Timken wheel bearings not fitting on axle shaft (1 Viewer)

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Kaneohe, HI
Just about to finish up the DS of my front end job. I got timken wheel bearings from cruiser outfitters. Went to put the rotor onto the axle and it wouldn’t seat all the way back. Finally grabbed the other timken bearing for the passenger side and tried to slide it onto the shaft and it won’t go all the way on.

Has anyone else had this issue? Or are they harder to get on the first time or something?

Thanks

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You have me a little confused with your naming of components. The bearing sits on the spindle. Nothing rides on the axle shaft. The rotor is bolted to the hub.

What you are saying, I assume, is that you can not get the hub all the way onto the spindle. Right?

If your spindle is not damaged (from a failed bearing galling and gouging the spindle surface) and if you have the correct bearing, then it should slide on normally. Sometimes you need to jiggle and push a bit, but nothing exceptional.

Are you saying that you can not get the (assembled hub w/bearing) to slide onto the spindle all the way and that you also can not get the other inner bearing to slid onto the other spindle?

Mark...
 
if you have brand new spindle, yes, the bearing is quite snug. You should not need to pound them on though...
 
Good feedback. Also, did you fully seat the bearing races? I made this error once and it prevented the spindle from coming out far enough to install the snap ring.
 
A new wheel seal will also hold it back a little
 
Good idea to test fit the new parts individually onto each other after disassembling and cleaning- seals-races- that way any burrs etc can be cleaned up. they should hand slide onto spindle- the outer races should be a press fit- Will see if you have WRONG parts. - easy to address them on the bench while clean.
 
You have me a little confused with your naming of components. The bearing sits on the spindle. Nothing rides on the axle shaft. The rotor is bolted to the hub.

What you are saying, I assume, is that you can not get the hub all the way onto the spindle. Right?

If your spindle is not damaged (from a failed bearing galling and gouging the spindle surface) and if you have the correct bearing, then it should slide on normally. Sometimes you need to jiggle and push a bit, but nothing exceptional.

Are you saying that you can not get the (assembled hub w/bearing) to slide onto the spindle all the way and that you also can not get the other inner bearing to slid onto the other spindle?

Mark...
Thanks for the reply Mark and sorry to confuse with my mixup of words. Yes I can’t slide the assembled hub and rotor onto the spindle and I also cannot hand slide the new inner bearing onto the spindle by itself.

I made sure to seat the new races all the way and there doesn’t appear to be damage to the spindle so I will go get a bearing from Napa today to see if it will slide on.
 
Thanks for the reply Mark and sorry to confuse with my mixup of words. Yes I can’t slide the assembled hub and rotor onto the spindle and I also cannot hand slide the new inner bearing onto the spindle by itself.

I made sure to seat the new races all the way and there doesn’t appear to be damage to the spindle so I will go get a bearing from Napa today to see if it will slide on.
Can you match up the old bearing to the new one and see if there is a difference?
 
Yup, visually the bearing looks the same. It seems like it’s 1-2mm too small to slide over the spindle
Do you have a caliper to measure it? Can you put the old bearing in and just doa test fit to see if it will go on all the way? Might mess up the wheel seal pulling it back out..
 
What is the number on the bearing/race?

Mark...
 
Bearing should be JLM104949,
Your race is correct, it’s also a 1 not an i

See here Timken Bearings
 
Or just go to the local bearing shop and get the correct p/n, it’s that simple :meh:
 
NAPA - Koyo (Altrom) bearing and race, inner and outter - ATM943 and ATM945 ~$60 per hub set.
Used them on my '93 this week with no issues on the vintage spindles.
 
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