Ok! Correct way to adjust tapered wheel bearings

Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 19:26
ThreadID: 34929 Views:39948 Replies:12 FollowUps:5
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HI.
I was told years ago by who i thought was a great mechanic, that you lock the bearing up then back off until it feels nice & free with no play.
Now everybody seems to have a different method!!.

Axle.
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Reply By: Member - Hughesy (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 20:05

Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 20:05
Thats more or less how I've always done it. Just need to rotate wheel back and forth 6-10 times to make sure all is sitting in place then back off. Rotate again and check for any slop. Regularly check your hub temp after replacing to check that you haven't got them too tight. Have you got a big enough socket to take the nut off and on?? You can do it with a screwdriver but makes it hard to get the preload correct. Good luck.
AnswerID: 178497

Reply By: cokeaddict - Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 20:10

Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 20:10
Axle,
What the mechanic told you is correct. What i have found though is most people, when doing that (tightening first) usually go too tight. Thats not good for the bearings.
The proper way is to do the nut up until your fingers cannot turn it anymore. Then get the shifter or correct size spanner and "nip" it up just a tad. Spin the wheel a few times to "roll out the excess grease" where the rollers need to be sitting. Then back it off just a tad using no force with your hand.
Basically what i mean by that is, when your hand is on the shifter, just use your wrist rather than the strenght of your arm. Its hard to describe in writing.

The idea is to make sure the rollers are bedded correctly on the tapered cone. Personally i always spin the wheel every chance i get just to make sure all is sitting correctly. Its always a good idea to take it fora drive, get things up to working temperature then come back and double check to see if there is any play.

Always best to double check rather than hope its fine.

I am sure others will have diferent ways of doing it but personally i found this to be the most reliable way.

Ange
AnswerID: 178498

Reply By: Nick R - Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 21:31

Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 21:31
Similar method to those mentioned but doing the nut up tight and backing off a little, the whole process twice.
NickR
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AnswerID: 178516

Reply By: Outbacktourer - Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 22:54

Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 22:54
Is there any difference in the amount of play if the axle has brakes?
AnswerID: 178532

Follow Up By: Shaker - Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 23:13

Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 at 23:13
No.
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Reply By: bigcol - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 00:35

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 00:35
Tightening till the wheel locks up will usually damage the hard facing on the bearings.
I tighten till firm but can still spin the wheel quite freely, then back off an 1/8 to a 1/4 of a turn.
Wheel bearings have never been an issue with me when done this way.
Read once about torqueing them up to around 90 foot pounds then backing them off 1/4 of a turn
AnswerID: 178542

Reply By: traveller2 - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 08:21

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 08:21
If you read the workshop manual most will give the correct procedure.
Tojo wheel bearings are done up to a specified torque with a tension wrench (can't remember what it is) and then spun in both directions a number of times, undo the locknut and retighten to the specified torque(which is a lot less than the first time). I've always done it this way and never had a problem.
It can be used with both new and old bearings.
AnswerID: 178563

Follow Up By: HJ60-2H - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 13:02

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 13:02
65NM inside nut
55NM outside nut

Torque them up rotate the wheel 10 truns in both directions and then retorque them.
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FollowupID: 434824

Follow Up By: cowpat - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 14:48

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 14:48
For a landcruiser should that be:

65 Nm inner nut
rotate hub to seat bearings
loosen inner nut
approx 5 Nm inner nut (can't remember the value)
55 Nm outer nut

Note that tightening up the outer nut adds a fair bit of preload as it shifts the inner nut inwards, so the exact final torque for the inner nut is probably not very important.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, Casper
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Reply By: Member No 1- Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 08:34

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 08:34
no one has mentioned if there is supposed to be a small amount of play or not?

my experience has shown that you back off the nut til the smallest amount of play can be noticed.......if none is felt i always noticed the bearings got very warm to hot on a fully loaded trailer......

this method works for me, and I have never had to adjust,.... i always check after 20 mins at highway speed though to confirm all is ok
AnswerID: 178568

Reply By: Neil & Lynne - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 09:28

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 09:28
There should not be any play when 'rocking' the wheel on a jack.

My old, very experienced old school boss taught me years ago how to adjust them.

Tighten the nut firmly to seat the cones while spinning the wheel in both directions. At no time should the wheel be anywhere near locking up.

Now the technical bit........loosen the nut again to finger tightness and then position your crescent (shifter) on the nut in the two o'clock position. Release the crescent allowing the weight of it to further tighten the nut. It will drop to around four o'clock under its own weight.

This is ideal torque. Lock the nut as near as possible to this position.

Job done.

Regards

Neil.
AnswerID: 178576

Follow Up By: Shaker - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 12:22

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 12:22
Wouldn't that depend on the size of the shifter?
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FollowupID: 434812

Follow Up By: Member - Axle - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 19:11

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 19:11
If it came out of aldi the bearing would stay loose!! HaHa.

Thats not very nice MMM.
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Reply By: Grizzle - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 10:03

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 10:03
Tighten it up until the thread strips then back it off 1 flat!!!

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AnswerID: 178584

Reply By: Shaker - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 12:23

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 12:23
One of the reasons that trailer/caravan bearings don't last as long as cars, is that they sit for long periods in one position. Ideally the trailer should be put on stands.
AnswerID: 178612

Reply By: Dirty Smitty - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 20:25

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 20:25
Help me! I think I have just lost my "Bearings". It is hard to find my way through all this advice. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I have been doing them for years and never had one fail. Just gotta remember not to blow a poofoof valve when you do it. It has been a a while since, but I think I remember a split pin/castlated nut or tab washer, some grease, lots of hand packing and seals being involve. But this could have been a flashback/nightmare about the times when I had to work for a living. AHHHHHHHHHH!
AnswerID: 178689

Reply By: Member - Barry C (NT) - Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 23:27

Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 at 23:27
As taught many years ago at tech school,,,,,no fancy torque wrentches required.

1. Tighten nut finger tight.
2. Then check top/bottom of wheel for free play (hands in 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock position on tyre) and adjust nut tighten until you feel no free play) no smart comments about 4 hands needed do it in sequence,,lol).
3. Back off nut 1 hex (ie 1/8 of turn)
4. Check no free play, if no free play it's adjusted. If there is free play tighten 1 hex at time until there is none and back off one hex.
5. This works on cars,4bys, trucks & trailers (we had 55 ton D9'son em) so is proven. No known failures and seen 1000's done this way.

The key is to find the point where the free play stops ie hands on tyres to check and back off one hex.

I hear some purists say it depends on thread pitch (which is true) but this is a proven method, with slightly overtight preferred to loose with free play.

My 2 bobs worth again.

Barry
AnswerID: 178714

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