Thread: TD5 Defender - offset wheels and stub axle wear

Just a heads up guys. I have rims with non standard offset on my Defender and have had trouble with wheel bearing play in the last couple of months.

Found that the greater loads on stub axles had caused them to wear unusually (front only). One one side the bearing had created a track in the stub axle - on the other side the stub axle was tapered. In both cases the wheel bearings would remain tight when initial preload applied and would then slack off with 2-4mm play at the wheels.

2 new stub axles later and everthing is hunky. Daz

I did think about some retrofitting, but to be truthful I dont believe its necessary.

Being a country truck the vehicle spends almost 90% of its time being bashed, crashed and driven hard offroad

In the last 110,000kms its been fully chipped, had stupid wheel offsets, been lifted up and down so many times its not sure how high it is and generally been my test and development mule.

In that time its had no leaks, no breakages (except serpentine belt) and a loose manifold stud, no gear issues, nothing...

Never had the hubs apart, even after a hard life of mud, sand and grit....

So I think to have made it this far is a testiment to its strength and ability.

I figure I'll just throw some more wheel bearings in (Timken set 37 if anyones interested) and continue on my merry way

Tombraider