Marcos Maniacs

Maniacs . . .

I don't know whether anyone can help me on this, but here goes.

The rear axle on my Mantis is from (I was told) a 1970 German Ford Capri 3
litre.  The Marcos brochure says the ratio is 3.2:1, if that helps.  I need
new bearings for the rear axle - these bearings are on the very ends of the
housing.  I have found one bearing - a Ford part - from a local supplier of
classic Ford parts, and another bearing - an SKF - from a local bearing
shop.  The 2 bearings are dimensionally identical.  However, the Ford
bearing has a rubber O-ring around it on the outer surface, i.e. the surface
that would mate up to the anulus in the end of the axle housing.  The SKF
bearing does not have an O-ring.

My question is: can I use the SKF bearing?  The fit of the bearing into the
anulus in the end of the axle housing seems to be fairly tight, so what is
the purpose of the O-ring on the Ford bearing?

Regards . . . Ron McLeod
1970 Marcos Mantis P8/5858