Rear wheel bearing width

[heimue]

I am completely confused. More than my 5th gear location confused me a couple years ago.
I took a rear axle (71 Kadett 1.9) apart, meaning I pulled the drive shafts out to make some minor modifications for my disk brake upgrade. Since the axle has only 35,000 miles on it and the bearings look and feel great, I never took the bearings off the drive shafts. Now I wanted to put the drive shafts back on the axle, only to find out that the bearings are 21 mm wide, and the inside flange of the axle housing is only about 18.5 mm deep. This produces a 2.5 mm wide gap between the axle housing and the steel plate holding down the bearing. I know that there is a paper gasket supposed to be where the gap is, but you need a lot of paper to fill 2.5 mm.
What am I missing here?

Dieter

[Anonymous D]

Later-type Opel axles (with the backing plate bolts equa-distant to each other) require retainers on each side, to hold the bearing in place. They're sold for about $16 each new, as I recall.

[CDN OpelNut]

Hey Gene - I talked to Gil this morning as I needed to order all the stuff to do both rear bearings on my GT. He told me that each side requires 3 gaskets, 2 paper and one that he didn't have that I'd have to make from gasket material. I can't see it in the FSM so perhaps if someone has a better diagram.....

Maybe this 3rd gasket makes up the difference?

[opelwasp]

70's Toyota Celicas used a bearing very similar. I believe they are identical except the width. I believe they are about 2mm thinner. Might be an option.

[heimue]

The correct answer would have been:






scroll down ...






curious? ...






where's 5th gear? ...






"Dieter, you moron, you didn't put the brake anchor plate in between!"

I found it out by going over in my mind what I did when I was in bed yesterday night, and couldn't sleep.

Thank's anyway,

Dieter

[BQS4]

ROFLMAO.....

[GTJIM]

The outer race of the rear wheel bearing needs to be 'nipped' between the backing plate and the inner shoulder on the recess by about .004" to clamp it in place so it does not spin and ruin the axle housing. That is what different thickness paper gaskets are used for - to get that amount of 'nip' correct.

[heimue]

Originally Posted by GTJIM The outer race of the rear wheel bearing needs to be 'nipped' between the backing plate and the inner shoulder on the recess by about .004" to clamp it in place so it does not spin and ruin the axle housing. That is what different thickness paper gaskets are used for - to get that amount of 'nip' correct.

Jim,

I would rather say the nipping (or clamping) is adjusted by the steel shim(s) between the bearing and the axle housing. I had different shims on the original axle to adjust this, but I've never heard of different thickness paper gaskets.

Dieter

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by heimue Jim, I would rather say the nipping (or clamping) is adjusted by the steel shim(s) between the bearing and the axle housing. I had different shims on the original axle to adjust this, but I've never heard of different thickness paper gaskets. Dieter

Yes, the steel shims are there to control lateral movement of the axle within the housing. If you swap an axle from another car, or change an axle bearing, you should always check the axle end-play and adjust accordingly.

BTW, classic move forgetting the backing plate!

[GTJIM]

So - where does this magic pile of Opel, steel axle shims come from ???
I find it so much easier to just cut paper ones from different thicknesses of gasket paper - works for me!

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by GTJIM So - where does this magic pile of Opel, steel axle shims come from ???

From my barn of course Jim! From one of the many old axles I have laying around....

[GTJIM]

I have some high-density plastic sheet shim stock about somewhere in my shed! .002"/.003"/.005"/.008"/.010" & .020" Must hunt it out!