converting 1959 front wheel bearings to 1960 tapered bearings

[brian faull clc#25881]

I am interested in converting my 1959 front wheel bearings from the ball bearing style to the 1960 tapered roller bearing style bearings. Does anyone know what the interchange on the parts is. Are the hubs and spindles the same or are they different. I know the actual drums are the same and the bearings are different. I am trying to figure out if I will need to change the hubs or spindles or both. Thanks for any help, Brian. 412 952 6027.

[cadelec]

i had a 1960 hearse when i checked the front bearings it had balls on onside and tapers on the other so at some stage someone must have changed to a 59 setup on one side i sourced a 60 front drum and installed on same spindle

[Roger Zimmermann]

The part number from the steering knuckle is the same from 1957 to 1960. The hub is different; the drums too: they have fins.

Roger

[Jim Stamper]

     In the early sixties I worked in a tire shop in Santa Maria, California. We had an ongoing special, buy the front tires and get a deal on new roller bearings to replace old ball bearings. No big deal, knock out the old races and install the new ones and the new roller bearings. We sold hundreds of them.  Auto parts houses such as Napa should be able to cross reference to the roller type. Failing in that, contact bearing supply houses with the measurements of the ball races. They can fit anything, and often for far less cost.

     I was finishing up a job once and neglected the first rule of snipping off the cotter pin, that is, covering the cutter with the other hand during the snip. The pin had grease on it and the end flipped up and landed and stuck on the customer's new suede coat lapel. Oops.
                                                 Jim Stamper CLC#13470

[Dan Eckstein]

The car I am restoring had cross threaded spindle on one side and 60's drum on the other.  So I just replaced the spindle which from what I could tell are same from 58-60.  Bought another 60's front brake drum and then new roller bearing style bearings. 

[brian faull clc#25881]

I finished my conversion. I replaced the front hubs with 1960 hubs with new races and tapered roller bearings. I also had to replace the outer bearing retainer washer and grease cap from a 1960 as well. I used a set of good 1959 drums I had and removed them from the hubs and had them machined. I then went a step further and decided I wanted slip on drums in the front. I drilled the holes in the drums out to barely slide over the serrations on the shoulder of the studs then drilled and tapped the hubs so I could install 2 retainer bolts like on the back drums to ensure they are on square when adjusting them. Now when I want to check my brakes I can just slide the drums on and off like the rear drums. The only drawback I noticed is the front wheels appear to be slightly different from 59-60 as the 59 wheels do not center on the 60 hubs as well as I would like, but I was just careful to ensure all studs were centered before torquing the wheels. Later I will install a set of 1960 self adjusters on the brakes and I may switch the rear axle from a 1960 while I am replacing the rear seals and bearings which would make all 4 wheels have right hand thread. I took it out for the weekend and put a few hundred miles on it and the new bearings feel great. Just figured I would report back in-case anyone else had thought about doing this. Thanks, Brian.

[Steve Passmore]

This was an interesting topic but I don't think the original question was answered? Will the bearings interchange on their own?   Ive just had the second set of ball bearings let go in 6 years on my 59 and would love to change them. can it be done?

[Roger Zimmermann]

If you search taper rollers, maybe you have a chance, but I doubt as the inside/outside diameters will not be the same. I don't understand why your bearings are already bad after 6 years. Did you buy inferior products or was their adjusment wrong?

Roger

[Steve Passmore]

.

. I don't understand why your bearings are already bad after 6 years. Did you buy inferior products or was their adjusment wrong?

Roger

I suspect a little of both Roger.