chirkware

Wow! It's been a while since I posted an update. I think the brakes are a bit too good now... Got home after an 18 mile round trip, and I could smell the brakes. Front wheels especially were very warm to the touch (not hot enough to burn though). I think I may have adjusted the pushrod a bit too far. I'll probably turn it back in slightly any try again. I was picking up soil for some raised beds. Letting Larry earn his keep for a change! Rear was sitting a bit lower with this load in the back.

Got the four corners bled good (I think). Was gonna crank it and take Larry for a spin.. of course the battery was VERY dead. 🤦🏻‍♂️ Larry had sat for several days apparently with the driver's door not fully latched... And the dome light on. 😖 I'll boil the battery overnight and probably test drive it after work tomorrow. Two steps forward, one step back. 😂

I don't want to wish time away (it's going WAY too fast as it is!), but the lack of a garage/shop to work in has me looking forward to Springing Forward soon. I get home between 5:15 and 5:30, and sunset right now is at 6:30pm. In 12 days we'll have sunset near 9pm!!! Yay! Yesterday, I managed to get the new master cylinder on, but barely started on bleeding brakes before it was dark. Didn't get to work on it tonight. Church tomorrow. Hopefully can brakes bled Thursday evening and test them Friday before going with our son to a college visit Saturday. Slow progress between all this life that is happening! I measured the rod depth on the old and new MCs and they seemed virtually identical so right now I'm not sure if I'll need to adjust that rod.

He and his son were working at his shop, so I came by with some NICE bacon cheeseburgers I made and some chips. We sat down to a nice lunch and then we went out to the shop and took care of my pressing issue! 😁 This: Much more effective than this: 😂

I managed to get the bearing about halfway but then it wouldn’t budge any further. Finally took it over to a friends shop and in five minutes with a 20 ton press it was good! I’ve got the axle back in and now I’m up under Larry sucking out the old diff fluid getting ready to put fresh fluid in.

Hey, I like that idea! Not like I'm using my barbells for what they are designed for. 😂

I've cut a piece of pipe already. On the hammer thing... One that's not big enough I'm sure. I've got a slide hammer here I may try to rig for this. I'm shooting a video. It may end up in the "Comedy" category. 😁

Yes! You’re exactly right! I was not accounting for the fact that the outer diameter of the race is smaller to account for the seal. I was measuring what effectively is the inside diameter of the seal instead of the outside diameter of the race. 😆 The Timken SET20 is in fact correct for my application! Now on to installation! 47 minutes... That how long it takes a clueless IT guy to get to this point... Time for some breakfast and then to stupidly try to press the new bearing on without a press. 😂

Yes! You’re exactly right! I was not accounting for the fact that the outer diameter of the race is smaller to account for the seal. I was measuring what effectively is the inside diameter of the seal instead of the outside diameter of the race. 😆 The Timken SET20 is in fact correct for my application! Now on to installation!

That would for sure be an upgrade from my $2 Hobo Freight calipers! 😂

That's the thing... The new bearings are different. No more is the race a separate piece. Not sure why the old style is gone, but evidently all manufacturers are only making them with the race integrated into the bearing. At one point today I was 90% sure the Timken SET20 bearing I bought was wrong for my truck since the race doesn't come off. I spent all afternoon reading and watching YouTube videos the last one I posted, plus the one from the other discussion that Jim linked has made me 95% sure the SET20 is in fact correct, despite it's design differences. Well, now that I was convinced I had the right bearing, I took some closer measurements. Axle shaft seems to be the 1.531" as expected. ***BUT*** measuring the outer edge of the race I've not yet removed from the housing, it appears to be the "small" housing at 2.875". (I need better calipers!) If that's the case, I'm on the hunt again for the right bearing as the Timken SET20 is for the large housing (3.150"). My mind is blown. I'm done for the day! Time for a shower and to get some sleep. I've been on this all day and have only accomplished yanking the axle and getting confused. 🤦🏻‍♂️ Next step... Crawl up under this thing and examine this axle closer. What in the world is under this truck???

That's the thing... The new bearings are different. No more is the race a separate piece. Not sure why the old style is gone, but evidently all manufacturers are only making them with the race integrated into the bearing. At one point today I was 90% sure the Timken SET20 bearing I bought was wrong for my truck since the race doesn't come off. I spent all afternoon reading and watching YouTube videos the last one I posted, plus the one from the other discussion that Jim linked has made me 95% sure the SET20 is in fact correct, despite it's design differences.

Excellent! Reading this discussion helps! shows the before and after I'll end up with apparently... I currently have the old style with tapered bearing pressed to the axle and a separate race pressed into the housing. They come together when the axle is installed into the housing. I'll end up with the new style...a single unit (with integral race) that is pressed into the axle. The axle then is pressed into the housing, which mates the integral race into the housing. This explains why some videos on YouTube show the axle just being pulled out by hand (old style bearing), yet others had to use a slide hammer (new style bearing). Evidently, this new style is all that's being sold now.

It's still in there right now... I've got to pull it. Funny thing... EVERY video I watched, they either had the new style beating already or didn't have to change the bearing, so a race bring in the housing never came up. If I survive this 😳, I plan to post a video to YouTube of the process.

If this guy is right, the old style bearing I need to replace is discontinued, and the one I have now is all that’s available. Listen to what he says starting at about 3:33, and keep in mind he posted this 11 years ago.