9" axle play:

[Ryans71]

Have a 9" big bearing with yukons 31 spline shafts with tapered roller bearings, Discs, ARB. Have had this combination for about 6 years or more with no issues. Yesterday was replacing the calipers & pads and found that the passenger side has a little end play. It will come in and out of the tube about .125" or less.

It's not making any sounds, is getting plenty of lube (even leaking a bit) and who knows how long it's been like that.

I'm wondering if the retainer plate is out of whack a bit?

Didn't have time to check that last night, but will be when I get home. Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue.

Ryan

 

[Apogee]

While it could be the retainer plate, it could also be the retainer collar on the inside of the bearing. If that's slipped, and bearing has worked back and forth a bunch over the past 6 years, then it's possible the bearing is a slip fit on the axle at this point. Either way, it sounds like the axle needs to come out.

I'm guessing you're running the sealed ball bearings, not the SET20 tapered rollers? Excess endplay with the SET20's becomes a much bigger issue since the bearing relies on the preload from the retainer plate to push the bearing into the race.

 

[Ryans71]

While it could be the retainer plate, it could also be the retainer collar on the inside of the bearing. If that's slipped, and bearing has worked back and forth a bunch over the past 6 years, then it's possible the bearing is a slip fit on the axle at this point. Either way, it sounds like the axle needs to come out.

I'm guessing you're running the sealed ball bearings, not the SET20 tapered rollers? Excess endplay with the SET20's becomes a much bigger issue since the bearing relies on the preload from the retainer plate to push the bearing into the race.

I should have stated that in my original post, running the tapered bearings. That's what confuses me on the end play. That's kind of what's driving me to think it's retainer plate out of whack.

 

[Apogee]

Like you said, it must be the retainer then, and the race must be sliding with the bearing. I can't think of how else you could get that kind of endplay without a crazy amount of runnout and rapid bearing failure.

 

[Ryans71]

Like you said, it must be the retainer then, and the race must be sliding with the bearing. I can't think of how else you could get that kind of endplay without a crazy amount of runnout and rapid bearing failure.

Now that I think about it some more I think the race may be staying put. When I pull it out I can very slightly lift it up and and when I push it back in then I can't. It's freakin' weird. %)

Hoping the bearing isn't buggered by not entirely running on the race. We'll see.

 

[Yeller]

I've bent retaining plates and crushed the seals causing that same issue, but I'm a neanderthal at breaking/smashing stuff. I've even been called an over achieving professional at it. But all proposed scenarios are in the right direction, pull the axle and see what's up.