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.