Wheel Bearing; FSM Torque to Light or just Right.

[suprarx7nut]

For reference, I measured my hub temps after my ~20 mile drive into work today. They were barely above ambient (80-90F) and I could hold my hand on the grease caps. I think I'm all good and I'll just check on them when I hit 300k (currently at 272k).

When I was measuring the breakaway I measured by slowly pulling. I wonder how the readings would differ if I tried a more abrupt pull.

 

[Hugh Calgary]

I replaced the front wheel bearings on my 1998 LC. I followed 2001LC write-ups and videos. Many thanks to 2001LC and ih8mud.
My torque on the inner nut was between 40 and 50 ft lb to get the break away scale between 10 and 12 lbs. I did the break away force check multiple times to make sure I was getting repeatable results on the scale. I used the 2.4 mm snap ring on the CV and got no gap.
Checked drive flange temps after driving for a week and both sides were close to 105F. Jacked up the front and no play in wheel bearings using the 12 and 6 push/pull method.
The previous owner had the wheel bearings serviced by a Toyota dealership. There was a very small amount of play in both wheels when using the 12 and 6 push/pull check. When I took the hubs off the thrust washers were scored and the bearing races in the hubs had lines on them that matched the roller bearings. I assume this was from vibration due to lose wheel bearings.
Bottom line is trust 2001LC's advice.

 

[2001LC]

For reference, I measured my hub temps after my ~20 mile drive into work today. They were barely above ambient (80-90F) and I could hold my hand on the grease caps. I think I'm all good and I'll just check on them when I hit 300k (currently at 272k).

When I was measuring the breakaway I measured by slowly pulling. I wonder how the readings would differ if I tried a more abrupt pull.

Abruptly, gives false reading on my 15lb digital fishing scale. Wheel hub also breakaway by force, rather than the stead pull we're looking for.

Once preload set and all buttoned-up. Wheel bearings begin loosening each mile driven. After about 2K miles a 15LB preload will down to about 8lb BP. By 30K miles BP is near 1lb.

They may run a little cooler when loose, say 8lb BP. But too loose bearing and claw washer start chattering/vibration. This creates heat. Not really bad heat, but enough spindle will blue. Back of spindle becomes scored from large bearing, and claw washer become scored form small bearing. The scoring creates gap between those parts. Naturally this equates to looser wheel bearings. So the process of loosening accelerates. So chatter increases and so does heat from the vibration.

Now if snap ring gap is also greater than design limits of less than 0.20mm. Than axle move in and out of hub flange excessively. The chatter turns axle into a saw moving in and out sawing on hub flange and hub flange sawing on axle. This will damage the hub flange and axle splines/teeth. Result at minimum is D-N-R clunk. Continue driving will eat away hub flange and axle until failure. Often snap ring pops off.

What happens then is most take to a shop or have towed. Shop puts in, junk yards steering knuckle in really bad cases, and usually aftermarket front drive shaft, new hub flange and new wheel bearings.

Kind of price job and lots of expensive parts. Just because improper procedure.

Test of good wheel bearing job, is claw washer will not be scored at 30K miles. Hub flange and axle will be tight, bearings and races will actually be better.

Bad wheel bearing job yield this:

 

[2001LC]

 

[2001LC]

NEW OEM for comparison.

 

[ibrahim83]

i just want to thank you again. Third time was a charm. I didn't realize how smooth and slow you have to be to measure preload, at least with my scale. that part took me forever to get right. but the video you have on youtube cleared it right up.
between being gentle and slow on the pull while being at a 90 degree angle and getting the nut torqued just right, the first side took us about 30 minutes of adjusting. Started at 25 foot pound and went up in 5lb increments until we settled on the numbers below.

I ended up with around 48 on the drivers side and 46 on the passenger side to get around 12lb. then locked them up at 47 pound feet. that brought up the final preload to around 15. the clips were reused as they had no gap since the last repack 10k ago. i should've looked closer at the teeth, but they looked fine and felt good.

after a 10 mile drive in 98 degree humid houston heat, i can actually rest my hand on the dust cap for a solid minute until it becomes a little uncomfortable.

and im not sure if it's a placebo effect, packing the bearings right or packing the needle bearings, the truck feels smoother and almost glides on the freeway with less resistance. or it could be in my head.

Thank you again @2001LC and @suprarx7nut for the help!

 

[suprarx7nut]

i just want to thank you again. Third time was a charm. I didn't realize how smooth and slow you have to be to measure preload, at least with my scale. that part took me forever to get right. but the video you have on youtube cleared it right up.
between being gentle and slow on the pull while being at a 90 degree angle and getting the nut torqued just right, the first side took us about 30 minutes of adjusting. Started at 25 foot pound and went up in 5lb increments until we settled on the numbers below.

I ended up with around 48 on the drivers side and 46 on the passenger side to get around 12lb. then locked them up at 47 pound feet. that brought up the final preload to around 15. the clips were reused as they had no gap since the last repack 10k ago. i should've looked closer at the teeth, but they looked fine and felt good.

after a 10 mile drive in 98 degree humid houston heat, i can actually rest my hand on the dust cap for a solid minute until it becomes a little uncomfortable.

and im not sure if it's a placebo effect, packing the bearings right or packing the needle bearings, the truck feels smoother and almost glides on the freeway with less resistance. or it could be in my head.

