To anyone who has replaced either front wheel bearings or CV axles:

[johnbendik]

I would like to ask a question to everyone who has performed either of these repairs...

This diagram:


shows an "axle shaft to bearing spacer" (labeled 18(D) in the picture) that seems to fit between the base of the CV axle and the front wheel bearing.  Several things seem strange about this part:

• The base of the axle shaft is radiused slightly.  This curve matches well with the beveled edge of the inner wheel bearing, but would NOT match up with the flat-looking spacer 
• The spacer in the diagram  seems to be slotted to fit over a keyway, but none of the axles I've seen have such a keyway
• The spacer's label has a 'D', as if there should be a footnote for it, but the diagram's footnote 'D' must be a typo, for it clearly references the carrier bolts 'C' and not the spacer.  The footnote for the spacer seems to be missing
• None of the write-ups in this forum for replacing axle shafts, or wheel bearings, make any mention of this part.  This seems strange, because you would surely have to deal with it when performing either of those repairs

So my question for this forum is this: Has anyone actually seen this part on their Eagle? I'm thinking maybe the missing footnote was something like "This spacer is only present on 7-cylinder Eagles" or some other obscure variation...

I finally got the bearings pressed into my hub and am reassembling my Eagle.  I did not have the spacer (or the 'dust slinger') on my axle when I removed the hub, and now I'm wondering if it even exists on the standard 1984 Eagle wagon.  I removed the axle on the other side, and there's not one there either.  So before I bolt everything back together, I would really like to solve the mystery of this phantom spacer.

Thanks in advance to anyone who offers an opinion,
JB

[mudkicker715]

I have not seen your spacer ever.

[AMC of Houston]

The spacer absolutely should be there (I've done quite a few of these).   It sometimes stays stuck to the outer CV joint (along with the dust slinger) when the axle is removed.   Its AMC Part Number J3238528.

The 1984 MR251 AMC shop manual (page G-139) even has a couple of warnings concerning this part:

#1: "Caution: Remove and retain the front hub spacer. The spacer may remain on the end of the half-shaft or on the hub shaft."
#2: "Caution: If a replacement hub is to be installed the hub spacer must be transferred to the new hub."

Hope this helps.

[AMC of Houston]

Thought I'd also mention that the purpose of the spacer is to keep the inner bearing from scooting back a bit on the flange - even tho the bearing's inner race is a press-fit onto the axle flange, it could move if the spacer is not there.   No guarantee that it will move if the spacer is missing; but it could.

[johnbendik]

Well, the picture on page G-139 clears up one of my mysteries: the spacer is a solid ring, and not slotted (as the Eaglepedia picture above led me to believe).

AMC of Houston, I'm assuming that you've seen, maybe even handled, the elusive spacer.  Do you remember if it has any kind of bevel, or is just a flat washer of the correct thickness?  I would consider just guessing at the thickness and trying to find a washer that size... but it seems like the spacer would have to have some kind of curve or bevel to sit flat against the flange on the axle, and the chamfer on the inner bearing.

I would still like to hear from those who, like mudkicker715, seem to not have these spacers on their Eagles.  Since the final load on the wheel bearings is done by torquing down the axle nut, I was afraid I could not do that properly with the spacer missing. But maybe it just pulls a little extra slack out of the CV joint until the axle flange contacts the wheel bearing? 

Thanks for the responses so far, guys.

JB

[AMC of Houston]

Yeah; I don't know where that pic of a slotted spacer came from - Jeep manual maybe?

Yes; I've actually touched these things - last one I did tho was about 9 years ago!   I wish Crown would repop these, then we'd have everything needed for bearing service on these.

I don't remember any "this side up" issues - didn't seem to matter which way it went on; but I don't remember how the edges were beveled.   As to thickness; it should be the same as the depth of the turned-down area on the inner end of the axle flange (I think - memory fades with age).   Once you have the hub and bearings all pressed together, maybe slide the assy onto the CV joint and see if you can see in there how much space needs to be filled up with a spacer?   May be able to get close that way - but its purpose in life is to maintain the preload on the bearings by not allowing the inner bearing to scoot on the axle flange (its pressed on; but not all that tightly); so I'd rather be dead-sure if at all possible.

I did check PartsVoice for stocking MOPAR dealers, and came up empty.

[mudkicker715]

When i did my half shafts that could have been there, i just never seen it. So it stayed in place?

[AMC of Houston]

Yeah; probably stayed in place.   On the last one I did, it was an ever-so-slight press fit on the axle flange; so it stayed where it was supposed to stay.

[johnbendik]

I resolved the problem by creating an 'auto-adjustable' spacer composed of 3 of these these super-tough O-rings: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013814LM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 stacked on the CV axle shaft flange.  I tightened the axle down, then took it back out to look at, and the 3 rings had deformed into a single triangular ring that had filled the available space between axle flange and wheel bearing.

I know it sounds like a goofy idea, but none of the affected parts move against each other, so I think it may hold up OK.  I'll update this thread if it doesn't work out.

JB

[AMC of Houston]

Nice idea.   Hope it works out OK.   I was thinking maybe of crushable copper or aluminum - like a giant drain plug gasket.   No idea where to find something like that tho.

[vangremlin]

looks like a good solution!