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MATCO Bearing Fit to Axle

mfleming

Well Known Member
Patron
I searched and could not find any post about this.

It's time to assemble my wheels and tires and fit them to the gear. The assembly of the wheels went fine but the bearings don't fit the axle. I've been using emery cloth on the axel but there doesn't seem to be any improvement.

Is the bearing fit normally super tight and I just need more elbow grease??

This is as far as I can get this bearing on the axle without it being almost impossible to remove.
 

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I searched and could not find any post about this.

It's time to assemble my wheels and tires and fit them to the gear. The assembly of the wheels went fine but the bearings don't fit the axle. I've been using emery cloth on the axel but there doesn't seem to be any improvement.

Is the bearing fit normally super tight and I just need more elbow grease??

This is as far as I can get this bearing on the axle without it being almost impossible to remove.

Because the final sizing is done before heat treating and with the tight tolerance involved in having a good fit for the bearing, occasionally tolerances between the bearing and the axle interfere. Keep going with the emery cloth while trying to remove material equally around the circumference in the area that it is still tight until the bearing will just barely slip on.
 
Similar experience with Matco wheels, solution in post #11:

https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=198780

I'm the guy that recently posted this same issue that became a problem upon 1st condition inspection. Just keep going with emery cloth. Took me about 45 minutes of sanding to get the sticky spot out. Now, both wheels slide on and off with ease! Here's a link to a video showing where mine were getting hung up. Only the last 1" of the spindle had to be sanded down.
https://youtu.be/-DLDXatIS2E
 
Chinese Bearings?

I wonder if the axle to bearing interference issue is being exacerbated by Matco's recent substitution of Chinese made bearings versus the Timken bearings they used to specify?

I know I received Chinese bearings in my RV-10 brake and wheel kit when Timken bearings were promised. Very disappointed and nothing but crickets when I reached out to George Happ (owner of Matco).
 
Yes, my bearings are Chinese. I wonder if there’s a Timken alternative?

Anyone know the Timken part number that works with these Matco wheels??
 
Elbow Grease Wins The Day

Thanks Scott and everyone else. Elbow grease and emery cloth did the job.

Now I just have to figure out how to grease these bearings with their integral seals :rolleyes:

Here are a couple of photos just for posterity sake.
 

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Ask the owner

Yes, my bearings are Chinese. I wonder if there’s a Timken alternative?

Anyone know the Timken part number that works with these Matco wheels??

You could reach out to George Happ, owner of Matco and ask him directly - [email protected]

Maybe he will provide you with a competent answer as to why they have been substituting the Chinese bearings. All I got from him when I inquired was the Timken part numbers. No explanation of the reason despite a couple of requests. In my view, not a good way to win repeat business and given social media today - not the way to win future business either.

I suspect you too should have Timken bearings and not the Chinese substitutions. From the Matco website -

MATCO mfg wheels using tapered roller bearings are equipped with Timken bearings utilizing integrated grease seals on the bearing cone to ensure the longest possible life. The torqueing procedure for bearings with these type seals is different than for tapered roller bearings without them. Click Here for full details
 
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