Bearing Flange question for the Argo Gurus

[micmac]

I discovered that the bolt patten on my Max IV with the older style smaller bearings has the same bolt pattern as the Argos. I have always liked the argo bearing flanges (Jeff Swift informed me it's actually an ATTEX design) and now I'm converting my flanges to the Argo ones with the dual seals and dual grease fittings. The question I have is there a recommended torque for the four flange bolt? Also is it recommended to use a little RTV on the bolts to prevent water passing through, or is the two cork gaskets enough?

How much grease do you use when filling the cavities for the first time? Will the axle seal be ruined if you put too much in and grease comes out of the flange?









This system will work only if you don't need the eccentric cam bearing on the outer bearing.

See My article here:

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/general-amphibious-atv-articles/1476-get-rid-those-eccenrtic-bearings.html

Thanks in advance for the info

Mike

[fordmtrsp]

bearing flange

How much does this cost per axles with bearings?

[Roger S]

Torque.. the cork limits how tight you can pull the assy together. It's not hard to push the cork out of place. Also the argo flange can bend which tends to pinch the cork at the holes. I use either locknuts or locktite on regular nuts. Look at the cork. Check how centered the outer seal is on the axle, use the nuts to pull it around if needed. I assy and then drive it some, then retighten. The cork will compress. I keep rechecking.

I use sealant on the bolt heads.

Can't grease it too much, it's just a wiper seal w/o a spring.. it's common to push water out of there when you grease. Can't hurt the seals with a manual grease gun.

[micmac]

Thanks for the info Roger. That's exactly what I was looking for.

The cork gaskets are $1.05 apiece the flanges are $29 apiece. I'm not using Argo bearings I'm using the ones I already have

[jpswift1]

Mike, be sure to keep us posted after you take your rig for a swim. That looks like a great mod.

[Roger S]

Also I would put it together with all the plates and cork clean and dry. Gasket sealer and grease just seem to let the cork get pushed out. You can wipe a little on the seals for assy. Then after it's together grease the zerts. Unless you have delicate seals on the bearing, just grease it till you see grease coming out inside the tub. And of course the outer cavity between seals.. you can't grease them too often.

Depending on how the bearing retainers sandwich the bearing and fit the body, you might be able to ditch the cork and use silicone all around. Thats something I can't tell you on your machine. But it would allow you to bolt it up tight and forget about it.

[micmac]

Thanks Roger,

I'm going to try the cork first if that doesn't work I'll go with the silicone all around. What have you been using on your machine?

Mike

[liflod]

Can you use gasket spray tack adhesive or something to glue the cork to the flange, let it dry and then assemble it so the glue keeps the cork from moving? Even if you used silicone, you can put some weight on the flange until it sets up and then bolt it on.
When I install valve cover gaskets, I silicone the gasket to the valve cover and loosely install the valve cover. When the silicone sets up, I torque the bolts. When its time to remove the valve cover, the gasket stays with the cover and you can reuse it.

[Roger S]

That would probably work, Lance, I havn't tried it.

Mike, some guys have left the cork out between the argo seal flange and the steel retainer, and used silicone instead. It clamps the bearing tighter, esp if your flanges are distorted. I havn't done it, have a mental block about taking out that much of a spacer. I have quit using cork on the flange to body on the 4 center axles I lowered.

I would look at how your flanges sandwich the bearing. If it's close, maybe use silicone, tighten and forget it. Just seal it up good, because it'll have to withstand the force of the grease gun. I have one cork on a front bearing extension that pushed out when greased. The flange has some bow to it, not enough to see, and isn't clamping the cork tight. That's the kind of problem I'm talking about. When I do bearings, I check the seal flanges on my table saw for flatness and belt sand them.

Lance's idea sounds better all the time if you use cork, I'd use something that dries pretty solid as opposed to staying soft and slippery. I'm thinking what's needed is a more solid gasket material that won't push out and silicone it, bolt it tight.

[whipper-ag]

This is what I've been using, Good old plummers putty. I figured it stops bathtubs and sinks from leaking,why not an ATV.It works great.I used it between the springer side plate and the body, then on the flanges around the bearings. When you tighten all the bolts it squishes out the excess.One roll does the whole car.

Whipper

[jpswift1]

Hey Whipper, that's a pretty good idea....I never thought to use that. I use 3M strip calk which is very similar to plumber's putty. I learned about that stuff from my friends up at Recreatives.

[jerseybigfoot]

Micmac how successful was the argo seal up grade on the max iv? I am installing all new axles on my older max iv and planning to go the same route. The seals and bearing on my Argo work well so I would think the mod would be an major improvement to the 4.

[Clarkracin53]

I have an argo 8x8 and the passenger 3rd outside bearing won't take any grease on the top zerk. The lower one takes it but when I put the grease in the the top it squirting out the bottom cork seal. I'm sure you can't reuse the seal once you take it off but could you use rtv gasket sealer or just regular silicone? Is the bearing shot? It doesn't have any play on the axle. Any input would be appreciated.