Press fit roller assemblies of an undercarriage assembly of a work machine and method of making the same

A method of manufacturing a roller assembly for an undercarriage assembly of a work machine, with said roller assembly having (i) a roller rim which has central passage defined therein, with a first end of said central passage of said roller rim defining a first access opening and a second end of said central passage of said roller rim defining a second access opening, (ii) a roller shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, said second end portion having an outwardly extending annular flange secured thereto, (iii) a retainer, and (iv) a thrust bearing, comprising the steps of:

• advancing said first end portion of said roller shaft through said second access opening of said central passage and out said first access opening of said central passage such that (i) said first end portion of said roller shaft extends out of said first access opening of said central passage, and (ii) said second end portion of said roller shaft is positioned in said central passage;
• advancing said thrust bearing through said second access opening;
• press fitting said retainer into said second access opening such that said thrust bearing is interposed between said retainer and said outwardly extending annular flange of said roller shaft;
• providing a collar having a shaft opening defined therein;
• positioning said collar in said first access opening such that said first end portion of said roller shaft extends out of said shaft opening of said collar;
• and
• press fitting said collar onto said roller shaft.

A roller assembly for an undercarriage of a work machine, comprising:

• a roller rim having a central passage defined therein with (i) a first end of said central passage of said roller rim defining a first access opening, and (ii) a second end of said central passage of said roller rim defining a second access opening;
• a roller shaft positioned in said central passage, said roller shaft having a first end portion which extends out of said first access opening of said central passage and a second end portion which extends out of said second access opening of said central passage;
• a first retainer press fit into said first access opening of said roller rim;
• a first collar press fit onto said first end portion of said roller shaft;
• and
• a first seal assembly interposed between said first retainer and said first collar.