Using old bearings for set-up bearings. Possible?

linexrandy · 10-14-2009, 09:24 PM

I'm getting all my parts in one basket for my regear from 3.07 to 4.56. I have everything but the super 35 kit. Swapping in a Dana 30 HP. I have Yukon gearsets front and rear and yukons master install kits. My question is: Can I reuse the old bearings that I pull off the carriers for my set-up bearings or do I need to buy new ones to modify? BTW someone on ebay is selling premade set up bearings for $50. I bet they're using old bearings!

marylandjeeper · 10-14-2009, 10:45 PM

i used new bearings for two reasons. one was my bearings were worn out and i didn't trust that they would set up the same as new bearings. two was i had to absolutely destroy the old bearings to get them off. i had to use an air hammer to knock them up high enough to get a two jaw bearing puller on there. so yeah, i'd use new bearings. for the amount of time it took me to make set up bearings, i would just buy them premade provided they are made with new bearings.

Max-Q · 10-14-2009, 10:57 PM

I used new bearing for my Ford 8.8 and my D30. Just like MarylandJeeper some of my bearings were damaged or completely destroyed in the removal and I didn't trust the ones that did survive. It was cheap insurance just to buy new ones.

**4x4grey88** · 10-14-2009, 11:30 PM

Looking for responses.

Please.. not just because you did it.

champelite210 · 10-15-2009, 07:33 AM

As long as you can pull the old ones off with out damaging them then use them. I don't see a problem with it.

**NotURMailman** · 10-15-2009, 07:38 AM

I agree that I don't trust worn bearings to set up the same as new ones. Then again, maybe I'm just paranoid...
I would buy some set up bearing that are made from new bearings. I got mine from Randy's. Then again, a lot of people use the old bearings if they have the ability to remove them with out destroying them.

pachary · 10-15-2009, 07:45 AM

In todays manufacturing environment, there is enough variation in NEW bearings to make me suspicious of spending time setting up with setup bearings. I have made setup bearings out of old bearings, AND used new ones made into setup bearings.

Without fail, the setup on the setup bearings had to be redone with the actual bearings being used.

Get the Yukon bearing puller if you are gonna do diff bearings. It pulls the bearings WITHOUT touching the shims! (if you use it correctly) Every time I have used setup bearings, it got me no closer than an educated guess would have done, and setup was redone with the actual bearings anyway. I have cut alot of wasted time and frustration out of my life by throwing ALL of my setup bearings into the scrap pile and buying the Yukon puller.

That's my experience..............

Paul

Scotch740 · 10-15-2009, 08:33 AM

I used setup carrier bearings and eventually got a good pattern.
That said actual bearings are probably the best way to go. I bought a Dura Solid bearing puller which showed up after I finished my front. Was only $200 shipped. Came from India, and has an issue with a part of it but not a show stopper and I should be able to fix it. For me who will be doing my gears maybe some buddies its a good compromise between setup bearings and a $500 puller.

**Jerry Bransford** · 10-15-2009, 09:53 AM

Absolutely you can use your old bearings as setup bearings. Shops that do R&P setups have setup bearings they made by honing out the inside of used bearings so they seat/unseat more easily. They use a 3-piece brake cylinder hone that spins around via a drill motor to make the setup bearings.

Scotch740 · 10-15-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

Absolutely you can use your old bearings as setup bearings. Shops that do R&P setups have setup bearings they made by honing out the inside of used bearings so they seat/unseat more easily. They use a 3-piece brake cylinder hone that spins around via a drill motor to make the setup bearings.

For those that don't have a 3 piece hone sitting around a sanding drum works well. Slow but works. I got mine so I could knock them on with a hammer and block of wood, then a quick yank with my hand to pop them off. Just be careful with them as its really frustrating having to make a new one in the middle of your set up

**NotURMailman** · 10-15-2009, 10:21 AM

You can pick up the brake cylinder hone at any parts store pretty cheap.

linexrandy · 10-15-2009, 07:17 PM

My reasoning is the wear that the old bearings have will throw off my setup and when I press on the new bearings my pattern will be off and I will risk messing up the new bearings haveing to pull them off. My neighbor has a few hones for motor cylinders that I may try to use. I was going to use my air grinder with a sanding drum or my drimmel, but the hone sounds like a more precise way of taking off material. I was about to buy the setup bearings off ebay until Jerry chimed in (hard to argue with the man)! Great responses from everyone and thanks for the help.

**Varnish** · 10-15-2009, 07:25 PM

I'm getting ready to do my d30 for the first time. I bought new setup carrier bearings because they weren't that much (like $14 down at napa) and I'm sure the old ones wouldn't survive any removal process other than the $200 bearing removal tool. We shall see, I had read in a write-up that setup bearings weren't worth it but time will tell. If they don't I may end up needing that bearing removal tool.

linexrandy · 10-15-2009, 07:46 PM

Online napa sells just the bearing cone for $8. Can I get 2 of them and use the cups out of my master install kit, or should I spend the $15 each for the bearing and cone set?

pachary · 10-15-2009, 10:50 PM

I wonder if all these guys worried about the 200 dollar bearing puller realize that even people with EXPERIENCE setting up bearings "normally" pull the bearings (yes the good real ones) a number of times to adjust and readjust shims.

How many sets of shims, and how many ruined bearings does it take to make that $200 dollar tool start to seem really worth every penny? Not to mention the time savings.

Oh don't bother, we'll just wait for the inevitable follow up post about "Why is my rear end howling? or Why is there so much slop in my diff? or This is why gear setup should be left to professionals." I mean the puller, 2 install kits and 2 gearsets will cost about half of what a typical place charges for parts and labor.

I personally am waiting to see if anyone uses the setup bearings, then slaps everything together, then HOPEFULLY runs another pattern and BL check, and then asks how do I get the bearings back off without screwing them up so I can readjust since the setup bearings were just a wee bit different........................