Rear Wheel Bearing Question

[hilandr452]

This wheel bearing is the old one and the new one I bought is straight. Is this a change in design or in this wheel bearing that worn out? The race is bowled out in the same shape and the whole thing rotates like a socket joint or something. This is the inner bearing on the rear of a 1 ton GMC '71.

[kwmech]

Must be a design change. If the bearing was 'bowled out' it would be past the hard face and the bearing and race would be metal dust

[Wrenchbender Ret]

The original were conical like that. The replacements are regular roller brgs. Naturally if you replace brg. you must replace the race. They recomend you change both brgs on that wheel when you do one, but I have replaced just one.

[hilandr452]

Thanks Wrench,

I ended up replacing the inside bearings and races on both wheels, they were pitted, but the outside ones looked ok. I couldn't find the drums but that's another post. I'll run the old drums without turning them for now until I can find a good set. Put the whole thing back together with new springs and all cleaned up. Went to bleed the brakes and noticed one of the wheel cylinders was leaking... I didn't follow my own rule to replace them while I had it apart. Oh well, one of these days I'll learn my lesson. Maybe not...

Dan