My wheel ROCKS!

[Doc]

Was rotating the tires on the new 80 tonight. When the drivers side was done I noticed that if you grab the top of the tire you can rock the wheel in and out.

I know this is bad. :bust:

But how bad? :bust2:

Movement was about a quater of an inch at the outside edge of the tire.

My guess is wheel bearing? I doubt if any services were ever done- but have no way of knowing.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

1/4 inch . That is bad. The correct amout of play is 0. At best, you need to repack and adjust properly. If it were me, I'd change the wheelbearings on that side. How many miles? Your knuckle bearings may need replacement too.

 

[sea2skydad]

The way I understand it is if you grab the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and you get movement it's knuckle bearings and if you get movement from 3 and 9 o'clock it's wheel bearings. It's time for a look regardless. Good luck, Greg.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

[quote author=Doc link=board=2;threadid=16971;start=msg164027#msg164027 date=1085537599]


I know this is bad. :bust:

But how bad? :bust2:

[/quote]

One thing is for sure - It won't get any better

Get it look at/fixed before it becomes costly

Phil

 

[Rookie2]

Yea.. that does seem like a lot. Play in the bearings is the most likely bet. I would pull it down to the hub nut/thrust washer, re-torque, set pre-load, then pull on the hub and check for play. If the hub only moves, then look at replacing wheel bearings. If the whole knuckle assembly is moving, then there's that's a problem with the trunion bearings.


Rookie2

 

[Doc]

Well, the passenger side doesn't do it!

Oh well, time to make a trip to the stealership. Or maybe I'll have my mechanic take a look at it first.

Oh well, it's probobly time to get all 4 serviced.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Doc-you need to do this yourself. It could be a big repair if you need to do the knuckle, but none of it is hard and you will learn more in a weekend about how a cruiser works than you would ever believe. A full service at the dealer will be $1500 or more if they replace the whell bearings. For $200 in parts, you can make it literally as good as new. No one will do it as well as you will do it yourself.

 

[landtank]

My money is on the wheel bearings and with that much play they are probably beat to s***. Go down to Autozone and get a set of Timken bearings for $25.00 and slap them in.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

[quote author=sea2skydad link=board=2;threadid=16971;start=msg164034#msg164034 date=1085538279]
The way I understand it is if you grab the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and you get movement it's knuckle bearings and if you get movement from 3 and 9 o'clock it's wheel bearings. It's time for a look regardless. Good luck, Greg.
[/quote]

If your wheel bearing is loose you will get movement around the clock.

You will always get movement 3 to 9 (bad bearing or not)because the wheel will turn

A loose knuckle bearing is accessed visually at 12 and 6


Phil

 

[Doc]

Yeah, I'm paranoid about lug nuts- so it's not that. I bought a $110 torque wrench specifically for tightening those bastards. Don't ask why I'm sensitive about that.


Ok- you guys have talked me into doing it myself. (mostly because i have three cars and if one is down for a couple of days it's no big deal).

What do I need? FSM's? Where can I get those? (C-dan?) Do I need special tools for the hubs or anything?

Anyone live near Iowa that wants to help?

 

[GXO]

I would go in and tighten the wheel bearings nuts RIGHT NOW.

If you do not, and they are backing off...the whole knuckle could drop off the axle and grenade just about everything, including the passengers.

 

[Doc]

PS- the whole birfield thing scares the poop out of me. I'm not going to have to dig into those am I?

 

[GXO]

Shouldn't have to.

I would personally get in there today, check (in order from outside in):

1. wheel bearing lock nut - should be more than hand tight, I suspect you will be able to move this without a wrench in your current situation.
2. lock washer - should have a tab bent out over the lock nut, and a tab bent in over the adjusting nut, wager this is not the case for you.
3. wheel adjusting nut - should be be more than hand tight, suspect yours is spinning loosely.

You will need the 54mm socket to get the nuts tight again.

Promise that AT MINIMUM you get these three things tightened back to spec per the FSM:
- tighten adjusting nut to 43 ft. lbs., turn wheel forward and back a few times, loosen to hand tight, repeat twice, then tighten to 48 ft. lbs.
- install lock washer with tabs bent per above.
- install lock nut with same torque and procedure as adjusting nut.

don't drive until you do this...major danger!!!

Essentially, you are ripping the end of your spindle, the edge of your caliper, and your rotor all to hell right now because your entire knuckle wants to fall off the axle.

When you make it safe, buy the seals, get the bearings, and do a repack and inspect for damage to the birf spline on the end, the spindle, rotors, and calipers.

 

[landtank]

[quote author=DanKunz link=board=2;threadid=16971;start=msg164174#msg164174 date=1085575568]
- install lock washer with tabs bent per above.
[/quote]

This lock washer should be flattened before reusing it!!!!!!!

Then after the lock nut is back in place re-bend the tabs (not always the same ones as before) to lock both nuts. So there will be 2 bends in the lock washer. One bent inwards and one bend outwards. Just pick the one that lines up best with a flat side of the nut your locking into position.

 

[Doc]

I've told the wifey not to drive it until I can tear into it. She'll drive the auto-xer until I get it up again.

OK, I'm a one kind of guy when it comes to reparis- but mechanical stuff I can generally muddle my way through.

so I pull the wheel, then I'm looking at 6 or 8 smaller nuts on top of the hub, and I take these off, right?

When that black cover pops off I'll see these nuts you're talking about?

 

[landtank]

That's correct sir.

Your on your way


Edit: be sure to wash out those bering good if you decide not to replace them as you'd want to be sure they are still viable.

 

[Doc]

No, I'll buy new bearings to put in. No sence going in there and not doing it right 'eh?

Now, to check the other wheel bearings (Do a Bearing "service") What do I need to do, just re-pack with grease?

Oh- any 'special' grease I need to buy for wheel bearings?

 

[Doc]

From the looks of the above posts I don't need to, nor should I, remove the wheel, just the hub cap plastic piece? Leave the wheel on and do the entire bearing service?

 

[landtank]

Thta's your call. You could re-grease them but personally I like to keep my bearing even. Another words replace both sides on an axle at the same time. Less to remember .

 

[Cruiserdrew]

[quote author=Doc link=board=2;threadid=16971;start=msg164186#msg164186 date=1085576961]
From the looks of the above posts I don't need to, nor should I, remove the wheel, just the hub cap plastic piece? Leave the wheel on and do the entire bearing service?
[/quote]

You need to remove the wheel, and the caliper. Then pull the hub grease cap, the c-clip, then the cone washers and drive plate. You will see the spindle nut (54mm). Pull the spindle nut, the locking tab, and the second spindle nut. Then grab the rotor with both hands and pull the entire hub/rotor assembly off the spindle. The outer bearing will be loose in your hand. The inner bearing is under the rear grease seal which you must pry out with a seal puller. If you replace the bearings, you will need to drive the races out of the hub with a drift. Good luck, a FSM is helpful to visualize all the parts. For sure you will need a new thrust washer as yours will have a deep groove from the loose bearing spinning against it. As you get into it, post the questions you have. It's intimidating the first time, but not hard. There are some tricks for setting the preload, so when you get to reassembly, post up.

edit-You will need to check your spindle carefully. A loose wheel bearing spins on the spindle and wears a groove. There is no fix except a new $pindle.