1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

[Ray C.]

I just purchased a pair of RW-607-NR Federal-Mogul wheel bearings for 1961 positraction axles. Is it correct to assume that these bearings do not require an external seal?

Do these modern bearings need any modifications prior to pressing on. The bearings are quite expensive and I would like to get this right the first time.

Thanks for any help!

Ray

[Gary C.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

Ray, don't forget the .1 spacers that go between the wheel bearing and the axle housing flange. Gary....

[Ray C.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

Hi! Gary

Are you sure that the old spacer gets used with the new style bearing? The new bearing is equal to the thickness of the old original bearing and spacer.

Thanks Ray

[Gary C.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

Ray, don't know about new bearings vs. the original bearings. The original positraction bearings were .9 inches and the spacer .1 inches totalling 1 inch. The "new" bearing would have to equal that. Hopefully, Rev. Mike, Dipstick or other 61-2 pros will chime in on your thread. Gary....

[Roger W.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

This might seem like a dumb question, but what is the difference between a non positraction axle bearing and a positraction axle bearing bearing?

[Gary C.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

Roger, positraction bearing is roller while the non-posi is ball bearing. Gary....

[Mike M.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

There's a good thread right now at the Corvette Forum, "Rear axles, am I missing a spacer" I think it will answer all your questions. Good photos & diagrams of bearings & spacers.
Mike

[Ray C.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

Thanks to all!

I called federal-Mogul customer service and talked to a tech. He researched the application and stated that the bearing has an integral heavy duty seal that faces the differential side of the axle. Thats all I needed to know!

Thanks again!

Ray

[Roger W.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

Thanks for the info

[Mike E.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

There have been some in the past who have advocated that you need to pry that seal out, because the lube can't get to the roller bearings with the seal there. I'm not sure that has merit, but it has been hypothesized. I'd be interested in knowing what the bearing manufacturer would say about that.

[Tom P.]

Re: 1961 Rear Wheel Bearings

There have been some in the past who have advocated that you need to pry that seal out, because the lube can't get to the roller bearings with the seal there. I'm not sure that has merit, but it has been hypothesized. I'd be interested in knowing what the bearing manufacturer would say about that.

Hi mike, Tom Parsons here, how are you doing these days???????
The VERY early, original bearings had NO SEAL on the differential side of the bearing and were lubed by the rearend oil.

Later, replacement bearings were permanently sealed on BOTH sides and permanently lubed (internally), like this.


As Mike suggested, some people advocated prying out the INNER seal on replacement bearings to allow the rearend lube get to the bearins. I don't think this is wise.
Also, as mentioned, posi bearings were the roller type rather than the standard ball type. The rollers were also used on police and taxi full sixe 64-earlier cars.
If your new replacement bearings are sealed on both sides, you are good to go as is, press them on and go on down the road.
But (a little confusion), if as you asked in your original question, do they require an external seal, the answer is YES, ABSOLUTELY!!!
If your replacement bearing has a seal on ONLY one side, THAT IS THE SIDE WHICH GOES TO THE OUTSIDE!!!! If it has a seal on both sides, MOST replacement bearings have a DIFFERENT style seal on each side. The seal on one side looks like a seal, the one on the other side kind of looks more like a shield. The one that looks like a shield goes to the inside.

To determine if you do or do not need the spacer, measure this depth of the bearing pocket of the axle housing, then measure the thickness of the bearing. When installed, the outer edge of the bearing should be even with the end of the axle housing.