The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk torque needed for new tapered wheel bearings

Quite awhile ago I replaced the old fromt wheel bearings on my 53 AD. I tightened the spindle nut just as it is done with the old ball type bearings. Now I wondering if a little more tightening is needed. Does anyone have the definitve answer?

The general rule of thumb on tapered roller bearings is to tighten the spindle nut firmly (15-20 ft./lbs.), spin the wheel a couple of times, and then back off until the nut turns freely. This squeezes any excess grease out from between the cone and cup. Then tighten the nut until it's barely snug, perhaps 20-30 INCH pounds. If the cotter pin doesn't line up, back off a little.
Jerry

When I converted my truck to five-lug disk brakes I replaced the hub with a combined hub and rotor from a 70's car that used roller bearings like most the five-lug kits do.

I don't remember exactly how I tightened the bearings, but I do remember that I looked up the car I used as my parts donor and used the bearing tightening specs from it.

I didn't actually use much from the donor, but knowing my brakes are based on a '73 Chevelle wagon does make things like these settings and ordering parts easier.

tighten the spindle nut while rotating the wheel until it is snug .Then back it off a bit now you should be able turn the nut by hand.Tighten the nut back up by hand if the pin does not line up then use your wrench to tighten to the next hole.Usually this is a very small amount. Once these bearings are seated they don't need to be torqued like the original roller bearings.

Great thanks, My next question is why one of my front brake drums is attached to the hub so I have to remove the bearing to remove the drum. the other one is just riding on the lug nuts . I don't see any rivets and have pounded on it but not sure how hard to hit it. It's kind of a hassle as the best way to snug up the brakes is removing the drum and having better access to the star wheel.

The drum was usually riveted to the hub, or the lug studs were swaged to hold the drum on. If that's a Bendix brake, you can't adjust it properly with the drum off. The brake adjustment needs to be tightened until there's a firm drag (not locked up) and back the starwheel off one turn. Count the number of teeth on the wheel first, before you install the drum. Without self-adjusters, it's usually 10 teeth. Since a Bendix brake has no lower anchor, the shoes need to self-center by dragging on the drum surface. Don't fool with the adjustment after backing the wheel off, even if you can hear a little contact between the shoe and the drum- - - -the shoes self-center as the brake is applied.
Jerry

Thanks Hotrod, I usually slip the drum off and on while adjusting until it's dragging a little and leave it that way. Your method will probably leave it a little tighter. I've never had the drum heat up from over adjusting so the shoes self centering allows you to leave a little drag. Makes sense.

I just had to replace one of my front drums, it was to far worn to turn. The machine shop just removed the rivets, didn't re-rivet the new one. I'm not sure why they are riveted to begin with, but the lugs are tight enough that they seem to hold the drum in place just fine. Short version is I don't think they need to be riveted on in the first place, not sure why they are.

Back when drum brakes were all that was available, front drums were riveted/swaged onto the hubs to make sure there was minimum runout when they were machined. Recently, production tolerances are such that few people demand the accuracy that was commonplace 50 years ago. A little slop in the drum mounting, and the corresponding pulsation of the brake pedal as the shoes try to keep up with drum runout are just accepted, I guess.
Jerry

Hmmm, so having the drum connected to the hub actually could make the drum to brake shoe connection better or at least allow for less slop?

On later model vehicles, the drum pilots on the hub which is just as concentric as when the drum was riveted to the hub. Excessive drum runout has never been acceptable.

What is meant by drum runout?

If you mount a drum and hub brake lathe and put a dial indicator on the surface where the shoes make contact, the amount of movement as indicated by the dial indicator is the runout. On trucks with air brakes that have no backing plate, runout can be checked on the vehicle. Runout is caused by drums warping or by irregular wear which is more common now with non asbestos linings. We have drums to get spots so hard they will not cut on a lathe. We use a grinder attached to the cutting head to true them.