RTH - tightening the wheel bearings (1 Viewer)

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DirtScaresMe

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So I was going down a mountain hill the other day and when hitting the brakes noticed a pretty decent wobble. Also, when turning sometimes I've heard/felt a slight click/thunk. I did a knuckle job on my driver's side last year.

I jacked the wheel up, and got some wiggle when flexing with my hands in the 12 and 6 o'clock positions. I pulled it apart to this point, and noticed that the tightening nut (closest to the wheel bearings) came off super easy, basically finger tight.

Do I need to dig any deeper or should I crank the locking nut down on the wheel bearing according to the FSM specs and expect some better results?
 
id put it together by the book and call it good
 
Wobble felt while braking can be associated with warped rotors.
 
your about 15 seconds from being able to look at the condition of the bearings and the spindle wear. Why not take a peek?
 
Wobble felt while braking can be associated with warped rotors.

Yeah I heard/saw that, but I figured if I'm getting wobble on the wheel and a wheel is loose on the axle, probably 1+1=2.

But sure if this doesn't fix it then I'll hit up the rotors.
 
The FSM has torque specs that are a bit weak.

I use Lucas Red-N-Tacky #2 for wheel bearing grease in my fronts and rears.

On the fronts, @Tools R Us torques the INNER nut to 45 LB-Ft while rotating the wheel, backs it off, then retorques to 35 LB- ft, then installs the washer and installs the locknut at 45 LB-FT.

I prefer 25 LB-FT on the inner and 45 on the outer.

If you build per FSM, it WILL work loose again. it lists something like 45 LB-IN. It's very low.

The previous method is closer to what 1-ton GM WB are set.
 
ZVPAoBr.jpg


So I was going down a mountain hill the other day and when hitting the brakes noticed a pretty decent wobble. Also, when turning sometimes I've heard/felt a slight click/thunk. I did a knuckle job on my driver's side last year.

I jacked the wheel up, and got some wiggle when flexing with my hands in the 12 and 6 o'clock positions. I pulled it apart to this point, and noticed that the tightening nut (closest to the wheel bearings) came off super easy, basically finger tight.

Do I need to dig any deeper or should I crank the locking nut down on the wheel bearing according to the FSM specs and expect some better results?
If the bearing grease is still good then that should do it.
 
The FSM has torque specs that are a bit weak.

I use Lucas Red-N-Tacky #2 for wheel bearing grease in my fronts and rears.

On the fronts, @Tools R Us torques the INNER nut to 45 LB-Ft while rotating the wheel, backs it off, then retorques to 35 LB- ft, then installs the washer and installs the locknut at 45 LB-FT.

I prefer 25 LB-FT on the inner and 45 on the outer.

If you build per FSM, it WILL work loose again. it lists something like 45 LB-IN. It's very low.

The previous method is closer to what 1-ton GM WB are set.

this is how i did mine this last time.. i had wobble before that cleared up now with 25/45 ftlbs
 
Cool, thanks bros.

And when you're talking "inner" and "outer", inner is the one that compresses the wheel bearing and outer is the one that's ontop of the ring with the guide tab on it, right?
 
Im in the torque spec freak camp.
The fish scale was crucial when I did mine and there is a procedure to follow (you are aware) or anyone would stand a good chance of parts later loosening up.
You are probably around the 30th person I've read that has had that come loose but none prior had done it properly to begin with.
Most of them had delusions of grandeur about their ability to sense torque values or didn't really follow the procedure and scale.
I would be interested to know what method you used as i have yet to find someone who's done it correctly and experienced that. I would be glad to find someone who did it perfectly and had it fail actually so i can have an opposing data point!
Im very glad your ok and it didnt chuck you off the mountain or somethin freaky.
 
Cool, thanks bros.

And when you're talking "inner" and "outer", inner is the one that compresses the wheel bearing and outer is the one that's ontop of the ring with the guide tab on it, right?


Yes. The inner nut is the one that actually sets the preload on the bearings. That one goes to 25-35 LB-FT. Then locking ring. Then outer nut torqued to 45 LB-FT.
 
Im in the torque spec freak camp.
The fish scale was crucial when I did mine and there is a procedure to follow (you are aware) or anyone would stand a good chance of parts later loosening up.
You are probably around the 30th person I've read that has had that come loose but none prior had done it properly to begin with.
Most of them had delusions of grandeur about their ability to sense torque values or didn't really follow the procedure and scale.
I would be interested to know what method you used as i have yet to find someone who's done it correctly and experienced that. I would be glad to find someone who did it perfectly and had it fail actually so i can have an opposing data point!
Im very glad your ok and it didnt chuck you off the mountain or somethin freaky.


That would be me. I followed the FSM to the tee and my WB were loose in under 5K miles. I then followed the GM spec and it was close, but the GM nuts are MUCH thicker and the spindle is longer, so I experimented and came to similar results as what @Tools R Us does. He has done hundreds of them and this is how they do it. Follow his advice and move on. Do it once more only.

The fish scale varies depending on the type of grease used. The old green grease will give a different rotational shear than the Red-N-Tacky 2.
 
I torqued mine at 45 lb ft inner and 45 lb ft outer. Could this be too tight? Is there any way to know if its too tight when you are driving? I use red mobil1 grease.
 
Don't forget to bend over the tabs on the locking washer. Best to do it both directions. Don;t chop your nuts with a chisel. Use a torque wrench.
 
I torqued mine at 45 lb ft inner and 45 lb ft outer. Could this be too tight? Is there any way to know if its too tight when you are driving? I use red mobil1 grease.


Yes. Too tight lets the smoke out. Usually within 10 miles at highway speed. Ask me how I know.
 
Im in the torque spec freak camp.
The fish scale was crucial when I did mine and there is a procedure to follow (you are aware) or anyone would stand a good chance of parts later loosening up.
You are probably around the 30th person I've read that has had that come loose but none prior had done it properly to begin with.
Most of them had delusions of grandeur about their ability to sense torque values or didn't really follow the procedure and scale.
I would be interested to know what method you used as i have yet to find someone who's done it correctly and experienced that. I would be glad to find someone who did it perfectly and had it fail actually so i can have an opposing data point!
Im very glad your ok and it didnt chuck you off the mountain or somethin freaky.
I have also found my wheel bearings loose, after following the FSM religiously. Hasn't been an issue since going to the dead-simple method that Tools suggests. At the time I did it the suggestion was 20ft/lbs on the locknut, so I can't speak for 35.
 
I torqued mine at 45 lb ft inner and 45 lb ft outer. Could this be too tight? Is there any way to know if its too tight when you are driving? I use red mobil1 grease.

45 is too tight. I've done the FSM procedure 3 times, added a TG locking spindle nut and they still loosened. Went with 22 ft lbs and has been perfect since.
 
Thanks guys. I might have to revisit that axle before my trip next week. Anything in specific that I should look for that would suggest it was too tight when I open it again? I havent seen smoke in mine. Only have driven it for 100 miles or so though.
 

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