Wheel bearings. Tapered or Green Style for road racing

[96Formula6sp]

So our 8 3/4 is in the market for a new set of wheel bearings. I am seeing I now have three options for bearings. Anyways it Looks like the car is on a set of factory tapered set of wheel bearings. The car is going to be used for road racing.

So options look to be a factory set of tapered bearings or a set of green bearings.

Tapered
http://www.doctordiff.com/tapered-axle-bearing-package.html
Green
http://www.doctordiff.com/green-bearings-pair.html

I understand the work need to pack and seal up the factory style. However being tapered they should last longer in the cornering applications that we are going to throw at it. The green bearings look like they are not tapered at all and therefore will have a harder time taking the g-forces of hard cornering. Don't want to be doing this all the time so wanting the reliability factor.

I am leaning towards the factory style but what do you guys say. Any reason to convert to the green bearing style, or should I just order the tapered set and call it a day.

 

[MoparMitch]

If you are going to be putting a lot of side load on them...I would go tapered , adjustable...JMO
You will get all kinds of opinions on this...Just remember .. Opinions are like a$$holes...Everyone has one...They usually all stink..

 

[Ron H]

I installed green's in my 63 Fury after dropping the original tapered axles for newer (65 Coronet) with adjuster. My most recent upgrade to the green's eliminated the adjuster and were not advised by some members (in fact one called me an idiot for doing the green's) as they're not good I understand for a lot of cornering. I've had others say they've held up fine. So far so good; but only a few hundred miles on them. My do over...I might have left well enough alone and kept to the original bearings...

 

[Ron H]

hope my reply isn't too smelly for moparmitch...

 

[1967coronet440]

Just give cass a call (dr diff) tell him what your application and he will get you set up. I had green bearings installed in my dana I bought from him

 

[1967coronet440]

Or email him through the site he will answer promptly.

 

[lewtot184]

timkens for side thrust. they were designed for that. ball bearings do good with a vertical load but not designed for a continuous side thrust.

 

[747mopar]

I do Industrial Main work everyday, there's absolutely no comparison.... taper is always better. With that said ball bearings have worked fine for years on many vehicles but I'd still stay with tapered bearing especially considering the side loading from road racing.

 

[cryplydog]

I like both kinds and they both have benefits over the other, somewhat. I have also lost a couple axles before but not in many years. Dr. Diff is very knowledgeable on this particular subject.

 

[96Formula6sp]

Looks like we are going tapered. Easy enough to make that decision. Probably going with the Timken bearings. What I use in my cars if I can. Being we need things to last those will be ordered.

 

[Kern Dog]

When I first got back into Mopars in 2000 I saw the non adjustable type bearings as a low maintenance way to go. I bought new axle shafts from a vendor with the ball bearing setup. I had planned on the car being more of a corner and distance cruiser rather than a drag car. In less than 4000 miles, one of the bearings was failing. I was planning on driving to a car show in 2 days and my machine shop guy only had a Mopar Performance ball bearing set in stock, they were from a guy that bought them but never came back for installation. I went ahead with them again. Next time these wear out, I will be going with the stock tapered style. They will probably outlast the car at that point.

 

[Ranger16]

I understand the work need to pack and seal up the factory style.

Forgive the possibly stupid basic question, but I always thought that the rear bearings where lubed by rear end lube running through the axle housing to the bearing. I have never packed a rear bearing.

 

[lewtot184]

Forgive the possibly stupid basic question, but I always thought that the rear bearings where lubed by rear end lube running through the axle housing to the bearing. I have never packed a rear bearing.

they have to be packed the same as the front timken wheel bearings.

 

[RJRENTON]

Gentlemen,
If it's not too late to comment, my opinion is use the Timken tapered roller bearings. Tapered bearings have both AXIAL AND RADIAL load carrying capabilities, where the "Green" style of bearing is a roller bearing capable of RADIAL load only. I'm not sure where the Green name originated...is it a manufacturer's name? If one wanted an anti friction bearing for rear axle service, other than the tapered bearing, they should consider a DUPLEX ANGULAR CONTACT BEARING. This a ball bearing style that has both axial and radial load capability but not as much as the Timken tapered bearings. The problem with duplex angular contact bearings is they are generally wider overall for a given shaft diameter and housing diameter and are not adjustable except by shimming and usually cannot be preloaded appreciably.
For my money and piece of mind, stick with the original Mopar arrangement....epically on a road race application....again, what one of the other contributors said about opinions and a**holes....definitely applies.
Cheers,
Bob Renton

 

[wilmacmike]

Quite awhile back I was asking about the green bearings also. I thought about using them in my 64 Polara 500.

I decided to stay with the factory set-up for a few reasons:

1) The tapered bearings have been used and proven for many years.

2) I can run down to my local auto parts house and get the Timken bearings.

3) There was a time when I was converting motorcycles into 3 wheelers (trikes). I had a trike kit supplier/manufacturer which used in their proprietary built rearend a bearing just like the green bearings. At first they were a shielded bearing which was factory pregreased. Some would go out as quickly as 4 to 5 thousand miles. Upon pulling the rearends apart and inspecting the bearings, it was found that the grease was all burnt out of the bearing.

Then I changed the bearings out to a sealed bearing (like the green bearings) and would get between 20 to 30 thousand miles before the grease would burn out of the axle bearings on the trikes. Mind you, the trikes would only weigh about 1,000 to 1500 lbs., (nothing like a B body in weight) but they had a lot of side load pressures while riding them through the the turns.

Needless to say, quite a few unhappy customers. We could not use the taper type bearings because of the lack of room on the trike factories design of the rear end.

I know there are differences between the trikes and our cars, but I feel the green bearings would not last as long as the Timken tapered bearings. My Polara has 80,000 miles on it which I'm not sure the green bearings would last that long with the small amount of factory packed grease in such a small area (cavity).

Remember, every once in awhile we are to service (repack) the tapered bearings which helps them with long life. You cannot do the that with a sealed (green) bearing, unless you are willing to pop the outer seal off of the bearing to repack it, and take a chance of damaging the seal.

I actually wonder how many people are drawn to the green bearings because of the fact they are factory sealed and already packaged with grease. Which to some seems very tempting because there is no messy packing of the bearings to perform. So they look to be an easier set up?

Mike
God Bless America

 

[Kern Dog]

The non adjustable units appeal to the people that don't know how easy the stock setup is.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

To me it's a no-brainer to stay with the factory proven bullet-proof set up, especially in a late housing with the adjuster. I replaced the tapered rollers in my '62 housing where the end float is adjusted by shims - not difficult and these bearings will likely last 50+ years like the set I replaced.

 

[RJRENTON]

Bearing application is determined by sound engineering practices per application, and not on convenience. Just remember that your next door's neighbor's brother-in-law's cousin's buddy's friend, does not know best....and in all probability drives a Camero who thinks the GM 12 bolt rear end is the be all to end all and the only service work he performs is waxing the car......oh well...
Bob Renton

 

[toolmanmike]

Forgive the possibly stupid basic question, but I always thought that the rear bearings where lubed by rear end lube running through the axle housing to the bearing. I have never packed a rear bearing.

They should be packed like front wheel bearings.

 

[747mopar]

They should be packed like front wheel bearings.

Just to add to this the axle seal is to the inside of the bearing holding the oil away from the bearings. I personally like the idea because a differential can live with minimal oil as long as the ring gear is slinging it around whereas the bearings need oil high enough to enter the tubes or rely on cornering to push it out there.