Bearing repack GURUs (1 Viewer)

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Anyone else not get up to breakaway torque spec? I'm up around 60ft.lbs on the nut and best I can get is 8.5lbs a few times but usually drops below that. Did take it on a drive and feels better than before. Especially getting grease inside with the Slee tool. After a test drive, both grease caps are about the same "slight warm" temp. Figured it should be fine for now till I do a complete brake overhaul with new rotors/pads I have waiting. Then I'll do all new bearings/races. Any suggestions on increasing torque or leave as is?

Thanks again,

Luis
 
It takes ~45ft-lbf of torque on adjusting nut to get a BP (breakaway preload) of ~ 12lb with new bearings using M1 grease with an OAT (outside air temp) of ~85 f.
With good used bearings it takes ~64ft-lbf of toque
With really good bearings it takes~74ft-lbf of toque.
With marginal or bad bearings it takes ~30ft-lbf or less of toque to achieve the 12lb BP.

74ft-lbf is ~the highest I've torqued the adjusting nut. Anymore and I fear I'd strip the adjusting nut or worst the spindle threads.

So what size snap ring to you end up with, to get the less than 0.20mm gap?

Note: always pull sprig scale at exact same angle for a consistency in readings. It will still vary a bit, so take and average over 3 good pulls.
 
At 45ft lbs I was still in the 6lb range. I'll go back and verify on my next day off and report back. I replaced the thrust washer and claw washer while I was in there. I did notice that the snap ring I used was smaller than the one that I removed, to get the there. Seemed strange to have to use a smaller snap ring. Same bearings, just repacked, used slee grease tool and replaced washers.

Next day I go back, I'll work my way up in torque to get better in spec for break away. I've watched a few of your videos, they've been extremely helpful. Will keep you posted.

Thanks for all your input and documentation!!

Luis
 
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The change in moving to a thinner snap ring is likely due to extra grease at the back of the knuckle/spindle bearing limiting how much the axle can be pulled through. When you recheck preload- you might recheck snap ring gap.
 
@abuck99 is spot on^^^.

By driving you've now settle the grease. To check gap now, have front drive shaft in a neutral position (weight on tire/wheels or LCA) and pulling axle out, and you'll get a good gap reading. I'll bet your gap is wide and you'll need to go up two or three sizes from the likely 1.8 or 2.0mm snap ring you've used.

Snap ring from factory is a 2.20mm, I use 2.40mm replacements the most, 2.6mm occasionally and once or twice a 2.8mm. The last picture here with missing oil seal and dust seal I used a 2.8mm after polishing the bass bushing. It is the bass bushing that makes the biggest difference in gap. It is what we are essentially setting. The large bearing & race and where that bearing rides on spindle, along with face of hub flange and outside portion of groove for snap in axle make up the rest of the "gap". Even if every component was changes you'd likely not use less than a 2.20mm snap ring. I've been against anyone buy a packed of all sizes of snap ring as so many do just what you've done.

8X1.25mm bolt used to pull axle out to get a good reading after driving to settle grease. I use this method during disassembly, to get clue of the size snap ring I'll be needing during assemble.
1920021

The issue with the Slee tool or manually packing in grease. Is grease fill the cavity between axle and bushing give a false reading of the gap until grease is settled.
1920022

As the grease makes its way to bass bushing passed the axle needle bearings in back of steering knuckle, it fills the cavity and closes the gap yielding a false gap reading.
Note this rig was missing oil & dust seal, so be advised it is not the correct set-up. But you can see how grease push out the axle.
1920026

As we drive this grease settle and the gap increases. I first notice the issue when using the Slee tool the first time. So I put together a pulling device with stuff around the shop. But driving will settle the grease also.
1920024
 
I tried my best to settle the grease to get a decent reading. I had my gear puller set up but didn't have a large enough clamp to keep it anchored down. Hopefully I'll have some time tonight to double check everything. 10-4 on weight on the LCA. I did that along with adding a bolt and pulling it through.

My guess is I'll go back to the same size as original. The one I added looked to be 1 size smaller than the original. Very minimal difference in size.

Luis
 
Your ~6lb of breakaway preload will be okay for about 5K miles. But at minimum, I'd pop off the grease cap (wheel on is fine) and set the gap. Can't have to thin a gap! The ones I like best is where gap so tight I can't measure it.
 
Great info here, thank for providing the detailed info. It was a little overwhelming at first but I had some time to read it carefully and it really helps.

I have a question after helping my friend do his brake job - he replaced both brake pads and rotors, and he found one caliper was seized so he replaced just that one. Putting it all back together, got 12 lbs on the preload, and everything seemed fine. I was only there for the passenger side but he did the driver’s side using the same technique for preload but he didn’t use the fish scale on that side, just on the passenger side.

The issue before and after is that at 55 or 65 mph when he brakes, he gets that shaking you sometimes feel when rotors are warped, but these are brand new. Any ideas what could be causing this? We didn’t check the gap on the snap ring and it seemed a little malleable, so I’ve sent him this thread so he can check the gap. Could that small of a thing cause the shimmy shake only when braking?
 
Great info here, thank for providing the detailed info. It was a little overwhelming at first but I had some time to read it carefully and it really helps.

I have a question after helping my friend do his brake job - he replaced both brake pads and rotors, and he found one caliper was seized so he replaced just that one. Putting it all back together, got 12 lbs on the preload, and everything seemed fine. I was only there for the passenger side but he did the driver’s side using the same technique for preload but he didn’t use the fish scale on that side, just on the passenger side.

The issue before and after is that at 55 or 65 mph when he brakes, he gets that shaking you sometimes feel when rotors are warped, but these are brand new. Any ideas what could be causing this? We didn’t check the gap on the snap ring and it seemed a little malleable, so I’ve sent him this thread so he can check the gap. Could that small of a thing cause the shimmy shake only when braking?
I would think it might be the difference between replacing one caliper instead of replacing as a set.
 
Yeah I was wondering that too. I told him I always replace them as a pair but he doesn’t have a ton of money and he said it was moving okay. Why do you think that would cause the shaking though? Just the one not grabbing as well if it’s sticky?
 
The issue before and after is that at 55 or 65 mph when he brakes, he gets that shaking you sometimes feel when rotors are warped, but these are brand new. Any ideas what could be causing this? We didn’t check the gap on the snap ring and it seemed a little malleable, so I’ve sent him this thread so he can check the gap. Could that small of a thing cause the shimmy shake only when braking?

A large snap ring gap is very unlikely to cause brake pulsation. Some things to check:
  • Could be the 'new' rotors. Are you able to measure the run-out? Are the new rotors OEM and properly bedded in? What about the brake pads?
  • Was the hub perfectly clean and fully seated when bolted to the rotor?
  • Maybe the grease in the bearings settled after driving for a bit and are the bearings are too loose now?
 
New rotors and new brake pads Edit: Napa Premiums. I’ve never gotten a bad rotor before, that’s an awful thought. I told him how to bed them. I don’t know where he got them. Probably not OEM. I don’t know if it the hub was perfectly clean. I had to leave when he took the hub off and put it on the new rotor but he’s a particular guy, so while he didn’t wire wheel it, he wouldn’t have put it on with a chunk of something under it. But it’s something worth checking. First thing to check is the easiest, wheel bearings. They could have loosened up a bit.
 
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Eh, he doesn’t want to deal with it so I told him to take it down to Slee. They should be able to figure it out. I’ll post up if it has anything to do with bearings or this thread!
 
I got the kits from Cruiser Outfitters several months ago. Now that we are down into the 80s I am going to do this job. What size is the bolt to pull the axle out?
 

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