Technical Wheel ball bearings vs tapered pin bearings (39 Poncho)

So...utilizing my superior mechanical skills, I managed to destroy one of my front wheel bearings. It's a 39 Pontiac which has ball bearings contained in a cage. Looks like the cage cocked during install and is now warped and won't seat without binding the balls.
I can find replacement bearing @ @Kanter, albeit a bit expensive.
My question is ; Is anyone aware of a bearing cross reference that would allow using tapered pin bearings ? I'm thinking it may not be possible because a pin bearing is likely "deeper" than a ball bearing.
Thoughts anyone?

 

Those caged ball bearing are pricey, but with proper maintenance will last longer than you will live.
I like simple, (had 2 out of 4 on a horse trailer that needed new bearings) and just bit the bullet and spent near 200 for 4 bearing assemblies and seals 16-18 years ago. One time investment I cringed at, but has been a reminder maintain them

 

Not sure if they are the same or not, but GM used ball bearings up til the 60s on some cars. And, for tri-five Chevys there are replacements available. I couldn't find the sizing before posting this but will continue to look.

 

KenC is correct. I had a '37 and '40 Chevy that I put '54 Chevy hubs directly onto the spindles
of the earlier cars. And, '53 to '62 Corvettes use the same suspension as the '54 Chevys. They
are all ball bearing with races. In fact, my '62 and '64 Impalas have ball bearings on the spindles.
Hope this helps. Most likely the '40's and early '50's Chevys will work. Bob

 

Chevy used ball bearings until 1960 on cars. You can use a roller bearing hub from a 61-70(?) on the 55-60 spindles, but not on the earlier spindles, which are longer and have a different size inner bearing.

If I were in your position, I'd buy a new ball bearing....after shopping around for a bit. Look at the old one, see what number it is (B52, or ???) and shop for that, not by car application.

 

Ageless, here is a conversion kit offered for '53 to '62 Corvettes that most likely would fit, plus
here are some pictures of part numbers for the same bearings that another guy posted that
you can buy on-line, at what used to be a better price. (This was a couple of years ago, but
maybe you can pull the dimensions using those part numbers.) Bob

1953-62 Chevy Corvette, Tapered Roller Bearing Conversion Kit (performanceonline.com)

 

Early Chevy's and Pontiacs used the same ball bearings and cage assemblies for a few years , and I have just recently seen an ad for roller bearing replacements for the Chevy's (so should fit the Pontiac). "The Filling Station" or "Chevy's of the 40's" is worth a try.

 

If you have the bearing number I've had good luck with odd bearings on ebay. usually cheap too

 

I’m liking the suggestions about shopping by bearing number vs application.

 

Take your old bearing and race to someone like BRC they can fix you up Tapered rollers have a higher load capacity.

 

On Chevys there are two spindle diameters for the inner bearing depending on the year.. I know that a 1940 spindle is a different diameter than a 1950 on the trucks.
What I have found on my truck is that the caged ball part of the bearing is the same, it is the ID of the inner race that changes. Meaning that I don't believe that the bearing conversion kits for the later spindles will fit the early spindles.

From this on the Filling Station site it looks like the break in spindle size is between 1940 and 1941.
Their roller bearing kit for the Chevy is not cheap though. https://store.fillingstation.com/detail/FS-178K/Chevrolet_19231940_FRONT_TAPERED_BEARING_KIT.html

The complete inner bearing should be a New Departure 909002 but I am not finding a number for just the caged balls.
This http://www.2040-parts.com/25-40-che...wheel-bearings-gm-909002-assemblies-i1076564/ Says that the caged bearing is a 909702.

 

Federal Mogul inner 909052 outer 909060 My book only went bac to 1940

 

Have set and adjusted a gazillion tapered wheel bearings, but never the ball bearing type. Are they more difficult to adjust?

 

No, just different final adjustment with slight preload.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1938/38csm074.html

 

Ball wheel bearings need to be kept tight! If the get loose the balls will ride on the edge of the race, destroying the race and balls. That is the beauty of the tapered roller bearing, if they get loose, while not good, they will not destroy theirselves. And liked mentioned the final set up is a little different.