set26 wheel bearings don't fit

[DAVE]

took Apes17 81" Kammback into local tire dealer (les schwab) for front wheel bearings they said they tried 3 sets of Timken set26 bearings but all had to large of a center bore to fit in the hub has anyone heard of this before
are they just missing something
Thanks

[Mernsy]

Try  Fed A-40.

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/amc/eagle_partlist.htm

[eaglefreek]

Maybe they the older style hubs that are roller bearings?

[AMC of Houston]

According to the cross-ref charts, the Set26 and Fed/Nat A40 should be the same bearing.    So I'm guessing the shop is missing something.    Ask them if your old bearings were ball bearings.   If they were, the new roller bearings won't work AFAIK.    As far as AMC was concerned (per the parts books), the ball bearing units were "non-serviceable".

[eaglefreek]

Maybe they the older style hubs that are roller bearings?

Oops, I meant ball bearings.

[carnuck]

The ball bearing hubs could be taken apart last I heard. You did need a press to get them out. My 5 ton HF one barely did the ones in the '81 wagon I worked on.

[AMC of Houston]

I do wonder why AMC decided the ball bearing units weren't serviceable; as Jim said, they can be taken apart.   Maybe its just because AMC decided to no longer repair the ball bearing units, or source the ball bearings.    I don't know.    The parts book doesn't even list a replacement bearing for the ball bearing units; they only list the complete hub assembly.    The parts book also shows the empty ball bearing hub and the roller bearing hub to be 2 different part numbers, so something must be different.   Would love to have one of each to compare.

[carnuck]

I don't think the ball bearings take the shock load as good as tapered rollers. The design is almost identical to '68 Olds Toronado hubs, so they may be the same.

[carnuck]

http://www.rockauto.com/info/Centric/410.91023_View1.jpg

'68 Caddy Eldo FWD bearing setup Set 23

No guarantees. I need to do my RH one soon and I hope it's not the oddball, but I'll find out.

[DAVE]

if you get the newer hubs will those work or is everything different

[AMC of Houston]

IMHO the later Eagle roller hubs should work no problem.

[carnuck]

The brakes are different after early '82. They became the same as early XJs and don't swap. The early ones are same as '80 only Ford F100s (I bought some F100 hoses in anticipation of lifting the front of my '82 Wagon but they won't be needed and I've had them too long to return them)