1. "I don't agree that this 1/8" is a big deal"

I have a 5 gallon bucket half full of stripped out power-lock side gears with partial spline engagement that suggests otherwise.

2. "So why not an epidemic of failures in the 25+ year history of this design. Anything that is misused is subject to failure"

Although my dad is on his 4th set of A-7 bearings in his 66 Ford pickup, comared to his original set of sealed ball bearings in his '65 Ford pickup, I never said there was an epidemic of failure. Both pickups were used in the summer to load a boat into the water. BTW, I'm still waiting to hear about the epidemic failures of the thousands of snap ring Green bearings I sold.

3. "Greatly? How much we talkin' here? .030" total? Seems the factory had no problems in mass production"

Did you even read my explanation about tape measurements and custom housing/axle lengths?

4. "I doubt that production tolerances would allow that design because, without adjusters, the bearing retainer would either preload the bearing or let it run loose"

Are you aware that MILLIONS of Ford 9" rears built in the '70s and early '80s run non adjustable tapered roller bearings (Set 20) that bottom out on a machined step in the housing?

5. "That's the point of conjecture, look in any ball bearing catalog and they'll state the maximum allowable side load for a given ball bearing. Bearings without a loading slot are limited to the number of balls and are therefore more load-limited than a bearing with a loading slot. Loading slots would be inappropriate for a side loaded bearing like the Green. The tapered bearing is superior in handling the thrust loads they're subjected to in turns"

Of course the tapered bearing itsself is stronger. Did I ever say it wasn't? Just because X is stronger than Y, that doesn't make Y junk. Application is everyting.

6. "Green bearings make my life easier. IMHO, that's the absolute worst reason to replace the factory bearing with them"

Why are you arguing with this fact? I would never get anything done if I had to constantly diagnose set 7 wheel bearing installation problems over the phone. When I sell a pair of axles with Green bearings, I don't hear back from the customer until he is ready to order a pair for another car.

How do you suggest I make set 7 equipped axles the exact correct length, when all I have to go by is the customer's tape measurement in a non stock application? In addition, most people don't want to pay me more to put used adjusters on new axles and to blueprint the axle lengths even if I do have the housing in front of me.

7. "Come on, Cass, don't blame the bearing for people's inability to properly install/adjust them. I have never had a problem installing or adjusting a factory bearing"

Neither have I, but that doesn't negate the fact that MOST customers DO have problems. Just for the record, I offer Timken set 7 wheel bearings as an option on every pair of custom axles I do for stock housing widths over the phone. Moser, Strange, Dutchman, and Mark Williams don't.