Spridget wheel bearings

K

Kerry Foote

Well-known member
Hello all. I just purchased a pair of upgraded spindles from Winners Circle and would like to know if anyone can tell me the Timken bearing numbers to use with these spindles?
I understand there may be a difference in the radius on the inner bearing that could cause a problem by not correctly matching the radius on the spindle.
Also, I see that some people are installing the distance sleeve and shimming to correctly set the preload and to create tension on the spindle. I have not been using the sleeve on the stock spindles, and have had no problems. I would like to understand why this is needed.

Thank you
Kerry Foote
HP Sprite #1
 
That's what I've been running all these years Bill, but the inner doesn't seat all thecway to the shoulder on the spindle.
I bought some used aluminum hubs that had different numbered bearings. That's thevreason I'm asking.

Thanks
 
That's what I've been running all these years Bill, but the inner doesn't seat all thecway to the shoulder on the spindle.
I bought some used aluminum hubs that had different numbered bearings. That's thevreason I'm asking.

Thanks
 
You using roller or ball bearings? We use the ball bearings because they fit properly and run a lot cooler.

Bob
 
The stock stub axles are notoriously inconsistent in filet radius for the inner bearing mounting. Ransom & Marles and RHP manufactured ball bearings for BMC that provided sufficient bearing radius (R) to accommodate the inconsistency.

The Timken roller bearings used on most Spridgets for the original upgrades were the 7204/07097 inners and the 5185/05066 outers. Cup/cone order. The upgraded needle rollers increased the load rating of the bearings significantly over the ball bearings that were stock. These bearings are dimensionally similar to the ball bearings except in the filet radius area. The R radius on these bearings is 0.060".

Later, when the larger front brakes were allowed, many racers switched to the Y30205/X30205 inners and the Y30303/X30303 outers. Y being cup and X being cone. The load ratings for the bearings again increased slightly. However, the 30205 inners have a dimensional change in the height of the bearing. The height increased by 0.050". This helped with rotor to tie rod end clearance but created brake caliper/pad centering issues with the rotor. The R radius on these bearings is only 0.040". The very earliest 30205 bearings had a R radius of 0.090". Time and standardization/globalization caused the radius to change to the lower value, probably due to no longer having an automotive application.

However, there is a Ford/Mazda gearbox bearing, the XAA30205/YAA30205 that has the same dimensions as the above 30205 pair except has an R radius of 0.162". Enough to clear any stub axle filet radius that would likely exist.

The distance piece is used with spacing shims to preload the spindle and reduce bending moment, with the expectation that the reduced bending moment also reduces the likelihood of breaking the spindle at the filet location.

A lengthy posting, but answers all the questions.
 
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