Front wheel bearings and spindles

This forum is about the Fordson Dexta, Super Dexta and Petrol Dexta.
Post Reply
ianpdexta
True Blue
Posts: 160
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 12:50 pm

Front wheel bearings and spindles

Post by ianpdexta »

I have started rebuilding the front axle parts, bought new bearings. A problem arose when fitting the thrust bearing at the bottom of the 'king pin'. Firstly the bearing didn't go down all the way to its seat because the radius between the seat and the shaft is bigger than the chamfer in the bearing. I tried the bearing both ways up but thought the way shown in pic 1 looked best, am I right?
Image

2nd thing, there was a circular ridge on on the seat, I don't know if it is meant to be there or if wear has made it, it looks quite neatly made.
Image

The upshot is the gap as seen on the next pic, you can see the bearing sitting high, a space and then the ridge. I made a thin washer on the lathe to so the bearing is supported, not shown here. Thinking about it I remember the steering was very heavy before taking it all to pieces, may be the bearing had collapsed and was grinding metal away, the trouble it was months ago and I remember. what it was like when I took it to pieces.
Image

The next step is the wheel bearings, I know there has been some talk on here of problems with some new bearings only suiting new hubs, I measured the hubs as best I could thought the new one should fit, my tractor is a 63 and therefore fairly late.

I removed the old bearing outers using a big screwdriver (as a chisel) and small hammer to tap them out, one or two taps each side. The small one has just enough back face showing to accept the screwdriver. Thoughtfully Ford made two cutouts inside the hub to give access to the back face of the big bearing, so it came out with little trouble by the same method. Cutouts shown below, amongst the grease.
Image

I am lucky enough to have a press to press the bearings in, I think they would be tricky tap in with a hammer since they were fairly tight. Then fitted the hub, it turns nicely but it also seems to have a gap. :?: It looks wrong to me, shouldn't the hub cover the spigot of the axle further? has anyone got a close up picture of theirs?
Image

Any views on these two issues much appreciated.

Regards

Ian

ianpdexta
True Blue
Posts: 160
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 12:50 pm

Re: Help - Front wheel bearings and spindles

Post by ianpdexta »

Hello all

I fear my questions might have been lost amongst the pictures below, can anyone give a view on any of my 3 questions?

1 :?: is the thrust bearing in the 1st picture the right way up?

2 :?: is the ridge shown on the 2nd picture meant to be there or has it been formed by wear?

2 :?: on the last picture, is the gap between the hub and the body of the stub axle right? it would look better to me if the machined part of the stub axle would go part way into the hub.

PS I hope to refit my new dual clutch tomorrow (at last), I will added some pictures to my other thread.

Regards

Ian

Bensdexta
True Blue
Posts: 2666
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:59 pm
Location: N Wales

Re: Help - Front wheel bearings and spindles

Post by Bensdexta »

ianpdexta wrote: 3 :?: on the last picture, is the gap between the hub and the body of the stub axle right? it would look better to me if the machined part of the stub axle would go part way into the hub.
Your gap is rather bigger than mine. I can't measure my gap just now, but guess it is about 1/8".
Bensdexta - 1961 working for a living!

Les bryant
True Blue
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 10:28 am

Re: Front wheel bearings and spindles

Post by Les bryant »

Hi, The answer to no 1 is no the thrust bearing is wrong way up.
Cheers Les.

ianpdexta
True Blue
Posts: 160
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 12:50 pm

Re: Front wheel bearings and spindles

Post by ianpdexta »

Thanks Ben and Les. I haven't assembled the 2nd hub yet so I will make doubly sure the bearing outer are fully seated and then see how it looks.

Also the legs aren't assembled yet so I will turn the bearing over.

:beer:

Regards

Ian

Brian
Grumpy
Grumpy
Posts: 5216
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:07 pm
Location: Norfolk, England.

Re: Front wheel bearings and spindles

Post by Brian »

If you look at your hub you will see that it is worn where it covers the seal, it should be about 10mm longer. Your hub seal is hardly covered by the hub. This was normal for us in the abrasive soils of Norfolk.
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian

Post Reply