Right Side Axle Carrier Bearing is Pressed On??

andyleonard · Post by **andyleonard** » 05 Dec 2021, 08:33

Shop installed a rebuilt passenger side CV/axle shaft in my son's 97 850GLT auto and it runs/drives fine but now leaks fluid badly at the trans seal area. Pulling the shaft today to check the seal - which was fine and not new but relatively fresh - I noticed that the axle had come out of the carrier bearing without me having to remove the retaining mount bolts. Not being a full-time Volvo guy I had to look this all up and I *think* the carrier bearing is supposed to be hard pressed on the rebuilt axle shaft and therefore would retain the shaft with the bearing mount n a constant running position in the seal lip...and if the shaft were wandering back and forth in the seal it might tend to leak. Or something.

Is this correct? Does the new carrier bearing want to be firmly pressed on the shaft and is that how the trans case part of the shaft is located? And if yes, I wonder what to do now. I've - as a ranch fix - roughed up an axle stub evenly with a hammer and punch and Loctite-ed a new bearing race on...but no one was looking.

Seal and seal running surface on shaft are not suspect.

Thoughts please? And thanks.

Post by **volvolugnut** » 05 Dec 2021, 09:31

As I recall, both side axles are retained in the transmission with a C-clip and the carrier bearing is pressed on the right axle in the proper position.
Your fix sounds ok as long as the bearing does not make noise and turns smoothly.
volvolugnut

Post by **scot850** » 05 Dec 2021, 11:03

It is a pressed fit. Although as I did not have a press a long piece of suitably sized Pipe did the job with a large hammer. I have pictures of a 2000 V70 FWD axle and it has no locking clip on it. Only the LH axle has that.

I think your 'fix' is about the only way to do this if the bearing is loose on the axle shaft.

Good Luck!

Neil.

andyleonard · Post by **andyleonard** » 05 Dec 2021, 11:05

Thanks guys. Loctite and a punch it will be.

andyleonard · Post by **andyleonard** » 05 Dec 2021, 11:53

Upon closer inspection the carrier shaft has a step of .020-.030 in the bearing surface and clearly wants the bearing to go on first closest to the CV joint where it fits nicely, followed by the smaller retaining ring which will need to be pressed on to the smaller part of the shaft and will hold the bearing in place nicely. I haven't fitted the shaft to check seal location (no seal yet.)

Problem is, the parts diagram I downloaded from Volvo shows the retaining ring going on first, then the bearing - which in this case physically won't work. Clearly the mechanic did the bearing first in the correct place but didn't press the retaining ring on, as the ring fell on the floor when I pulled the shaft out, leaving the bearing in the mount.

I guess the question is: do I have the correct part here? Or a bad drawing? I never saw the one that came out.

andyleonard · Post by **andyleonard** » 05 Dec 2021, 12:41

OK. Fitted the shaft (no seal) and it quite obviously wants the bearing slipped on first, then the retaining ring heated and pounded snug against. The bearing has a stop to locate it on the shaft just before it hits the CV end, matching the mounting clamp, and then the retaining ring has a step in the shaft that snugs it up against the bearing and stops it.

So a new seal and we're off.

Thanks.

Post by **scot850** » 05 Dec 2021, 13:12

Well done! Glad you figured it out!

Neil.