
block that goes between the axle ends when you pull the spider gear shaft,
and reinstall it  on the same shaft when you put the Lock-Rite in.
I have done exactly this in a Volvo D 30 rear of the same design, with a
Lock-Rite, and it works fine.

"BIG NUT" (on the passenger side) is the means for adjusting the wheel
bearing end play. No shims.

While it is apart, clean up the nut, free it up with WD40 or whatever, and
unscrew it a good ways outward.
Install both axles, bearings and all, and torque up the backing
plate/bearing retainer bolts in the usual manner. There will be noticeable
end play in the bearings if you backed the big nut out far enough.

When both sides are together, begin tightening the big nut inward against
the outer race of the bearing outer race on its side of the axle. If yours
looks like the ones (not IHC) which I have seen, the tip of a large
screwdriver, or the chisel tip of a tire iron inserted into the slots in
the big nut is an appropriate tool for turning it. (Now you know why you
cleaned the nut and its threads up, and WDed them!) Setting the bearing end
play with the big nut has the same sort of feel to it as setting front
wheel bearing end play on a 2wd vehicle. Make sure you get all the end play
out, and then try to get it set pretty close to zero. No excessive preload
should be used. There is usually some sort of a device (cotter key was
mentioned??) to insert into one of the slots in the big nut so as to keep
it from rotating and screwing up your end play setting.

Assemble brakes and drums. Don't forget to put the wheels on! (with tires
mounted!) :-)

Hope this helps!!

Regards, Greg