V8 wheel bearings

[Synchro909]

I need to repair the rear wheel bearings on my tourer. I'll have to put a sleeve on the trumpets and I have a pair of new V8 hubs on the shelf. I think my way forward is to buy a set of V8 rollers to go with those parts. Where is a good place to buy them? Brattons is out of the question - they don't ship to Australia.
Thanks in advance.

[redmodelt]

Dennis Carpenter, Drakes (they are on the west coast) or any of the V8 suppliers should have them. You might also ask on the early V8 forum, there might be someone close by that that has them in stock.

[Dave Slater]

Arnold. I have some in stock if you want them. Dave

[john in illinois]

My suggestion would be to find good used Ford bearings. There are problems with the reproductions.

John

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by john in illinois

My suggestion would be to find good used Ford bearings. There are problems with the reproductions.

John

That is usually the case but there is no hope of finding originals here. VERY few cars sold during the period and those that were were flogged to death.

[Synchro909]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Since my first post, I have been told that I will need different (smaller) seals as well. Just by eye, it looked to me thatthe hubs would take the Model A seals. Anybody have anything on this? I'm in unfamiliar territory here.

[Kurt in NJ]

I have a 36, the switchover year to the smaller diameter roller bearings,
the repair sleeves for the housings are the same A, or v8
the sleeve for in the hub to repair/convert fits behind the seal---the original type seal for the hub is used
Were to get the parts I don't know, I search for NOS for most of my parts needs, usually priced lower than the repro

[Joe K]

Kurt is correct. You use the original seal and retainer lock ring. The sealing is as before and against the bearing portion of the trumpet tube.

(Nomenclature: In plain bearings the bearing is the stationary part and the journal is the part that moves. A Ford rear axle hub sort of reverses this nomenclature - but technically it is not a plain bearing.)


Joe K

[Synchro909]

Thanks Joe and Kurt. Things are firming up for me to use the V8 rollers (as we call them) in the new hubs I have and I make a set of sleeves for the trumpets. The car these are going on is the one I use to do a lot of towing so they get a hard time. The commercially available trumpet sleeves are too soft so I'll make my own and have them hardened properly. That leaves only the hub as a potential weak link.
Is there a kit available to put a sleeve in the A hub and use the V8 rollers? If the sleeve is hard enough, that might be the best option. If it is not, I might have to make that as well.

[Dave Slater]

Arnold, I have in stock the proper hardened sleeves that get pressed into the Model A hub and the proper V-8 wheel bearings along with the proper hardened sleeves that get pressed onto the axle housings that are manufactured from Brattons,s if your interested give me a ring. Dave

[Joe K]

Is there a kit available to put a sleeve in the A hub and use the V8 rollers?

Any of the major US parts sources (including Snyders) has the sleeve "kit" (includes the V8 bearing.) Alas though - for you the same issue with getting it half a world away.

Joe K

[Benson]

deleted

[Synchro909]

Thanks Joe but the problem about you guys being so far away might have been solved. Dave has posted above that he has the parts and he is only about a 3 hour drive. Maybe I go for a drive next week.
My wife and I tow a camper to some pretty remote places behind our A so durability is important. From what I am hearing, repro parts won't give me that. While rsponding to a PM earlier this morning on this, I had an idea.
Has anybody replaced the Ford setup with modern bearings? My idea is to use high quality ball or roller bearings instead of the poor quality repro parts. Imperial sizes are pretty much history here but I'm sure there will be something available in metric to do the job. The sleeve on the trumpet is 2". That is 50.8mm. There will be a range of bearings with an ID of 50 mm.
The OD of the sleeve in the kit (sleeve and V8 rollers) for the hub is 81mm. It wouldn't be too difficult to put an 80mm OD bearing in there. To make sure I have plenty of load carrying capacity, I might have to put 2 or even 3 bearings in each side.
I expect some to say "leave it like Henry did it" but none of us can do that (unless we have decent original parts). We would have to use repro parts which are NOT like Henry did it at all. In that case, I am happy to adapt something else that will get results like Henry got.

[Joe K]

If you want to get past the "nameless" condition of most vendor provided 36 onwards wheel bearings (if you have something "correct" shouldn't you advertise this fact?) take a look at https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...sQX5E5B8rhdDPQ put out by the Early Ford V8 Club (who are they?)

Its a pdf and on page 2 the author lists the "modern interchange" for the original Ford bearing number. Cut & paste I have...

36-48 Rear Wheel Bearing 68-1225-A Bower BCA J662456 $27.65/E-20Pcs. In Stock, Berliss 330628 $20.75/E NAPA=Raritan A-1444
2.8125 OD x 2.0625 shaft x 0.375 Dia rollers x 1.67 wide

Now you pays your money and you takes your chances. However, at least you can be assured of the source of what you buy and be relatively sure its not something from some Pacific rim paradise. (some of this stuff is not all that bad.)

The Bower can be bought at Amazon for $30.

Check also an entry here at Fordbarn which gives more information on the information above, and corrects some Ford Club entry (and misconceptions.)

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=234677

I'm still a big fan of Timken. Even if they come from China. One bearing source that is AUTOMATICALLY considered "nuclear grade" as all bearings are made to nuclear standards. (Heh - they do have two pricing schemes, one for non-nuclear service, one for nuclear service which includes the paperwork - but its the SAME bearing.)

Good luck with a retrofit, or whatever.

Joe K

[Joe K]

More on this - check out http://www.kakapart.com/oem/partscro...rd-681225.html

They list no less than 25 (!) bearings which interchange with Ford 68-1225

They don't indicate sources - guess that one is up to you.

Good luck,
Joe K