from my exp. aaaahhhhh no and no it takes so much force to get retainers off that it will split outer race and send bearings allover the shop you can heat the retainer to get it off but you ruin the bearing seal we usually just cut them off at work because it is the quickest way and bearings are like 40$ each
Dang, I was hoping not to have to spend 90$ on bearings. The bearings are brand new and at the time I did not have the LS1 backing plates so we made our own retainer. I finally tracked down the LS1 plates and need to install them. Does any one know what kind of bearings they are? I think they are Ford small bearings.
Ford big bearings are 3.150" OD [80mm] and small bearings are 2.835" OD [72mm]. I normally cold chisel the bearing retainer and then press off the bearings.. Sometimes they come relatively easy, sometimes not so much, but I wouldn't reuse them. You should be able to get a pair of small bearings (Timken) for $30-$40 locally...bigs are just a bit more. The SET20 tapered rollers are the spendier ones.
Aren't the center holes on the LS1 backing plates 72mm diameter, same as the Ford small-bearing? If you're using those with a small-bearing rear end, I would think you'd need to run a separate retainer like you've shown in the picture along with a spacer collar to make up for the thickness of the backing plate, .525" or so, plus the counterbore depth of those retainers (unless you just flip them over). If I'm not missing something, you could just bore out the backing plates slightly and slide the axles through them...but then you need to figure out if you can get your retainers in place with the parking brake components in the way. Things get tight quick, but that would save your bearings possibly.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
Ford 9 Inch axle bearing removal
Linear Mode
