[SCOTI]

Well I tried to get things assembled but as I feared, that stupid outer bearing race (the one that gets the snap ring) is not wanting to go in. The weird part is I had my bearing placement incorrect earlier when I created my original post.....

I thought the outer bearing was the one I didn't have the installation tool for. Turns out, the larger OD bearing was the inner/more accessible one & the one I didn't have the correct size die for. I used the old bearing race (inverted) to get the new race started to the point I could utilize a brass punch to fully seat it. No problem there.

I moved on to the outer bearing thinking it would be easy because I had the installation tool. I packed the bearing w/grease & dropped it down into the hub. Next, I sat the race into position. I put the tool on it as square as possible & started tapping it into position. After repeated tries, it repeatedly walked one way or the other & would not go straight in.

I thought maybe I wasn't 'tapping' straight enough so I went up to work to use the press & take my left handed swing out of the equation. I trued the hub on the press. I sat the race in there as square as possible. I put the tool on the race & it appears/appeared plumb. But, as soon as I start compressing the assembly, the tool & race start going crooked.

I had a guy @ work watch me to see if he felt I was doing something to cause it to shift out of alignment & he felt I was doing things right. If I tried 'trueing' the race, it wouldn't budge. He questioned if I had the right bearing/race assembly (which has me wondering now).

I was able to knock the new race back out so I started researching rear wheel bearing choices to see what should fit. The previous units were Timken (engraved in the races); the replacements I'm trying to install are 'National Bearing' brand but I can't seem to find a cross reference chart to validate p/n's. If I use Oreilly's/Autozone's search feature, several choices fit 10.5" rears (no indications of Dana 70 specific numbers).
Napa has their own line so it wasn't much help.
Rock Auto was similar to the Oreillys/AutoZ w/multiple options that fit 10.5" rears.

Frustrating.....