Thank you again @2001LC and @suprarx7nut for the help!

One thing I've noticed with mine is that my brakes feel much better. Firmer, pedal never descends more than normal, I don't seem to feel it get stuck. I'm guessing I was experiencing some level of pad knockback due to some bearing play, but maybe it's all in my head.

 

[2001LC]

i just want to thank you again. Third time was a charm. I didn't realize how smooth and slow you have to be to measure preload, at least with my scale. that part took me forever to get right. but the video you have on youtube cleared it right up.
between being gentle and slow on the pull while being at a 90 degree angle and getting the nut torqued just right, the first side took us about 30 minutes of adjusting. Started at 25 foot pound and went up in 5lb increments until we settled on the numbers below.

I ended up with around 48 on the drivers side and 46 on the passenger side to get around 12lb. then locked them up at 47 pound feet. that brought up the final preload to around 15. the clips were reused as they had no gap since the last repack 10k ago. i should've looked closer at the teeth, but they looked fine and felt good.

after a 10 mile drive in 98 degree humid houston heat, i can actually rest my hand on the dust cap for a solid minute until it becomes a little uncomfortable.

and im not sure if it's a placebo effect, packing the bearings right or packing the needle bearings, the truck feels smoother and almost glides on the freeway with less resistance. or it could be in my head.

Thank you again @2001LC and @suprarx7nut for the help!

Two more considerations:

Grease:
Always use grease that states on the can for "wheel bearings" or high speed.

Snap ring gap:
Very important to have a vary good snap ring (new OEM) with sharp edges, tight around axle and thick enough so gap is less than 0.20mm between it and hub flange

When checking snap ring gap. It's important to pull axle out as hard as you can. If axle bearing and bushing (brass bushing) was greased. The grease will be between brass bushing and front drive shaft in back of knuckle. This grease needs to be settled or squished so that we get a true gap reading. Just pulling on axle by hand will not do the job, if grease was just packed in. Either drive to settle. Then come back and pull axle by hand, by threading a 8x1.25mm bolt in end of axle. Or set up a puller to pull axle out settling grease.

Notice bottle jack is raising LCA so that front drive shaft is lined up, eliminating axle from pulling back.

If grease has been settled by driving. Then just threading a 8x1.25mm bolt in end of axle and pulling, is all that is needed to check gap.

With fresh grease on brass axle bushing, I pull to settle. With clamp on back of caliper (not on dust shield) I crank puller tight. Pulling out axle to settle grease I just packed in back of knuckle on brass bushing. This insure I'm reading true gap.

 

[ibrahim83]

Two more considerations:

Grease:
Always use grease that states on the can for "wheel bearings" or high speed.

Snap ring gap:
Very important to have a vary good snap ring (new OEM) with sharp edges, tight around axle and thick enough so gap is less than 0.20mm between it and hub flange

When checking snap ring gap. It's important to pull axle out as hard as you can. If axle bearing and bushing (brass bushing) was greased. The grease will be between brass bushing and front drive shaft in back of knuckle. This grease needs to be settled or squished so that we get a true gap reading. Just pulling on axle by hand will not do the job, if grease was just packed in. Either drive to settle. Then come back and pull axle by hand, by threading a 8x1.25mm bolt in end of axle. Or set up a puller to pull axle out settling grease.

Notice bottle jack is raising LCA so that front drive shaft is lined up, eliminating axle from pulling back.

If grease has been settled by driving. Then just threading a 8x1.25mm bolt in end of axle and pulling, is all that is needed to check gap.
View attachment 2033106
With fresh grease on brass axle bushing, I pull to settle. With clamp on back of caliper (not on dust shield) I crank puller tight. Pulling out axle to settle grease I just packed in back of knuckle on brass bushing. This insure I'm reading true gap.
View attachment 2033105

I put a bolt through the axle and pulled it just like you did. The snap rings are new from the last time i did the bearings, and mobil 1 synthetic was used in place of the oreileys house brand bearing grease.

 

[liveoak]

Snap ring gap:
Very important to have a vary good snap ring (new OEM) with sharp edges, tight around axle and thick enough so gap is less than 0.20mm between it and hub flange

I have noticed part numbers on just about all of your procedures but for some reason I have not yet seen the different snap ring part numbers. I have heard there are 3 or 4 sizes? Do you, or anyone else, happen to have those part numbers?

 

[2001LC]

It's best to replace snap ring every wheel bearing service. For that matter anytime removed. New shape edge fits snugly in axle groove.

You order according to thickness needed get less than 0.20mm gap.
Snap ring 1.8 G 90520-31010 -
Snap ring 2.0 F 90520-31009 -
Snap ring 2.2 E 90520-31008 - Factory
Snap ring 2.4 D 90520-31007 -*****
Snap ring 2.6 C 90520-31006 -***
Snap ring 2.8 B 90520-31005 –
* Most common replacement.

 

[liveoak]

thank you sir.

