Setting bearings - is this normal?
#3129514
03/14/23 11:19 PM
03/14/23 11:19 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 817 Eugene, Oregon
Secret Chimp
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 817
Eugene, Oregon
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Background: I run FMJ spindles, 78 Cordoba discs and regular set 2/set 17 bearings on my 67 Coronet. I have maybe 10k miles on the current bearings, tops.
I hadn't checked the bearings for a bit and found them to be a bit loose - they clearly failed the vertical push-pull test with the wheel on.
The outer bearing and race looked OK when I pulled the disc off - no chatter marks or scoring. Nothing weird came out of the old grease when I repacked it. Wheel turns quiet save for noise of pads on the disc.
When I went to set the bearing by the book with the wheel on - 90 in. lb. while spinning the wheel, then back the nut off one slot on the adjuster - I could still get an audible knock out of the wheel if I tried to rock it.
I have seen other factory manuals, like same-year Chevy manuals, call for 12 ft lb/144 in. lb.
If I squinch things up this much and back off 1 slot, it is a bit better at first but I still end up with audible play. It looks like about .003 up-down on the nose of the hub (though I think my current dial is a bit busted) and I can still get a sound out of it.
Is it normal to be able to get a sound out of this adjustment, or am I doing something wrong/these bearings are hosed already? I know they need a little room to heat up, but it's honestly been years since I monkeyed with this & I'm not entirely certain if I noted this when they were set as-new.
1967 Dodge Coronet Deluxe station wagon
1.03" T-bars, QA1 arms/rods, Cordoba/GM Metric/Volare brake & knuckle, XHDs, Hellwig rear sway, 318 Magnum w/ air gap, 727, 3.23s
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Re: Setting bearings - is this normal?
[Re: Secret Chimp]
#3129533
03/15/23 02:04 AM
03/15/23 02:04 AM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,754 Phila
PhillyRag
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,754
Phila
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Background: I run FMJ spindles, 78 Cordoba discs and regular set 2/set 17 bearings on my 67 Coronet. I have maybe 10k miles on the current bearings, tops.
I hadn't checked the bearings for a bit and found them to be a bit loose - they clearly failed the vertical push-pull test with the wheel on.
The outer bearing and race looked OK when I pulled the disc off - no chatter marks or scoring. Nothing weird came out of the old grease when I repacked it. Wheel turns quiet save for noise of pads on the disc.
When I went to set the bearing by the book with the wheel on - 90 in. lb. while spinning the wheel, then back the nut off one slot on the adjuster - I could still get an audible knock out of the wheel if I tried to rock it.
I have seen other factory manuals, like same-year Chevy manuals, call for 12 ft lb/144 in. lb.
If I squinch things up this much and back off 1 slot, it is a bit better at first but I still end up with audible play. It looks like about .003 up-down on the nose of the hub (though I think my current dial is a bit busted) and I can still get a sound out of it.
Is it normal to be able to get a sound out of this adjustment, or am I doing something wrong/these bearings are hosed already? I know they need a little room to heat up, but it's honestly been years since I monkeyed with this & I'm not entirely certain if I noted this when they were set as-new. I would consider that amount acceptable where you measured it. I'd rather have 'some' play then have them 'bind' at some higher operating temp. Disc hubs do run 'hot', and can be even hotter depending upon your driving manners. We're talking large bearings here, not something for computer drives or cnc machines.
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Re: Setting bearings - is this normal?
[Re: 375inStroke]
#3129663
03/15/23 03:25 PM
03/15/23 03:25 PM
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Joined: May 2019
Posts: 6,240 nowhere
Sniper
master
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master
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 6,240
nowhere
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Torque 50ft-lbs while spinning to fully seat the races and bearings, loosen, then torque to 90in-lbs. You should be able to line up the keeper without turning the nut. This is wrong From the FSM
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Re: Setting bearings - is this normal?
[Re: Secret Chimp]
#3129697
03/15/23 04:55 PM
03/15/23 04:55 PM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,157 Bend,OR USA
Cab_Burge
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,157
Bend,OR USA
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Timken tapered roller bearings are design to be ran with preload on them, how much depends on the application. those on the 3rd member carriers in rear ends get a lot more preload than the front wheel bearings should have That being said there is no way I would drive any of my early model Mopars with any front wheel bearing hubs having any up or down free play after adjusting the bearing preload, SOMETHING is WRONG with yours, I think When i was a lot younger, back in the early 1960s, I worked in several different service stations, now know as gas stations, and did a lot of lube jobs which would include removing the front brake drums and hubs to remove and inspect and then clean and repack the good wheel bearings, replace any than had any obvious visual issues on the bearings or races GM cars back then, especially Chevy, had ball bearing in the front hubs, they were way more sensitive to the proper front wheel bearing preload adjustments
Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
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Re: Setting bearings - is this normal?
