Bearings.

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:16 am Post subject: Bearings.

Operating as I do at the dog end of the R-R & B experience, I get "local" jobs that are mostly sub-basket cases.

This is one of a pair of original FBC rear wheel bearings from an R-R Silver Dawn (MK VI),owned until recently by respected father and son motor engineers, over a period of forty years. This damage is at least 100.000 miles old and must have made racket.
The other side still had the 3 part seal intact but had seized solid and was running loose in the housing, since replaced along with the bearings.

Robert Craven · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 10:14 am Post subject:

Very interesting. Was the driver deaf?
Sorry if this has been posted before, but there are several videos on Youtube about how the balls for bearings are made, eg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19duYMdiXi0

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:48 pm Post subject:

Robert,

There have also been several features on ball races on Ch37/38, and also the balls made by the Bic factory for the "Biro".

So now we all know where the expression, "Gone pear-shaped " originates.

John Robins · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 2:08 pm Post subject:

Please can you explain a little more?

IIRC, this bearing is a sliding fit down the half shaft, and is then held in place by a retainer which is requires a press to fit it. Would the half shaft have been able to turn within the bearing, were the "balls" still capable of rolling or was the bearing seized and the outer rotating within the axle housing?

One seized on B373TO about a hundred yards from home and I replaced it with a second hand assembly complete, thanks to Healey Brothers.

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 5:50 pm Post subject:

John Robins,

You are keeping me from a small amount of old Taylors Vintage Port!

In the original post, 4th sentence, I said that the bearing on the other side had seized solid, and was running around inside the housing, (or "harzing" as one clown calls them) the bearing surfaces being the periphery of the outer race and the inside of the housing.
This action destroyed the 1/2 to1 thou interference fit, so I had to fit another one.
The bearing inner race has about .001" interference fit on the journal of the halfshaft, and the collar has a fit of .004".
The car is in wedding service tomorrow, but such cars are badly maintained anyway. Wink

John Robins · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 6:45 pm Post subject:

Thank you, enjoy the port.