Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Hi,


I'm planning on removing the 1940 rearend from my 32 in the months to come to do a variety of jobs on it. One of the tasks I may do is replace the wheel bearing race or races depending on what condition they are in. I know the left side was not the greatest but didn't take pictures when I assembled it so not sure what I'll find and whether I have a line of pits all the way across the surface.



Are there any Mainers that have a good machine shop source. i live in the mid-coast area and found one shop online located in Ellsworth which would be a reasonable drive for me. I also PM'd Walt Dupont but know he doesn't frequent here any more and relies on his daughter for email help. This is the place I found but a good shop around Brunswick or Portland would be better. I'm looking for a proven quality shop for obvious reasons.



https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&u act=8&ved=2ahUKEwjy_sOXur3oAhXuc98KHVIGDyMQFjAAegQ IARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mainemachineshop.com%2 F&usg=AOvVaw08Z6Pk0jIuqEJkdJkaqmFx

Glenn

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

It takes a big machine, whether a lathe or grinder to swing that end of the housing due to how far the spring hanger sticks out. Someone I talked to, the machine shop they had theirs done cut the hangers off and welded them back on so be careful.
I wonder if a place that grinds big diesel crankshafts could take the bad surface off, shrink fit a new sleeve and polish to correct dimension?

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Yes, and I wouldn’t even consider cutting and reselling the hangers. We have a lot of diesel powered ships here so the shop I referenced may have the capability. I haven’t contacted them yet.

Thanks,
Glenn

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Spell check, argh ... rewelding

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Glenn.... pm’ed you some info...Mark

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

You dont need a super large lathe. About a 18" swing. I ve done them with a carbide tool bit. Center the bell end in a 4 jaw chuck and made a pilot for the wheel bearing end. And dial it in. Takes longer to set it up then maching it

You need to get the replacement sleaves from the columbia rear guy which a thinner then the ones mac sells. Interference fit and press them on

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Glenn, Give the Boothbay Railway Museum a call. I believe they have a good sized lathe that they use for machining locomotive parts. Besides being railroad buffs they are also vintage car guys and they might be willing to help you out. Also try Jim Fortin in Augusta 207 623 4154. I know Walt used to use him extensively for machine work and balancing. Bearing Specialties or Motion Industries in Westbrook and Portland could most likely fix you up with the sleeves. Scott

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Thanks for the contact info and the lathe dimensions!

Glenn

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

I didn’t even think of Boothbay and I’ve gone all through the shops there. And I have the WW&F narrow gauge museum in my own Town !!

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Hi,

Do you know what the dimensions of John Connolly’s sleeve are? I’d like to have that so I could ask the shop about how much grinding is involved although as said, setup time would take the most.

Thanks,
Glenn

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Roughly .135

You have to measure each one but thats a close enough estimate to give them a idea .

The mac version is like double that making the original pretty thin and sketchy.
Make sure there are no square edges, has to be radius to prevent a crack starter

Im building a 3.54 for a 41 ford pickup and when through 6 sets of housings and all of them had issues.

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Thank you!

I like the thinness of it.

Glenn

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Re. Cracks, Definite yes on insuring a radius

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Thats the approximate wall thickness of the sleave, so divide that in half when turning the original down.

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

I can 'second' that measurement... Actually, the ones I have, measure about .125 wall thickness.
Mine came from C&G... Pretty sure that John Connley's come from the same place. I've had mine quite a while, probably since Clyde and Gayle were there. Mine are available, the car is long gone.

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

If you can't find a lathe that can swing the housings as is, I seem to recall our clever contributor Mart from England going through the same dilemma, and overcoming it by heating and bending the spring hangers inward, sufficient to clear the limitations of his lathe, afterward heating and bending back to original specs....
be better than cutting off and then re-welding.

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Hi Skidmarks,

You’ve got me curious about the “pilot”. Did you make a bung with a center hole that was hammered into the bearing end? I wonder if a large diameter cone at the tail stock would work. The cone to engage the ID of the bearing end.

Glenn

[QUOTE=skidmarks;1867090]You dont need a super large lathe. About a 18" swing. I ve done them with a carbide tool bit. Center the bell end in a 4 jaw chuck and made a pilot for the wheel bearing end. And dial it in. Takes longer to set it up then maching it

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

If that is the wall thickness, then this is what you'll need to turn/grind the original down by. :D

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

Actually double the wall thickness. If the thickness is 0.125 you'll end up with a 0.250 smaller diameter.

Re: Maine Machine Shop to Replace wheel Bearing Races?
 

[QUOTE=glennpm;1867364]Hi Skidmarks,

You’ve got me curious about the “pilot”. Did you make a bung with a center hole that was hammered into the bearing end? I wonder if a large diameter cone at the tail stock would work. The cone to engage the ID of the bearing end.

Glenn

Pilot was a tight fit but not hammered in. It worked better
Then the bull nose pilot i had.

I was fixing a set that were pitted on the bottom but didnt have alot of wear and was able to find a area to that the dial indicator rode smooth on.
Some you find worn badly out of round from the weight of the car pushing up against the bottom of the race caused by a number of issues. But i have noticed some being softer then others when cutting them. The heat treatment doesnt go too far past the race . When we cut them off in the past for making drop in axles we cut them with a portaband saw

Turning the compound dial you divide the amount you want to take off per cut in half.