Front Wheel Bearing End Play

[roadrunnerh]

(I can't resist)
Yes, those roller bearings in the video could be reused, even with the heat damage, but the OP is talking about his Road Runner, not a daily beater!

 

[JedIEG]

So I got it all slamed back together. I looked at the 1974 manual for the procedure and low and behold it's totally different than the 1972. So I just used the 74 procedure because it ecoed what a lot of people were saying about not torquing.
74 Procedure:Torque the nut to 20 ft-lb to seat the bearings then fully back off and spin the nut finger tight. Put the cage on and drop the cotter pin in. I have about 0 end play. The manual says .0001 (yep I checked that twice- ten thousandths) to .003. The engineers would not have updated a procedure for nothing so I'm guessing the 1972 and earlier 90inlb and back off was causing issues.

 

[RemCharger]

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

Or do some neat stuff to your fingers.

 

[Ron H]

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

One of these? Just used it...maybe 10-years ago now.

 

[Ron H]

Been accused more than a few times of being too nit-picky. I follow torque spec’s religiously. Well, after all, it gives me the opp to use the friggin torque wrenches I bought.

 

[RemCharger]

One of these? Just used it...maybe 10-years ago now.

View attachment 1661646

Those little ones are nice. Eventually you find out that snug is snug though

 

[RJRENTON]

View attachment 1655334

ABSOLUTELY.....after having a wheel bearing failure on my old Ford with drum brakes. The RF outer wheel bearing got so hot that it failed catastrophically, twisting off the threaded end of the spindle and retaining nut and washer off completely, so there was nothing holding the RF wheel, tire, brake drum to the car and at 50 MPH, the car came crashing down on the bumper and lower control arm, ball joint and tie rod end....and due to no brake drum to contain the brake shoes, I had no brakes......and the wheel, tire assembly went off in the weeds. Got down to zero mph quickly, plowing dirt with what was left of the brake backing plate. Moral of the story: FOLLOW THE FSM's RECOMMENDED WHEEL BEARING SERVICE AND ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURES......WITHOUT EXCEPTION......regardless of what you or your "buddies" do or say or what you've "always" have done b4.......or do what you want and possibly have the same experience. The second problem with having a wheel bearing failure at speed is the inconvenience, cost of repairs and towing, is cleaning the **** out of your pants......literally......just something that occured many years ago but I've not forgotten.......just my thoughts.....
BOB RENTON

 

[Ron H]

Kind a like old Ronny Reagan said - Trust but Verify...older some get, the more some find out this isn't a bad idea. Well, at least with me, having acquired a list of errors in judgement at my age on many topics...to the extent of 'Don't trust, but Verify', lol.

 

[MoparJW]

I prefer a little too much play vs too tight, especially if the bearings are older and have some miles on them.