Supernaut72

Front bearings started making a rattling sound, checked them for play and found that they were toast. Replaced them and the ancient grease seals, everything went smoothly and the car rolls without any unusual noise. However, when pulling the drum back off for some unrelated work, I found that the inner bearing was stuck fast on the spindle and had to be pried off (very difficult!) so that I could seat the seal back in the drum fully, since it pulled the seal out of its seat when I yanked the drum off. Seal fits in nice and tight but the bearing is on there tighter.

Now, I've replaced a few sets of old worn out wheel bearings before, but never had to take them back apart thereafter, so I'm not sure if this is normal for a new bearing or not. I know it's supposed to fit real well on the spindle so the rollers do all the spinning, but this seems a bit unusual. Unless torquing the castle nut down and backing it off is supposed to re-seat the seal back in the drum, and the inner bearing only comes back off the spindle for re-packing or replacement? Can't find any pertinent info about this.

Car is a '67 Delta 88, and yes I've checked the spindles for burrs and they're as smooth as can be. Thanks.

oldcutlass

You probably need to replace the inners also. take some emery cloth and clean up the spindles so the new bearings slide on and of easily. You also need to change the inner and hope you already changed the outer races. Repack and reassemble.

Supernaut72

Sorry, didn't clarify, I did replace both inners and outers, plus races, on both sides. This is a brand new Timken bearing (SET3? SET5? whichever is the part # for the inner). Outer bearings come off of their cone-shaped seat just fine when I remove the castle nut, only an issue with the inner bearings.

They stuck on the spindle like this before I drove the car on the new bearings, this isn't an issue that arose after driving on the bearings. Bearings seated as per the CSM procedure. Old ones slipped off plenty easy but wasn't sure if that's from being assembled/disassembled however many times over the years.

oldcutlass

In that case I'd just run the emery cloth on the spindles until they slide on and off easily, clean/ repack the bearings and put it all back together.

Supernaut72

Alrighty, thanks, I'll give that a try as soon as I get a chance. I figured it wasn't normal for it to get stuck like that but then I don't like to rely on assumptions.