[Re: Kern Dog]
#3129734
03/15/23 07:59 PM
03/15/23 07:59 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,551 Fulton County, PA
CMcAllister
Mr. Helpful
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Mr. Helpful
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,551
Fulton County, PA
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I use a torque wrench on everything. Except wheel bearings. Cinch it down tight with pliers to squeeze the excess grease out, and seat the bearings, while spinning it. then loosen, Do that a few times. The last time, just snug enough to take the play out, no more. Zero or tiny bit of preload. Done.
Last edited by CMcAllister; 03/15/23 08:00 PM.
If the results don't match the theory, change the theory.
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Re: Setting bearings - is this normal?
[Re: CMcAllister]
#3129760
03/15/23 10:03 PM
03/15/23 10:03 PM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,944 WI
Dcuda69
master
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master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,944
WI
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I use a torque wrench on everything. Except wheel bearings. Cinch it down tight with pliers to squeeze the excess grease out, and seat the bearings, while spinning it. then loosen, Do that a few times. The last time, just snug enough to take the play out, no more. Zero or tiny bit of preload. Done. Yep! Done it like that for over 40 yrs. Never had a bearing failure.
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Re: Setting bearings - is this normal?
[Re: CMcAllister]
#3129764
03/15/23 10:19 PM
03/15/23 10:19 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,596 Shopping @ HoBo Fright
340SIX
Doc Flappergas's Evil Twin
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Doc Flappergas's Evil Twin
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,596
Shopping @ HoBo Fright
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I use a torque wrench on everything. Except wheel bearings. Cinch it down tight with pliers to squeeze the excess grease out, and seat the bearings, while spinning it. then loosen, Do that a few times. The last time, just snug enough to take the play out, no more. Zero or tiny bit of preload. Done. That's how my dad did it. So how I do it. He worked the flight line at an air base and kept unclecsams stuff in the air. So he cared about lots of things being done right and did not take short cuts that were not safe
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Re: Setting bearings - is this normal?
[Re: CMcAllister]
#3129779
03/15/23 11:48 PM
03/15/23 11:48 PM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,157 Bend,OR USA
Cab_Burge
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,157
Bend,OR USA
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. Cinch it down tight with pliers to squeeze the excess grease out, and seat the bearings, while spinning it. then loosen, Do that a few times. The last time, just snug enough to take the play out, no more. Zero or tiny bit of preload. Done. Me too
Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
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Re: Setting bearings - is this normal?
[Re: B1MAXX]
#3129897
03/16/23 01:33 PM
03/16/23 01:33 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,574 Upper Midwest
Black_Sheep
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,574
Upper Midwest
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Timken recommends .001-.005 end play for tapered roller bearings. I got in the habit of using a dial indicator, shooting for the lower end of that spec because we were required to record the readings on work orders. I don’t pull wrenches for a living anymore, but old habits never die…
Last edited by Black_Sheep; 03/16/23 01:55 PM.
'69 Plymouth GTX See you on the street...
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Re: Setting bearings - is this normal?
[Re: moparx]
#3129955
03/16/23 06:22 PM
03/16/23 06:22 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 817 Eugene, Oregon
Secret Chimp
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 817
Eugene, Oregon
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I used Timken bearings originally.
I had to get the old girl on the ground to make space for a daily driver repair, but I ought to just replace the bearings once I am done with that since they are cheap either way. The donor spindles do not look like they ever had anything get scorched on them, and I want to say the play feels and sounds like it is coming from the inner bearing, not the outer one - can't exactly just take that thing out and peer at it the same as the outer, so may as well just play it safe and redo them.
Also, I do not have in-out play, it is up-down play if I put my dial *under* the hub and rock the wheel.
When I first bought the car, the original drum knuckles and bearings were clearly audibly shot, so I guess I caught this problem before much worse wear happened in there.
If I get the same results with brand new bearings I will be real confused.
1967 Dodge Coronet Deluxe station wagon
1.03" T-bars, QA1 arms/rods, Cordoba/GM Metric/Volare brake & knuckle, XHDs, Hellwig rear sway, 318 Magnum w/ air gap, 727, 3.23s
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