 

[Ayune]

Here’s another datapoint for folks. I just replaced pads/rotors, wheel bearings, and all associated parts. Last bearing service was likely 244k miles ago with 307k on the truck now. But all bearing parts I pulled out looked almost new so the job must’ve been done by someone in-the-know. Pretty much relied on @2001LC ‘s tutorials to ensure success, thank you!

Torque on both adjusting nuts was over 70-ftlb to get 14-15 lbs breakaway force on the fish scale after tightening the lock nuts to 47-ftlb. Brand new OEM Timken USA bearings.

I also lubed the spindle bearing and seated the axle with a puller as shown earlier. 2.4mm snap ring gap is essentially zero. I’m happy.

By the way, I bedded the pads & rotors last night over ~10 miles and after ten hard stops from 60-15mph the entire assembly was too hot to touch. Even the stock wheels themselves were very warm, acting as giant heatsinks for the rotor/hub assembly. To check that it wasn’t the tight front bearings causing the heat, I checked the rear hub/wheels also and they were just as hot. Slowing these trucks down dissipates a LOT of energy!

 

[2001LC]

Here’s another datapoint for folks. I just replaced pads/rotors, wheel bearings, and all associated parts. Last bearing service was likely 244k miles ago with 307k on the truck now. But all bearing parts I pulled out looked almost new so the job must’ve been done by someone in-the-know. Pretty much relied on @2001LC ‘s tutorials to ensure success, thank you!

Torque on both adjusting nuts was over 70-ftlb to get 14-15 lbs breakaway force on the fish scale after tightening the lock nuts to 47-ftlb. Brand new OEM Timken USA bearings.

I also lubed the spindle bearing and seated the axle with a puller as shown earlier. 2.4mm snap ring gap is essentially zero. I’m happy.

By the way, I bedded the pads & rotors last night over ~10 miles and after ten hard stops from 60-15mph the entire assembly was too hot to touch. Even the stock wheels themselves were very warm, acting as giant heatsinks for the rotor/hub assembly. To check that it wasn’t the tight front bearings causing the heat, I checked the rear hub/wheels also and they were just as hot. Slowing these trucks down dissipates a LOT of energy!
View attachment 2136295
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View attachment 2136292

Beautiful job. Claw washer should come out like new next service. Claw washer is the best indicator of wheel bearing being set just right. Since new bearings or if rig modified from stock. I'd due next PM early, at 20K to 25K miles, rather than 30K.

Few points:

1. looks like enough grease in wheel hub cavity, but I can't see in pic very well. That is so import to have enough. I'm always concerned with and air pocket. I judge, in the end, by a secondary indicator. Which is how much grease I've reaming in a tub (not tube) of grease. I use >90% of and M1 Tub of grease when done, no waste.
2. I always get 44 to 48ft-lbf torque on adjusting nut, with pull on fish scale of ~12lb with new bearings & races. I get 70ft-lb with very very good well broken in bearings. I buy bearings from @cruiseroutfit which are same, just not n OEM box or OEM cost.
3. During bed in of pads to rotors. Never stop until cool, with foot on brake pedal. I use e-brake to come to stop and park to cool down, if not just driving to cool.
4. You did lube the axle bearing and busing right! They are so often not done. I've one with over 350K miles Lexus maintained to a ". But even they never dotted the "i" as axle needle bearing and brass bushing was ever lubed.

 

[Ayune]

During bed in of pads to rotors. Never stop until cool, with foot on brake pedal. I use e-brake to come to stop and park to cool down, if not just driving to cool.

Between downshifting 2-L and my e-brake I literally didn’t touch my brake pedal all the way home! Helped that it was late night and the roads were pretty much empty. Pulled into the driveway, set the e-brake and left it ‘til morning.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Just went in and re-torqued my new bearings now that they've broken in over 5k.

Took between 65 and 70 ft lbs to get 11-12lbs BP with 3 tests using the scale method.

It must also be a factor that the grease distributes/breaks in some which reduces BP. Not to be super scientific about it; however it does establish for me that a "best practice" would be to set pretension as mentioned at 12 to 15ft/lbs and recheck and tighten annually or every 15k.

I set my new bearings at 9ft/lbs and when I tested them prior to pulling the lock nut it was down to barely 3.5ft/lbs. This is after only 5k miles on new bearings with fresh grease.

 

[reznunt]

More data, 73 lb-ft on the adjusting nut to get 12 lb breakaway force on the scale. Timkens with a few thousand miles on them.

 

[twosmoker]

@2001LC are these roller markings on the race the sign of abnormal wear? No scoring or damage otherwise to the bearings.

 

[2001LC]

IDK, but I do see this often. It could be from chatter (vibration) due to loose wheel bearings. It may be form just sitting for prolonged periods.

Provide you can't catch with finger nail, it's fine.

In either case I use emery-cloth to lightly sand at 45 degree angle one way than the other. Something around a 180 grit seems to work okay. This leaves lite cross hatch marks in races for old bearings to seat into.

 

[twosmoker]

Really appreciate the quick reliable info.

Would anything else be safe for cross hatching the races? Emory cloth doesn’t seam to be available locally.