Farmall B front bearing replacement.

Well, I'm toast now. Had some time today so I took the hub apart on the B following the directions in my box kit of genuine Case-IH wheel bearing replacements. Now this kit says nothing about the B, only the A, AV etc...but the parts guy says it is the right thing. My usual procedure of taking the old off and putting the new back on the same way is not gonna work because the larger of the two bearing cones had disentegrated into a grease and steel slurry inside the hub and had destroyed a few other parts in the process. Since the new parts look nothing like the junk that came out, I am flying by the seat of my pants. I need help! First things first. There should be a picture of the spindle as part of this post. The spindle...working from the outside in...consists of a threaded part for the crown nut that holds it all together, then a smooth area for the outer bearing, then a pitted rough center section, then another smooth area for the inner bearing, and finally a slightly raised smooth are which I suspect must be for a seal. The guy before me ran the tractor with the bearing shot and there is some wear of the shoulders between the rough center section and the two bearing surfaces of the spindle. I guess my first question would be is this spindle damaged to the extent I need to replace it? I tried to show the extent of the wear in the photo. Hope it is clear enough.

Your analysis is spot on. There is a nick in the seal (visible in the photo) that needs to be filed off. Use a Second Cut sharp file, and do not remove more than down to the cylindrical seal surface. Then polish the surface (around it, not in and out, it keeps the polishing scratches in alignment with the seal lip)with 400 silicon carbide paper.

The inner races (called cone and rollers) ramp toward one another. They fit on the surfaces you described (the rounded sholders will do no harm).

The fit of the inner races (both inner bearing, and outer bearing) must be very snig on the spindle. If they are able to be tipped when installed, or if there is obvious play, then Permatex brand stud and bearing mount liquid must be used to assure the survival of the assembly.
Finger pressure to assemble, or very light taps with a punch and hammer around and around (or with a square ended pipelike driver) is perfect.

I believe in ford spec. chassis and wheel bearing grease it is a moly/graphite black substance that serves well in wheel bearings.

Tighten the assembly until (as you rotate the hub) it has a slight drag, some bearing friction. then use a block of wood and a two pound hammer and (using the wood as a buffer) bash around and along the hub to seat the bearings. Then back off and re adjust till there is just the slightest drag from bearing preload. good luck.
JimN

Dave

That spindle doesn't look too bad to me. I'd use it.

I have seen much worse in my day and it got reused.