MTFCA Forum

I've been sorting through a pile of Hyatt bearings to rebuild my axle. One of the bearings I chose with good looking/ within spec rollers is presenting an unusual problem. When I went to clean it I discovered the rollers are stuffed with hard old grease and some sort of coarse, short fiber. I've been pulling little hairballs out with tweezers, stainless steel wire and a dental pick for a day now.

I've heard stories about people packing sawdust in gearboxes to "tighten them up" but always thought that was just a story. Has anyone else run into bearings stuffed with hair, or do you know if putting hair (wool?) in the axle case was a common practice? I should have tossed this one hours ago but I'm kind of stubborn, and I'm hoping there is a good story someone can add to make it worthwhile.

Could it be old fibers from previous felt axle seals that worked their way into the Hyatt?

If the rear end is growling you have to remove the dog!

Felt axle seals-- that makes sense. This stuff looks like felt put in a blender. Thanks for solving the mystery. I use modern seals so I forgot there used to be felt in there.

That what felt is, hair that is washed and pounded into a mat. Could be short or long depending on the thickness or density.

Well I'll be. Learned something new today Mark! Thank you!
Arthur, my brother in law had a WD Allis-Chalmers tractor that needed work in the (drive) in-out clutch box. When he pulled it apart, he found the previous owner had indeed put sawdust in the oil to sweeten the clutch action.
I believe the clutch is much like our model T high speed clutch.

I took a T rear end apart many years ago, it was one of the worst I ever saw. Every moving part was junk, roller bearings in pieces. Even the housings weren't much good. I did manage to salvage some bolts and nuts. When I got it apart, the remains of grease was mixed with what appeared to be ground-up cork, and lots of it! I have always wondered whether the cork was the reason the rear end became so bad? Or maybe the cork allowed them to get a few thousand more miles out of an already bad rear end?

You said you wanted stories.

Mark, you are not quite right about felt being washed and pounded up hair to make a mat. Hair fibres will not felt. WOOL fibres will. Wool fibres have tiny rings of scales around them. When they are washed, agitated/'pounded', the fibres rubbing together become enmeshed and bind to each other. Think of grass seeds which get in your socks. It is easier to pull them through the sock than try to pull them out against the rub of the awns on the seed. The density and strength of felt is controlled by careful selection of the type of wool selected, the purpose to which the end product is to be put, and the actual felting process used to make the fabric.

Industrial felt used in making oil/dust seals is a far different beast to the fine felted wool scarves which may adorn the neck of a lady. it is the tendency of wool fibres to felt which makes it necessary to hand wash a woolen sweater and dry it flat. Put it in a washing machine, and run it through a tumble drier, and it will certainly felt up, and come out of the process 3 sizes smaller and loose all definition in the kniiting.

Allan from down under Bennett and Gregor wool producers for handcrafters.

Thanks Allan, I probably knew that but forgot. Mom and Dad don't have to deal with shearing their small flock of Barbados cross, the wool just falls off.

I have to give my "two cents worth" on this subject. Many years ago, when rebuilding my first Model T rear-end, I found the same"problem". I discounted it as a felt washer that was ground up and found its way into the rollers. I no longer think that is the case. I've looked at and handled countless Model T rear axle bearings and the vast majority have the rollers filled with felt. I recently completely dis-assembled several bearings, (both car and truck), and found the felt material in all of them. The interesting thing is that every bearing roller had the same amount of felt inside. The other interesting fact was the amount of metal particles imbedded in the felt! I have no proof of this, but I now suspect the felt was actually installed in the rollers at the factory. Probably as a method of retaining oil/grease in the bearing. Much like a felt wick is used to apply oil to the point lobe area of a distributor shaft. remember, the original rollers are made of spiral wound steel and oil on the inside of the rollers can, and does, work its way through the small opening between the winding. I have no problem leaving the felt in the rollers, but I certainly don't want to leave the metal particles in there. Thoroughly cleaning the bearings is a time consuming and tedious job. I do consider the original bearings to be of a superior design over the available reproductions and will probably continue to spend several hours cleaning the old bearings. So much for my "two cents worth".

I'll go just one cent worth, never come across this in Canadian bearings as yet

William

That's an observation I haven't had, pulled a lot of Hyatts from axle and pinion, and never seen felt. Only old tar like grease, metal particles if the sleeve had been worn down.

No mention in early articles by Fahnstock or Hyatt adv. about felt inside the ribbon roller. Would add too much resistance IMO.

Would the old fashion fiber type grease have done that to a bearing after a number of years use?

I had the same suspicion as 67pontiac that some bearings were actually intentionally manufactured with felt in the rollers for some perceived benefit. The felt was so dense and uniform that it's hard to imagine how it infiltrated the roller. But the fact that none of you has come up with any documentation of this practice has me doubting that theory. In any case, as 67pontiac said the felt is so dense with metal particles that I'm glad I removed it all. No way I want all that bad stuff contaminating my spotlessly clean rear axle. The rancid whale blubber smell is gone and it's almost ready for fresh grease and oil.