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| | | | Joined: Nov 2014 Posts: 37 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Nov 2014 Posts: 37 | I would like to hear how others adjust front and rear wheel bearings. I have read and heared alot of diffrent ways of doing it. I was told in mechanic school that old bearings needed a little play and new ones need to be preloaded.
Last edited by Old Doug; 04/11/2015 1:43 AM.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | What year and model truck?
Original wheel bearing and front end?
If it is all original, follow instructions in the Shop Manual.
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | Front general: Pack them the correct way, install on wheel or spindle and tighten WHILE SPINNING WHEEL per torque value in manual (possibly 30-40 Ft Lbs=ball bearings, tapered roller may be different) to "seat" bearings. Then back off till wheel just will turn by hand, tweak a small amount to next loose castle slot and install cotter. (There is a keyed tab washer under castle nut) Old(unworn)bearings and new bearings same procedure. Old worn bearings, throw away.
Rear: See manual. 1/2 T Pressed in , no adjustment.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 872 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 872 | None of my manuals have any torque settings... they simply say to tighten the bearing nut by feel, install the lock tab then outer nut.
I think the most accepted 'by feel' method is tighten till drag is felt then back off a 1-2 nut flats. I don't think that you can booger up a bearing unless it's much to loose or tight... common sense should guide you. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 |
Since we do not know the year/model and type of bearings, we are guessing.
All the 1947-1955st Chevrolet Shop Manuals show a torque-setting (which seems to apply to all size trucks): 33 ft lb torque. I have not checked a Motors Manual.
pfarber,
What year/model truck and what manual? The earlier Chevrolet Truck Shop Manuals do not show a torque setting.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 872 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 872 | Early 40's for the 1.5 ton and also Chevy 1.5 ton G506 Military manuals.
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2014 Posts: 37 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Nov 2014 Posts: 37 | The way i have done it on rear full floaters is to tighten down nut while spining hud till i think bearings are seated then back it off to were i fill a little play then install outer nut and tighten this will push iner nut and take up play.I have had good luck in my 40years of doing it. Every truck manual i have read says something diffrent. A manual i looked at last night for GMC 3/4 and up said to torque nut to so and so it was diffrent on every axle while spining wheel then back nut off a 1/4 turn then instal outer nut.I wish i had a manual on every truck that i worked on but i dont work on the same truck or axle hardly ever twice. When i started out the first shop i worked in wanted to be able to fill some play when done becace he said the bearings would expaned while they were in use. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 120 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 120 | Front cup and cone must be preloaded and run without clearance. Tourque to 33 ft lb, then back off to the first point where you can get the split pin in.
Grease is GM long fibre wheel bearing grease. Any modern multipurpose Grease will do. Service interval for regrease is 10,000 miles, more often under severe duty. The manual advises against filling the centre of the hub with grease. PossiblY it will findvits way out into the brakes. I did mine any way as I figure its a reservoir for the bearings. I will keep an eye on it.
'47 Canadian RHD 1.5 ton truck
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 914 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2015 Posts: 914 | My dad was a mechanic from before the war, the big one. The way he told taught me to do front wheel bearings was to use a pair of 12" water pump pliers, aka channel locks. Tighten the nut until it gets snug. Then back turn the castle nut until the hole in the end of the spindle and groove in the castle nut line up then install cotter pin. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,961 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,961 | We use the procedure that has been recommended for over 50 years. http://www.timken.com/en-US/solutio...s/Timken-Wheel-Adjustment-Procedures.pdf50 years ago we used the old stringy grease and repacked bearings every 10,000 miles and still burned up a lot of bearings. Probably around 1970, hub oilers came out and bearings lasted a lot longer if the seals didn't go out. We now pack bearings in Mobil lith 007 synthetic grease and bearings go well over a half a million miles. We check runout at about every 100,000 miles. Actually it is the runout that is important, not the torque. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 872 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 872 | That timken PDF seems to cover class 6, 7, and 8 trucks... GVWR 19000lbs or greater. Not many ppl here are gonna run that heavy a truck... my M35a2 was a class 6 truck and the manual says only 50ft/lbs for the nut and then even back off 3 flats.
Do what the manual says would be the best answer. | | |
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