Thank you!
Best info I got to date!!
It seems to me that the HMMWV waterpump is a weak spot, or am I wrong?
Taken apart with puller and 6T press and there are 2 bearings.
The roller ball bearing is at the impeller side with 6 balls, held in a plastic cage, which runs in a long hardened outer bearing race and on the inside, the balls run in a grove directly cut into the shaft. This prevents the shaft from moving in or out.
The needle bearing has 10 needles in a plastic cage and is at the drive pulley side and runs in the same long hardened race on the outside and the inside rolls directly on the shaft.
From what I can observe, the ball bearings remain intact, but the needle bearings run a groove into the shaft.
Obviously the needle bearing has the most to endure, as it takes the one sided pull and beating of the V-belt/serpentine and also any vibrations such as from the fan if any unbalance is present.
The shaft is grounded very smooth, but still, it seems to me the shaft is too soft a steel to have hardened steel needle bearing rollers in constant contact and under load rolling on there.
Wondering if I can make it more reliable and ways to improve the waterpump, possibly by using a needle bearing with an inner and outer hardenend race and pressed onto the shaft, but could not find such needle bearings with ID 3/4" and OD 1.50".
I know replacement waterpumps are available and affordable, but what if you can have a better product for a cheap price as DIY...
Perhaps by grounding the shaft down from 3/4" to 5/8" and pressing a needle bearing with its' own inner and outer race onto that with ID 5/8" of course and OD 1.50" which will exactly press fit the pump housing...
... just a few ideas...
Comments welcome
Jake