8 3/4 Green Bearing Install - Retainer Plate Bent?

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Chained_360

Chained_360

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Hello,

I am finally working towards getting my '68 notchback on the road and have encountered a couple roadblocks reassembling the rear axle. It is an original A-body 8 3/4 axle that I am converting to rear disc brakes and BBP with parts from our good friend Dr. Diff. Here's the details:

  • Factory A-body 8 3/4 axle
  • 3.23 Sure Grip (CLUTCH TYPE)
  • Dr. Diff BBP axles (factory A-body length)
  • Dr. Diff 10.7" disc brake kit
  • Green bearings
  • Thrust buttons have been removed (the roll pin was broken, my understanding is that it is not necessary with green bearings anyways)
I just finished installing the driver's side axle and struggled to get the axle to seat, but I discovered this was because I had created an air spring in between the axle seal in the housing and the O-ring on the bearing. Removing the o-ring confirmed that the axle easily seated all the way into the center section. I re-installed the O-ring and had to hold the axle all the way in while tightening the bearing retainer plate (I did NOT draw the axle in with the nuts).

After getting the axle fully seated and the nuts torqued to 35 ft-lbs, I noticed that the retainer plate was slightly bent across the top and between stud holes. It is barely noticeable but enough to worry me. I checked the plates on the SBP axles I removed and they are bent as well. They also have green bearings and I drove a couple hundred miles on them before the car got blown apart in 2023.

Is this normal? I have double-checked the installation instructions from Dr. Diff and searched the interwebs up and down with no answers found. I removed the retainer plate and verified that the snap ring on the bearing seats fully against the caliper bracket face.

Bend on new axles (no nuts installed, just held flush):

PXL_20260711_171444059.MP.jpg


Bend on old axles w/ green bearings:
PXL_20260711_171455315.jpg
PXL_20260711_171503427.jpg



Any help is appreciated!
 
I would not worry too much about it, looks to be the bearing retainer was "stamped", a slight bow is to be expected in this type of manufactory process.
 
Your issue is the green bearings cannot be used with a sure grip or open carrier. You would need to get a sure track clutch style and remove the equalizer pin that is between the axles . All differentials have pin between the axles to adjust the factory style tapered bearings. Your axles bottom out and are now binding the bearings. You cannot run them like that you will cause damage.
 
Thanks for the replies all! I've got both sides installed now with no further concerns. The car will be getting a full shakedown and inspection once the first test drive is complete. @Oldmanmopar , I have not heard this before but will do some further research to make sure everything will be okay. I've removed the thrust buttons/equalizer pin from the differential and both axles slid in and spin freely so far.
 
Chained_360 said:
Thanks for the replies all! I've got both sides installed now with no further concerns. The car will be getting a full shakedown and inspection once the first test drive is complete. @Oldmanmopar , I have not heard this before but will do some further research to make sure everything will be okay. I've removed the thrust buttons/equalizer pin from the differential and both axles slid in and spin freely so far.
Click to expand...
It's all over the internet. It's not a big CIA secret. The thrust button or block as it's called is made up of two small blocks and a pin. It looks like this:

THRUST BUTTON.jpg

These are only found on the clutch type Dana Power Lok units, not the cone type. So if your sure grip carrier is a two piece unit held together with bolts, that's a clutch type and should have the thrust button and that needs to be removed when running green bearings.
 
Here's an old geezer's opinion of that "bent" plate. That's such a very minor bend, I believe it was like that new from being punched out. If it was bent from the thrust button being left in, it would be much greater. Plus, look how the plate is cinched down tight at the bolt holes. It's completely against the housing end. So that means the bearing is all the way in as far as it can go. That's my opinion anyway, for what it's worth.
 
Thanks again everyone for the input, I was hoping it would be okay with the bend - especially after how much money I've spent on these parts! I've got both axles installed and the disc brakes mocked up (installed, no loctite or torqued bolts) so I can work on fabbing up some brake lines. She's coming along nicely!

PXL_20260711_212559850.jpg
 
I did not alter my Yukon clutch sure grip with green axle bearings.
 
I did mine over a year ago, don't need to remove thrust buttons.

Bearing retainer should never be bent, imo.

Did you use the thicker gasket to make up the larger space between the bearing retainer and the housing?
I don't see it in your pics.

The metal stop ring on the bearing sits proud of the housing, the thicker gasket takes up that space between the housing and the bearing retainer.

Screenshot_20251011_200934_YouTube.jpg


Screenshot_20251011_200818_YouTube.jpg
 

I bought my green bearings from Dr Diff and asked the same.. Cass said if my axle length is stock, which it is, I don’t have to remove the button.
 
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