Center Drive Shaft Carrier Bearing

[HammerDown]

***...why is this bearing NOT greaseable?
I just get done replacing a radiator, then f*cking plug the leaking fuel filter heater connection and now....I'm hearing that dang center support carrier bearing just starting to hum.
Since 1988 (new) this bearing just doesn't seem to last as long and has been replaced a few times...like a universal joint, it needs a grease fitting on it!
And why does sh*t always break when it's either the middle of summer or during the raw cold winter, and of course I have no garage for the truck

 

[crash-harris]

Summer is the easy part, but stuff always goes in the middle of winter. Right there with you on no garage to work in. Got one, but unsealed, no floor and the truck is almost as long as it

They really should make those bearings with a zerk fitting on them. If you have a NAPA with a driveline shop nearby, tak it to them. They do carrier bearings for pretty cheap. I think it's $15 per u-joint and $30 for the carrier bearing.

 

[tgomes]

Mine is bad also. Called a local driveshaft shop and they want 100 to install a new one parts and labor. To avoid the aggravation and annoyance of trying to beat the old one off and a new one on without a press I'm opting to let them do it.

 

[riotwarrior]

Mine is bad also. Called a local driveshaft shop and they want 100 to install a new one parts and labor. To avoid the aggravation and annoyance of trying to beat the old one off and a new one on without a press I'm opting to let them do it.

I am sorry but this thread is funny to me....not just a few Months ago I get a panic phone call...about a failed steady bearing on a 97 PS short box F350. Good friend making the call...his cousins truck..out hunting.

Show up...hand budy tools said mark it get it out we will go get parts.

Bring 2 bearkngs back amd they had shaft out. Guy is a HD mechanic so am told.

1 HD wrench 1 fix friggen anything wrench...hes like I do this on a press bla bla bla...I take charge...MY SHOP and I do this with a torch...

Bam..pffffffffft blow outter bearing ring.....pffffffft inner bearkng ring bobs yer uncle....hes like....wow...never seen it done like that before...stick around it gets better I said.

Piece of sched 40 pipe...2 X BFH here you whack...Illl hold and support end with other BFH.

10 minutes...changed....hes like €÷¥₩ me that was quick...

Said beer is always accepted...

He installed shaft and gave beer money...

Has new way do bearings.

Guys its not hard...just do it.

JM7.3CW

 

[tgomes]

I don't have a handy torch to cut the damn thing off like you do so maybe it would be much harder for me to do this by myself with hand tools. Maybe just worth the 100 bucks for this shop to do it in 10 mins.

 

[riotwarrior]

I don't have a handy torch to cut the damn thing off like you do so maybe it would be much harder for me to do this by myself with hand tools. Maybe just worth the 100 bucks for this shop to do it in 10 mins.

Agreed...or rent a torch

I grasp not having the tools honestly I do. Been there done it paid the prices to have others do it.

Only been a few years this equipped...and never going back.

 

[tgomes]

I get it, I am not a fan of having someone else work on my stuff let alone a shop. I like the try something new screw it up or maybe just get it right approach. However in this case I am very inclined to have this guy do it for me. Unless anyone is going to come down and give me a hand.... I'll buy the beer

 

[tbrumm]

Do a search for Inland Empire Driveline. They are in Cali and offer (or used to) a center support bearing with yellow polyurethane around it rather than rubber. It still won't have grease fitting on it, but should last longer. probably has better bearing in it too. I have cut these bearings off with a cut off wheel mounted in my die grinder. Not as fast as Al's method, but ya gotta work with what ya got. And I don't have a garage either, so I feel your pain, Ray!

 

[HammerDown]

Once the drives shaft is out I use a cutoff wheel to get through the outside metal casing then a saw to get through the rubber insulator, then back to the cutoff wheel for the outer and inner bearing race. To drive the new bearing back on have a perfect diameter section and length of metal fence post that just contacts the inner race and rap tap it's back on.
I just hate laying on my bad back outside working with my shaky hands out in the cold.
Again, this bearing should be greaseable!
Anyhow, I'll check my receipts as I'm hopeful it has a lifetime warranty.

 

[riotwarrior]

Pjul the drive shaft out work on bench or kitchen table....

Unless yer damn good with cutoff wheel or torch I woukd honestly suggest remove shaft get ride take to local semi OTR truck repair shop...pay 20 35 bucks have em do it cause its once bitten driveshaft hooped kinda deal.

I tend to torch ***** heck of a lot ... enough to know I can do this n not zing shaft and have to replace it.

Yer call

Yer shaft

Yer dolla

 

[MTKirk]

Take the drive shaft out, it makes getting the splines in & out easier & cleaner. Using an angle grinder with a thin cut off wheel cut off the outer metal strap, rubber insulator, and outer bearing race, being careful not to injure the dust flinger- you'll just leave it in place. The ball bearings will fall out leaving the inner race. Heat the inner race with a mapp or propane torch, onnce hot start zapping the inner race with an air chisel. Put the tip in a ball bearing hollow, you'll only be able to get about a 45 degree angle on the race, don't worry it will work- the bearing starts to slowly slide off.

To re-install a piece of 1 1/4" galvanized or black iron pipe works perfectly, you can buy a 12" nipple at home depot & cut the threads off Make sure you get a square cut. This makes a perfect hollow drift for pounding the new bearing on.

While you've got the drive shaft off be sure to check the pinion nut, vibrations from a bad carrier have a way of loosening these up (especially if you've got a short splined 10.25)

 

[bike-maker]

You only have to get about 3/4 of the way through the bearing race with the cutoff wheel, then smack it with a good cold chisel and bfh. It'll crack the rest of the race and will then come right off.

 

[turbo elk]

The drive line shop I brought mine to charged $65. To swap out the bearing on my drive line, he did have a bearing for a Cummins Dodge that was bigger and way more heavy duty then what was offered stock.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

You only have to get about 3/4 of the way through the bearing race with the cutoff wheel, then smack it with a good cold chisel and bfh. It'll crack the rest of the race and will then come right off.

This is how I removed mine, whizzer wheel/whatever you need to use to get the outer metal/rubber/other meaningless stuff out of the way so you can expose the pressed on race. I cut mine in two spots opposite each other about 80% (using my "highly calibrated eyes") of the way thru , then chisel broke it in two.

By the way: my 1992 F250 had two different listings for diameters, so measure yours and/or take the pieces to the parts store to get the right one.

 

[tgomes]

Looks like I'm doing mine myself! Seems easy enough.