Thread: Why are getting wheel bearings correct so hard???

My guess it’s due to poor design I.e. castellated nut on nearly every trailer.....well the few I’ve look at. This set up gives little opportunity to get it right. Either two tight or two loose.

Oh and yes a bit light on grease

The nuts were fine on this one. They adjusted up nicely..

They probably had zero play plus half turn tighter on the axle bearing nuts.

Felt like the brakes were dragging, but once the bearings were adjusted properly the wheels spun with just a light scraping from the brakes.

Originally Posted by DiscoKym

Just checked over my daughters new hybrid camper and that little voice in the back of my head said "check the wheel bearings"

But I thought it was NEW and only done about 70 Km pick up Kilometers.

Well glad I did.... I found the bearings VERY tight and with bugger all grease in them. It's a pity as the bearings are good quality Japanese Toyo bearings.

So with a bit of grease and adjustment I now am not worried about the camper loosing a wheel in the near future.

Funny enough when I got my hybrid camper sent from Melbourne the bearings were too tight as well?????? Part of the delay was delivery service & check as they towed it over to Adelaide. Again a bearing adjustment and all is well now.

Bloody poor (if any!) training for the factory workers. Mind you, I've seen some shockers done by supposedly qualified mechanics, too! Simply smearing a fingerful of grease on the bearing, throwing it together and doing up the nut as tight as you can. No clue about packing bearings - either by hand or with the fancy-pants tools they have for it nowadays!

After properly packing the bearings, I do the following:
1. Tighten up to a no-play point.
2. Spin the wheel a few times.
3. Hit the tyre/hub/disc with a rubber mallet. Repeat 1,2 and 3 if required, until there is no play after a spin/whack.
4. Back off the bearing until a little play is felt.
5. Tighten bearing to no-play point.
6. Fit split pin or lock tabs. ONLY make any adjustment to fit the tabs/pins by tightening further - NEVER by backing off.

Worked for me for about half a century

Originally Posted by donh54

Bloody poor (if any!) training for the factory workers. Mind you, I've seen some shockers done by supposedly qualified mechanics, too! Simply smearing a fingerful of grease on the bearing, throwing it together and doing up the nut as tight as you can. No clue about packing bearings - either by hand or with the fancy-pants tools they have for it nowadays!

After properly packing the bearings, I do the following:
1. Tighten up to a no-play point.
2. Spin the wheel a few times.
3. Hit the tyre/hub/disc with a rubber mallet. Repeat 1,2 and 3 if required, until there is no play after a spin/whack.
4. Back off the bearing until a little play is felt.
5. Tighten bearing to no-play point.
6. Fit split pin or lock tabs. ONLY make any adjustment to fit the tabs/pins by tightening further - NEVER by backing off.

Worked for me for about half a century

I've always used the Timken system.

After properly packing the bearings, I do the following:
1. Tighten up to a firm no-play point.
2. Spin the hub a few times.
3. Back off the bearing nut until a little play is felt.
4. Hand tighten the bearing nut to no-play point.
5. Back off till first gap in nut lines up with the split pin hole, Timken says up to 1/4 turn???
6. Fit split pin or lock tabs.
7. Check for a very small bit of play.

Worked for me for many years. Probably many good systems to do it.

Did my 2A bearings just like that years ago & have never had a squeak or problem with those. I think backing off the castellated nut just that little bit to align the notch & resisting the temptation to tighten it right up is way to go.

" After properly packing the bearings "

2/3rds grease 1/3rd air.

seriously.

Originally Posted by DiscoKym

I've always used the Timken system.

After properly packing the bearings, I do the following:
1. Tighten up to a firm no-play point.
2. Spin the hub a few times.
3. Back off the bearing nut until a little play is felt.
4. Hand tighten the bearing nut to no-play point.
5. Back off till first gap in nut lines up with the split pin hole, Timken says up to 1/4 turn???
6. Fit split pin or lock tabs.
7. Check for a very small bit of play.

Worked for me for many years. Probably many good systems to do it.

My memory of the "Timken" system was a bit different to yours, so I googled it , This is more like I remember, - http://www.timken.com/pdf/10420_Whee...ent_Poster.pdf.
I don't have a good relationship with my torque wrench, so I use the method Donh54 uses.

Cheers Glen

Originally Posted by Dorian

My memory of the "Timken" system was a bit different to yours, so I googled it , This is more like I remember, - http://www.timken.com/pdf/10420_Whee...ent_Poster.pdf.
I don't have a good relationship with my torque wrench, so I use the method Donh54 uses.

Cheers Glen

WOW!!!! Install the inner spindle nut and torque to 300 ft-lbs. Do not back off the spindle nut.

I am talking about camper trailer bearings not semi trailer bearings. I'm not sure the wheels will turn with that torque???

I use the guide on the back of the Timken card the bearings come on.