Loose rear wheel cush drive bearings - typical?

[Rob]

Changing the bearings in the cush drive of the RGS.  The old bearings were staked with 8 or so centre punch marks around the alloy bearing housing.  Not seen that before...perhaps I wasn't looking? 

Anyway, heat applied and old bearings removed - looked like one had bearing fit or similar applied - new bearings fitted and of course they are a sliding fit in the housing even after everything had cooled down.  Is this typical?  The housings look in reasonable condition.  Before I apply some bearing fit, I'm wondering about the tales of cush drive bearing failure and reasons for this....  Oh - both spacers both present & correct.

 

[Simonr501]

I didn't have to use Loctite retainer on my cush drive, but I did on the wheel bearings.
I suspect it has a lot to do how the bearings were boshed out in the past.
Loctite 638 retainer should hold just fine, it is high strength - depends on the gap of course:

Loctite 638 is good up to 0.25mm diametrical clearance (high strength).
Loctite 660 is good up to 0.50mm diametrical clearance (high strength).

I have not known Loctite to fail yet.

 

[sfcpiet]

I suspect it has a lot to do how the bearings were boshed out in the past.

More like how long the wheel or cush drive were run with knackered bearings...  although hamfisted disassembly can/will also damage the bearing seatings.

The extra friction and rough running strains the fit of the outer race, eventually it works itself loose.

Short of machining out the bearing recess and fitting a bush (extreme pita!), Loctite should do the trick.

piet

 

[Rob]

Thanks both