Bearing Swap - What if I got them wrong?

[DUG]

My son and I replaced the oil seal, axle seal and boot on my front axle over the weekend. We took it slow and because of a late start and a trip to get some tools we didn't finish in one day.

We put the bearings in their own plastic bags and since I was too lazy to get a marker we put them on different sides of the cab to tell them apart.

Everything went together smoothly and I did a 2 mile trip to get fuel and check things out. Nothing seemed wrong.

I'm sitting here at work kicking myself for not double checking the part numbers before we put it back together the next day.

My question is - will it go together smoothly if I swapped the inner and outter bearings?

I'm going to pull the outter tonight to check that I got it right, but in the meantime I'm stressing.

 

[dittle]

They are different sizes. The bigger (thicker) of the 2 bearings go on the inside while the smaller one goes on the outside. I don't see how it would go together if you swapped them around.

 

[DUG]

They are different sizes. The bigger (thicker) of the 2 bearings go on the inside while the smaller one goes on the outside. I don't see how it would go together if you swapped them around.

Thanks - I feel 2% better now.

Instead of marking them, double checking things myself, etc, etc, I put it all on the boy. He's a smart kid, but still, I can't have a bearing failure due to my stupidity one the way up or down the mountain this weekend.

I'm going to jack it up, and pull the outside bearing (at least the one installed there) and check the part number. If I don't I won't sleep ever again.

Gawd I feel like a dumba.............

 

[kennys@wi.rr.com]

I don't think you would be able to get the retainer nuts back on if the beirings were on wrong.

 

[JDToumanian]

I don't see how it would go together if you swapped them around.

It definitely won't.... The outer bearing will not fit past the slightly larger diameter that the inside bearing rides on. 0% chance of mixing inner and outer.

 

[DUG]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[doghead]

Technically speaking, the inner and outer "races" are different but, the "bearings"(cones) are the same.

In other words, the big outer things are different and the inner thing with rollers are the same.

Like the others said, if it went together, you have it right.

 

[gringeltaube]

Technically speaking, the inner and outer "races" are different but, the "bearings"(cones) are the same.

In other words, the big outer things are different and the inner thing with rollers are the same.

You mean that the outer races (cups) are both the same #3920, but inner bearing (cone) #3994 is different from outer bearing cone #392.

Like the others said, if it went together, you have it right.

G.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Yeah, what he said.

 

[doghead]

G, That's what I said...

 

[Floridianson]

The outer bearing has a bigger face on it for the jam nut.