Front Wheel Bearing End Play

[Kern Dog]

A guy that I know that used to live in this:

...Tightened his wheel bearings to something like 90 ft lbs instead of 90 in lbs! He burned up 2 sets before he discovered his mistake.
For reference, 90 in lbs equates around 7.5 ft lbs.

 

[toolmanmike]

For drums, you tighten the nut to 90 in.lbs while rotating, then line up an open slot in the retainer with the cotter pin hole and back off one slot with the retainer in place before installing cotter. This will give between .000"-.003" endplay. I would think yours would use the same procedure. Confirm with your fsm.

90 in. lb. with a old beam or dial wrench. 1 in 500 guys may have one.

 

[RJRENTON]

Thanks that basically the direction I was going in. I'm still debating on if I should wait on the alignment before or after I mess with the bearings.
Do you guys have a recommendation for grease? I remember Mopar Action had a specific recommendation but I can't remember what that was.

The FSM has a procedure for servicing and adjusting the front wheel bearing clearance. They are tapered bearings and must operate with between 0.003" to 0.010" end play or axial clearance. I use a synthetic wheel bearing grease ...such a Mobil One. The bearings CANNOT RUN TIGHT WITH ZERO END PLAY OR THEY WILL FAIL .
BOB RENTON

 

[Kern Dog]

 

[RJRENTON]

View attachment 1655334

ABSOLUTELY....WITHOUT A DOUBT......
BOB RENTON

 

[Kern Dog]

 

[Bird 426]

In the old days, a front end alignment, the bearing end play was adjusted with the alignment. The new Technicians, they call themselves today, are certified to handle everything in the shop, it's like they have no specialty now. The tech that had your car is used to sealed bearings on new vehicles. Wheel bearings were usually repacked every year or if you go by the rule of thumb, 12,000 mi. Least that's how I remember it, I did it to all of my old cars, speedo needed it too, but not as often.

 

[oldbee]

90 in. lb. with a old beam or dial wrench. 1 in 500 guys may have one.

Lol, Mike’s elbow& arm knows what anything up to 90ft/lbs feels like w/o a torque wrench. Just like mine used to know!!! Old age is Hell.

 

[PRND21]

ABSOLUTELY....WITHOUT A DOUBT......
BOB RENTON

But, that’s just YOUR opinion…

 

[khryslerkid]

I took my Road Runner in for new front tires before getting the front end realigned. The tires were shot because I seem to have too much camber diled in. While at the shop the tech pointed out some endplay in the front wheel bearings and suggested I look at if I needed new bearings before the alignment. Does anyone know what the endplay is supposed to be for the wheel bearings?
I have not touched the bearings since we rebuilt the car 5 years ago, but I only have a few thousand miles on them so they are not very old bearings.
(1972 factory discs)

I like to use the Wolf's Head Red grease. In my video I used a black Valvoline multi purpose grease and it wouldn't stay in the hub. It would leak out from under the bearing cap and all over the wheel. I changed to the red grease and haven't had any problems.

In this video I show how to pack the bearings by hand and at the end I do a little experiment on setting the bearing preload.

 

[RemCharger]

The old addage was, bearings with grease, get play. Bearings in oil get preload.
Compare your front bearings, wheel bearings, pinion bearings.. They're all taper rollers

 

[MoparLeo]

Follow the FSM. Simple. Who knows more than the people wwho built the car.
Page 841 from the 1972 Factory Service Manual for Chassis.
Service Manuals – MyMopar

 

[Kern Dog]

I have never torqued a wheel bearing. I snug up the nut, spin the rotor each direction a few times, snug it up a little more if it feels like it needs it, then put the cotter key in.
I've never had a front wheel bearing failure.
I did have a set of the aftermarket ball bearing rear axle set go bad. I had to install another set of the sealed/ball type since the axles were slightly shorter than stock length. The sealed/ball type bearings don't require the axle shafts to rest against the thrust block in the differential. For all the whining and warning, I've had the ball bearing type units in place for 13 years. When these do wear out, I'll go back to the tapered Timkens.
The only reason that I went with the sealed/ball type was because I fell for the marketing about them......no adjustment needed, etc.

 

[Kraig Jorgensen]

I took my Road Runner in for new front tires before getting the front end realigned. The tires were shot because I seem to have too much camber diled in. While at the shop the tech pointed out some endplay in the front wheel bearings and suggested I look at if I needed new bearings before the alignment. Does anyone know what the endplay is supposed to be for the wheel bearings?
I have not touched the bearings since we rebuilt the car 5 years ago, but I only have a few thousand miles on them so they are not very old bearings.
(1972 factory discs)

tighten them just snug with a 12inch Crescent..then back off the nut without touching the wheel or hub,,,then finger tighten the nut and insert the cotter. Too tight is almost worse than too loose. I was in the brg business for 50 yrs

 

[JedIEG]

Pulled the passenger side tire off and got .012 end play. Pulled the outer bearing and cleaned it up. No signs of ware on the race or rollers, but is does not spinning nicely, so everything is getting replaced with Timken bearing . How do I best get the outer races out without marring ou the roter? Also the inner seal is different than the Timken ones I got. Where do I get the inner seal? PN ?

 

[JedIEG]

I got around to cleaing and packing all the bearings last night. Things that I learned are the Timkin inner bearings have the wrong size outer race (too small) so I had to reuse what I had. Once cleaned up I could spin the bearings up freely with a compressed air nozzle. I did the 72 FSM procedure- 90 in-lb with a beam type torque wrench while spinning the rotor, lined up the cage with the cotter pin hole and backed off one slot. There is zero end play now. It seems a little tight though. If I spin the rotor It will stop spinning freely after about a 45 seconds where before I took it apart it would spin for several minutes. Should I back it off more?

 

[oldbee]

Leave it where it is.AND, never spin bearings with air.(they can blow apart)

 

[khryslerkid]

I got around to cleaing and packing all the bearings last night. Things that I learned are the Timkin inner bearings have the wrong size outer race (too small) so I had to reuse what I had. Once cleaned up I could spin the bearings up freely with a compressed air nozzle. I did the 72 FSM procedure- 90 in-lb with a beam type torque wrench while spinning the rotor, lined up the cage with the cotter pin hole and backed off one slot. There is zero end play now. It seems a little tight though. If I spin the rotor It will stop spinning freely after about a 45 seconds where before I took it apart it would spin for several minutes. Should I back it off more?

A worn race and a new bearing might not last too long. Timken bearings can be sold in sets (bearing and race) or individually. Apparently you parts guy gave you the wrong race.

Watch my video in post #30.

 

[MoparLeo]

New quality bearings with new, matched races are the best bet.And importantly, use the proper grease and pack the bearings properly.

 

[JedIEG]

Yep I would not use an old cup with a new cone so the whole old set went back in on the inners. I'm just confused on the size now. The Timkins are 2.328 od and the rotor is 2.35ID. I got Timkin Set 6. Is there a different cup to use on mopars?