100 ser front wheel bearings loosening?

What did the thick washer that sit against the outer wheel bearing look like becaust if the face is scored (happens after lots of klms) the bearings can be difficult to ajust correctly

Also i assume you bent the lock tab washer both ways to lock both nuts to the spindle

Regards Don

John,

Wheel bearings do become loose over time but from what you have said it does seem to happen too quick on your vehicle.

There has always been a debate about how tight the bearings should be.
I use a socket to tighten the nut, much better than trying to tap the nut with a screw driver, and tighten the nut tight, then back it off, and then re tighten. I might repeat this a couple of times to make sure that the bearings are seated.

I will then tighten the nut tight, use the lock tab and then tighten the lock nut very tight. With the lock tab, both the lock nut and the main bearing nut should be locked with the tabs.
With plenty of grease there should not be a problem with the bearings. I will also check the hubs for heat after a short drive.

Wayne

I had a set of tab washers once where the small protruding bit on the inside of the centre hole (where it locks into the stub and prevents the nuts turning) is quite flimsy and very easy to damage or break off when tightening the outer nut. If this happens, then the whole lot can turn and come loose.

Cheers
Gerry

Johny boy

There is only one way to do this properly and that is exactly according to the manufacturer's instructions. On my Hilux for example (yours may be different) the first step is tighten the nut to a tension of 59 Nm. (2) Rotate the hub a few times in both directions. (3) Back the nut off 1/16 th of a turn. (4) Connect a spring gauge to a wheel stud and measure the force required to start the hub rotating. (5) Tighten the nut to 25 Nm. (6) Fit a new lock washer then the lock nut. (7) Tighten the locknut to 47 Nm. (8) Check the hub rotates freely with no bearing freeplay. (9) Connect spring gauge again and make sure the force required to start the hub rotating is 10 - 38 N plus the force measured in step 4.

I have done this for years both at work and on my own cars and never had a problem. Unfortunately few mechanics do it preferring to go by feel. That is a great way to end up with too little bearing preload, which will cause them to come loose quickly, or too much resulting in premature failure usually in a place like the middle of the Simpson.

If you like working on your car then you will get much better results if you buy a good quality tension wrench and a workshop manual. Look after the wrench properly, take it on every trip with you and have it recalibrated every few years depending on the amount of use you give it. You will find the book will list a tension for just about every nut in the car so use it as much as possible, particularly on things like wheel nuts.

Hi John

I have found these hard to adjust and maintain adjustment.

If you run larger tyers they tend to go out of adjustment faster.

Due to the fact that the lock nuts are only about 3 or 4mm thick
And not enough thread contact to get a positive adjustment.
and the course sloppy thread,and soft steel.

I adjust the nuts up till there is no play run for a few thousand klm
then readjust generally just buy turning the lock nut up a bit as the nuts have that much movement in the thread the lock nut will push the 1st nut up.

As for locking the tabs on both nuts no difference. as long as the lock washer has an inner tab to fit in the key way on the axle hub, and bend the outer tab on to the lock nut is all you need.
as the nuts are both threaded the same they will still undo, if no key on the lock washer.
It is only the tab on the lock washer located in the key way that will prevent it from turning.

As others have said use a tension wrench and go buy the book,is a good start
But the crappy nuts will still let you down.

Rob