I was wondering what methods you guys use for adjusting front wheel bearings...
Thank you...
Wheel bearing adjustment...
Moderator: Team
Re: Wheel bearing adjustment...
I hand-pack the bearings.
I'll start turning the rotor/hub once the nut has been hand-tightened. Then using an all-sixteenths (crescent) wrench, I'll tighten the nut "firm" as I'm turning the rotor/hub. Then back off the nut until the hole in the spindle aligns with the first slot of the castle nut. Run for 500 miles and check and reset if required.
I'll start turning the rotor/hub once the nut has been hand-tightened. Then using an all-sixteenths (crescent) wrench, I'll tighten the nut "firm" as I'm turning the rotor/hub. Then back off the nut until the hole in the spindle aligns with the first slot of the castle nut. Run for 500 miles and check and reset if required.
Jim Horner
Re: Wheel bearing adjustment...
Thanks Jim...
I still check for up and down play with the jack under the lower control arm to cancel out ball joint play... I see some guys use a torque wrench, spin wheel, torque to 20, loosen, torque to 10, loosen to the next hole...
Never hurts to be open to different methods... A lot of times basic things like these get side tracked, it not all motor...
I still check for up and down play with the jack under the lower control arm to cancel out ball joint play... I see some guys use a torque wrench, spin wheel, torque to 20, loosen, torque to 10, loosen to the next hole...
Never hurts to be open to different methods... A lot of times basic things like these get side tracked, it not all motor...
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justahoby
- HotPass
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- Location: In Stephenville, Texas, USA from Thunder Bay, Canada
Re: Wheel bearing adjustment...
The "text book " method is to 'set the crush'..... by tightning down till the wheel doesn't turn.... back off till it turns... then back a quarter turn....
BUT depending on the pitch of the nut, and other variables this is really not a universal method.
However I always overtighten within reason, then back off to where it feels right. Always tighten it down first to SEAT taper in cone bearings, and back off. Never just slap it together with out the crush and tighten to feel, always loosen to feel... I see many people never seat it and wonder why the hell their customer comes back with a loose front wheel. As a mater of fact I would not want to be responsible for anyones death due to a wheel falling off, so I find it a very critical important question.
BUT depending on the pitch of the nut, and other variables this is really not a universal method.
However I always overtighten within reason, then back off to where it feels right. Always tighten it down first to SEAT taper in cone bearings, and back off. Never just slap it together with out the crush and tighten to feel, always loosen to feel... I see many people never seat it and wonder why the hell their customer comes back with a loose front wheel. As a mater of fact I would not want to be responsible for anyones death due to a wheel falling off, so I find it a very critical important question.
As I'm approaching 40,I still think I'm 20. What the hell is wrong with me?
Re: Wheel bearing adjustment...
If it's brand new bearings, I take it for a shot drive and then readjust it.
It always changes a bit over the first few miles. I have no idea why.
It always changes a bit over the first few miles. I have no idea why.
Cheers, Tony.
Re: Wheel bearing adjustment...
You didn't say what the application was. Many race cars with aluminum hubs must be tightened to a significant cold torque to allow for thermal expansion.
Felix, qui potuit rerum cognscere causas.
Happy is he who can discover the cause of things.
Happy is he who can discover the cause of things.
Re: Wheel bearing adjustment...
Bill, the nut tightness bothered me too. So I make billet spindle nuts to 'infinitely' adjust front spindle bearing preloads. These are copies of Mercedes & Porsche front spindle nuts but are threaded to fit a particular spindle. The "nut" is not 'nut-looking'. Instead of using a cotter pin through a castellated hex-nut & spindle to lock, or a staked one-use-only racing nut, this elegant design is split on one side and has an offset section thats drilled & tapped at right angles to the spindle for a short allen to pinch the split tightly together. They fit stock hubs under stock dust caps.
In practice, I grease up the bearings, tighten the nut 'firmly' with waterpump pliers to squeeze out excess grease, then slack off & retighten to my best-guess-tightness (by feel) and clamp the allen down. They are not limited to where the castellations land; as the name implies, they can literally be locked at any point. The split assembly simply does not move once locked with the allen. I've been using these successfully for about 10 years on 160 mph supercars. Porsche's been using them since the mid-'60s in both CRS and aluminum hubs.
In practice, I grease up the bearings, tighten the nut 'firmly' with waterpump pliers to squeeze out excess grease, then slack off & retighten to my best-guess-tightness (by feel) and clamp the allen down. They are not limited to where the castellations land; as the name implies, they can literally be locked at any point. The split assembly simply does not move once locked with the allen. I've been using these successfully for about 10 years on 160 mph supercars. Porsche's been using them since the mid-'60s in both CRS and aluminum hubs.