Originally Posted by
nodrama
I'm not really one for speculating, so the picture below is inferring nothing (except that I drew on it with my foot!). The diagram of the spider assembly to the pitch change rod (shaft) in the report isn't entirely accurate. It doesn't show the metal spacer that is between the nut and the duplex bearing. My picture shows that- nut, washer, spacer, duplex bearing. Note the step, where the spacer couldn't move any further despite what torque was applied to the nut. Maybe this is purposely designed to prevent crushing of the inner race?
nodrama,
The step is probably not designed as a stop, it is far too narrow. If you look, there also is a similar step undercut at the inboard end of the bearing seating. This is probably designed so that the inner races very slightly overhang the seating at each end and so, there is no chance of the inner race being wedged up on a radius at the inner end and at the outer end the spacer can also fit against the whole outer end face of the inner race. These bearing races are very hard but quite brittle. Any unequal or point loading can cause fracture.
OAP