Problem replacing bearings

[Joshua J Rowe]

I am not sure what exactly is going on here but I got new brakes, bearings and a new drum/hub and they wont go onto the spindle as far as they should. Looking at about 1/4 inch that the hub needs to go to be where it should be.

To further confuse things, to make sure I wasn't an idiot and somehow go the wrong hub, I put the old hub and its old bearings back together and tried to put it back on.....it did the same thing!

The drums fit over the new brakes, everything is what it should be. All parts are correct.

Makes no sense.

[Joshua J Rowe]

Are these made so you have to tighten the nut over time as the bearing wears?

The spindle nut goes on far enough to get the cotter pin in.

It just really does not make the sense the old hub and bearing are doing the same thing.

[Joshua J Rowe]

Yea I don't get it. The bearing seems to be all the way on the spindle, but not going all the way into the race?

With the spindle nut snug there is zero play, it feels like it should. I just know its not as far in as it was before.

[Tom_H]

When you say it doesn't go on as far - are you saying you don't have as much spindle protruding (like the bearing isn't sitting all the way on the shoulder of the spindle), or that you're not getting as close to the brake backer plate. When you did new brakes, was it a full backer plate assembly, or did you just replace shoes and such? I'm just wondering if the new backer plate (if it is new) just doesn't sit as proud as the original. If that's the case, you may be getting the drum/hub on the same amount as previously, but just doesn't mate up as cleanly as the original. Odd for sure though.

[Joshua J Rowe]

When you say it doesn't go on as far - are you saying you don't have as much spindle protruding (like the bearing isn't sitting all the way on the shoulder of the spindle), or that you're not getting as close to the brake backer plate. When you did new brakes, was it a full backer plate assembly, or did you just replace shoes and such? I'm just wondering if the new backer plate (if it is new) just doesn't sit as proud as the original. If that's the case, you may be getting the drum/hub on the same amount as previously, but just doesn't mate up as cleanly as the original. Odd for sure though.

Lesson here is never forget to take pictures before you start a project you have not done before.

I put new brake assemblies on both sides and two new drum/hubs.

The clearance from the plate on the brake assembly to the inner lip of the drum seems like more than it was before, but the shoes are fully covered by the drum so I suspect that is fine. Maybe I am just overthinking.

The inner seal and inner bearing are fully seated in the hub and on the spindle.

The outer bearing is fully seated in the hub, but not all the way on the spindle. it does not push all the way onto its shoulder. Easily 1/8" This is the part that concerns me.

After I first noticed this, I put the old hub back together with the old bearings, and it did the same thing. If I remember correctly, the outer bearing was fully on the outer shoulder when I took it apart and the spindle nut almost all the way down the threads.

The new brake assemblies are exactly the same as the old. The new drum/hubs are replacements, which do have a slightly larger outer bearing. At first my thought was maybe the hubs don't exactly fit like the originals, but the originals do the same thing. The new hubs are the exact same dimensions otherwise (I measured them with calipers), and are supposed to be the appropriate replacement.

At this point, I find myself wondering if there is supposed to be some amount of the outer bearing showing past the shoulder to allow for adjustment. OR, is it supposed to be fully seated onto the outer shoulder?

Thanks for your time

[Joshua J Rowe]

without the bearings in the hubs, any of the hubs(old and new) will go all the way over the brakes to where the drum and the back plate are touching. There is no interference with the brakes.

This is 100% an issue with hubs/bearings/spindle.

It may not be an issue at all, if this is a normal condition.

[Tom_H]

Hmmm, that's kind of bizarre. Are you sure you have the bearing races fully seated in the hubs? You could easily not seat all the way if one or both of the races didn't get hammered in fully or if there's a small burr or something keeping them proud. Is the outer bearing seated far enough that you can get the caps pounded on without hitting the bearing? Is the grease seal on the rear flush to the lip on the drum/hub. Snap some pictures if you get the chance.

[Tom_H]

By the way - when I do new bearings every couple of years, they always reseat to the same location on the spindle, which is leading me to believe that something may be up with yours.

[Joshua J Rowe]

The races were pre-installed in the new hubs. The old hub I did not touch the race so should not be changed.

Inner seals are flush

I will be working on this again when I get home tonight. I'll get some pictures or a video.

[Tom_H]

Huh, well I'll be interested to know what you find out. There isn't a spacer of some sort stuck to the back of the old brake assembly, is there?

[Joshua J Rowe]

After looking at it again. The outer bearing is not as wide as the outer shoulder. Also, the inner diameter of the bearing touches as much of the shoulder as it can, it rolls away anyways. No matter how much further on it went it would not touch the spindle any more than it does. Idk. How do these pictures look??

[Joshua J Rowe]

I swear there were more threads left over before, but maybe I'm crazy!