How good is a small bearing 9"?

mrtleavitt · Post by **mrtleavitt** » Fri Nov 19, 2010 10:38 am

Hey guys, just wondering how much better is a large bearing rearend compared to a small bearing? I'm gonna run about 400 flywheel horsepower. I have a spare small bearing housing but I can pick up a big bearing housing for $75. I will have to get them both shortened I think with the slicks I wanna run. What do you all think?

JEF199 · Post by **JEF199** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 7:43 am

I think the difference is in the load capacity. Being you are narrowing it wouldn't matter anyway...

averagef250 · Post by **averagef250** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:07 pm

small/big bearing is reference to carrier bearings, nothing to do with housings right?

1971ford · Post by **1971ford** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 7:22 pm

averagef250 wrote:small/big bearing is reference to carrier bearings, nothing to do with housings right?

Actually from what I understand is that a small bearing 9inch 's axle tube shrinks down to a fairly small size right before the brakes. Big bearing retains the same axle tube size all the way through.
I've heard this through off-road racing buddies - you don't want to waste your time trussing and doing work to a small bearing 9" because they arn't nearly as strong as a big bearing

BobbyFord · Post by **BobbyFord** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 7:57 pm

Big axle bearings are the RUB-1580-EBF bearings. They are large and expensive.

mrtleavitt · Post by **mrtleavitt** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 10:17 pm

The small bearing housings actually are 3 inch tubes all the way with no tapering. The big bearing housing start larger and they taper down to a 3.25 inch tube. Ya if you're going to dump money into a rear end you need to start with a big bearing but I was just curious if the small bearing housing could handle 400 hp or if I should invest in the large bearing housing.

averagef250 · Post by **averagef250** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 10:49 pm

if you can buy new 3" .250 wall DOM tube for $75 then use the housing you have and replace the small tubes.

Also, using new tubing makes a real nice finished product (no pads/brackets to cut off, no rust pitting, etc).

Alvin in AZ · Post by **Alvin in AZ** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:52 pm

mrtleavitt wrote: The small bearing housings actually are 3 inch tubes all the way with no tapering.
The big bearing housing start larger and they taper down to a 3.25 inch tube.

http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/F100-9inch.jpg
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/F150-9inch.jpg

Both those were built late Jan of '75. :)

Butthead in AZ

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How good is a small bearing 9"?

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