Adjusting wheel bearings and common sense - 07/14/12 02:39 AM
For the past month or so, I have been hearing that dreaded "wah, wah, wah" sound, slowly getting worse. You know it is a bearing somewhere becoming unhappy. I thought it was from the rear, but on the way to the local Cruise-In, the Bride told me it was definitely in the front. We'll be driving the '53 on a 1,000 mile roundtrip to the Central Meet this coming week, so I thought I better have a look at the front wheel bearings. And yep, both inners were looking pretty bad. And when I opened it up, they were clearly set up too loose (I didn't put them in the last time).
So NAPA came up with all 4 new bearings for me, and in they went this morning.
Now here's the point - just for the heck of it, I decided to look in the Shop Manual about this task that we have all done many times. The Manual says, once all assembled, to torque the castle nut to 33 Foot Pounds, and then back off not more tha 1/6 turn. (this is possible because on the 53 the spindles are drilled horizontal and vertical, so you never need to turn more than 1/6 to find the next hole alignment). The Manual even says "don't adjust them on the loose side, because this will not allow the bearings to seat properly in the races."
But Boy-oh-boy, that seems really tight! I did it their way, and they spin fine, and they are quiet. But I have been talking to myself ever since that I need to loosen them back up some.
Now I grew up believing that you tightened them gently, until you eliminated all play, and then backed off a hair and put in the cotter pin. And you might have just the slightest bit of wiggle in there when you got it all together. And that loose was good, better than too tight.
I drove the car 10 miles, and the hubs were pretty warm. Granted, it was a hot sunny day, but they were definitely warm.
I am wondering what any of you might care to share on your thoughts on setting up the bearing so tight.
So NAPA came up with all 4 new bearings for me, and in they went this morning.
Now here's the point - just for the heck of it, I decided to look in the Shop Manual about this task that we have all done many times. The Manual says, once all assembled, to torque the castle nut to 33 Foot Pounds, and then back off not more tha 1/6 turn. (this is possible because on the 53 the spindles are drilled horizontal and vertical, so you never need to turn more than 1/6 to find the next hole alignment). The Manual even says "don't adjust them on the loose side, because this will not allow the bearings to seat properly in the races."
But Boy-oh-boy, that seems really tight! I did it their way, and they spin fine, and they are quiet. But I have been talking to myself ever since that I need to loosen them back up some.
Now I grew up believing that you tightened them gently, until you eliminated all play, and then backed off a hair and put in the cotter pin. And you might have just the slightest bit of wiggle in there when you got it all together. And that loose was good, better than too tight.
I drove the car 10 miles, and the hubs were pretty warm. Granted, it was a hot sunny day, but they were definitely warm.
I am wondering what any of you might care to share on your thoughts on setting up the bearing so tight.