jankyrre

Hello.

How do you guys do this?
The shop manual says 30 ftlb,back off and fingertighten.
This doesn't give sufficient preload in my opinion,I can feel play when the wheel is on.
Wonder if I should try to tight it one notch at the time until all play is gone?

oldcutlass

I like a little preload on my bearings also and have been doing that way for 40 years. I'm not comfortable in the way the chassis manual recommends.

BILL DEMMER

i don't like floppy hubs either, i tighten them until they don't flop. the mechanics at the poncho dealership didn't like me doing that and would mark the nut and cotter pin with blue paint back when my fiero was under warranty. i always tightened them after they messed with them.


bill

Allan R

You have a few more years of experience doing it than me, but I do it the same as you with my cars. C'mon, the CSM NEVER has a mistake in it, does it? Don't look and you won't have to answer that. I've found several errors in my 72 CSM that contradict each other.

Now if this was the early 90's and I was working with a puter, having floppy discs would be all the rage....

Run to Rund

I tighten while spinning the wheel, back off to zero preload, and back off a bit more to get the cotter in through it--approximately the way the factory recommends. These bearings are not intended to have "preload" on them. Additionally, lube the spindle as the outer races are intended to turn on the spindle.

Lady72nRob71

I always thought it was bad if this happened. My spindles were scored a bit where the races go over. Could you expand on this for those who don't know?

Allan R

Rob, possibly the scoring was due to dried out bearings/no grease? The outer bearing does seat exactly as described and the flat key washer holds it in place. I put plenty o' grease on my spindle even though the manual says only to lightly smear it. Also make sure the bearings are packed well before installation should minimize or eliminate any scoring?

MDchanic

The manual instructs you to tighten the bearings a certain way for a reason.
They didn't write it that way just because they were in a funny mood that day.

I do it the way the manual says to do it.

- Eric

oldcutlass

Huh? The inner race does not spin on the spindle. It's a slip fit and remains stationary as the bearings spin around it.

jankyrre

The CSM may very well be correct if we were working with brand new parts,but with 45 years old parts,with maybe a little damage to the threads,serated svindel etc.,increased friction may eat the axial force from the specified torque away.
Anyway I choose to tight away all free play I could feel with the wheel on the car.

I am at the bitter end of my 4 weeks summer holyday,so I don't have any dokumentation at hand,but these tapered roller bearings, like all bearings needs a minimum load\preload to work properly.These particular bearings also have a very loose fit on the spindel shaft.If not loaded two things may happen.The inner races may start to rotate on the spindel,and the rollers can be dragged around in the bearing without rotating.Both cases will increase friction,generate heat
and things will be damaged.

Lady72nRob71

It could have been a result from excess preload on the previous bearings. When I took the front end apart a few years ago I think the ones who last tightened the castle nut torqued them to 20 and left them. There was plenty of grease in there. But who knows what happened to the previous bearings that were in there. This car had a hard life long ago.

And there is the weight of the car between the spindle and races.... That is why I am confused.

oldcutlass

Being they are a cone shape, the center themselves in the outer races. The spindle is a means to center the assembly similar to a vice. The weight of the vehicle is basically supported by the bearing assemblies. I assure you, if the inner races start to spin the end result is very ugly. If there is a groove worn in the spindle it was caused by insufficient or excessive preload leading to bearing failure.