Fixing Front Wheel Bearing Preload

[bajaphile]

Following the FSM method, and using light torque (inch/lbs), my preload was lost in about a month. Ended up going in and doing it again to FSM values and it backed off again. So I did what most others do and torqued to 20 ft/lbs on the inner and 47 on outer. Checked with fish scale and it was still in the range and so far (6 months) this method as worked.

 

[mod5csi]

I've never had my preload back off. Although I send to be in and out of the front axle, annually 3000-5000 miles for various other reasons... And I'm a glutton for punishment.

 

[reconranger]

Crap, I've done the bearings more than I can to. Every time I change the summer <-> winter wheels, one side is loose. I've been pretty anal about making sure the bearings/hubs are seated. I've kept with the fish scales and FSM. I'm going the way that is mentioned here.

 

[Tools R Us]

Some textual masturbation here. It's old, now have been using 30ft/lb on big tire wheeling rigs, road cars could likely use less, but don't have experience with those.

Help needed setting front wheel bearing preload

 

[dannyp]

Some textual masturbation here. It's old, now have been using 30ft/lb on big tire wheeling rigs, road cars could likely use less, but don't have experience with those.

Help needed setting front wheel bearing preload

@Tools R Us i just did my bearings and did 25 lbs.. (315/75/16) tires.. first time i drove it the hub was noticeably warmer than the caliper.. the next 2 times it is cooler than the first trip (about 15 miles on country roads) but still warmer than the caliper.. should i re do it or give it a couple days to find a happy place.

 

[itbrokeagain]

I like this way better. I am one of those guys that goes by feel and I'm usually pretty lucky but this is easy and takes all the guessing out of it

 

[dannyp]

I like this way better. I am one of those guys that goes by feel and I'm usually pretty lucky but this is easy and takes all the guessing out of it

i usually do it by feel too but this last time i wasnt confident that incorrect preload wasnt what started my death wobble issue.. that issue is gone now but im just wondering if a little extra heat is normal the first couple hundred miles doing it this way.

 

[Tools R Us]

Until the new grease is squished out, newly packed bearings run somewhat warmer, normal. Have not noted signifacant temp difference between bearings set at 10ft/lb and 40ft/lb.

 

[artech]

I just torque the inner nut to ~30ft/lb, then the outer to 47ft/lb, bend the tabs, done.

This. Job done.

 

[Hamachi]

After many attempts with the fish scale method and based on advice from the forum (Tools, Landtank, etc) I tossed the fish scale and torqued the inner (adjusting) nut to ~ 20 ft lbs. Outer (locking) nut to 47 ft lbs. The front bearings are still snug 50,000 miles and six years later running on slightly larger than stock tires.

How’s that still working for you?

 

[mudgudgeon]

How’s that still working for you?

20 to 35lb on the inner nut (20lb for 33s, 35lb for bigger tires, or personal choice), rotate the hub back and forth a few times, retorque to your chosen torque, then torque the outer nut to 47lb.

This works well. Just make sure to rotate the hub to seat the bearing in the race.

 

[Malleus]

Agreed. I think the problem is that there is a desire to screw on a nut an leave it. You can't do that with bearing preloads. Depending on how the bearings are packed, it may take more than one "set" to get the clamp load necessary for correct installation. I'm amazed at how many people have problems with this.

 

[baldilocks]

Worn spindles can cause loss of bearing preload almost immediately following a preload adjustment procedure. I dealt with this on my right front for quite a while. Visual inspection didn’t reveal anything alarming. I finally pulled the trigger on new spindles and now preload stays put.