macca
11th October 2013, 06:09 PM
I had my spindles replaced 18 months ago as the tyre when off the ground had play up & down but not sideways. The play is like a loose wheel bearing. The inner race of the bearing spins on the spindle and wear some of the spindle away at the load bearing portion of it, the bottom hence the "play". As there is no load on the other surfaces it doesn't wear so doesn't move.
It has started to do it again, I have one of those bearing tightening tools from Patrol-a-part for $35.00 and took the hub off and the other bits to access the bearing pre-load ring which screws in using said tool. Tightened then backed off and problem still existed.
I took it to our mechanic today, as well as the tool. What I had done wrong was not pre-loading the bearing.
He gave me a lesson, you tighten the bearing pre-load quite firm with a power bar, then spin the wheel to seat the bearing, repeat a few times.
Then back it off and tighten by hand using the tool only, pretty much a tight as you can get it with one hand. Refit the locking plate and screws, if the screws will go in you are sweet and the wheel will spin freely, otherwise adjust until the screws will fit.
Reassemble with a smear of gasket silicon on the hub mating surfaces and your done.
I had always thought you have to back off a bearing (as in trailers) but not in this case.
Very grateful to my mechanic for showing me how to do this properly and am better prepared for out back repairs.
Hope this helps you too.
The tool........
It has started to do it again, I have one of those bearing tightening tools from Patrol-a-part for $35.00 and took the hub off and the other bits to access the bearing pre-load ring which screws in using said tool. Tightened then backed off and problem still existed.
I took it to our mechanic today, as well as the tool. What I had done wrong was not pre-loading the bearing.
He gave me a lesson, you tighten the bearing pre-load quite firm with a power bar, then spin the wheel to seat the bearing, repeat a few times.
Then back it off and tighten by hand using the tool only, pretty much a tight as you can get it with one hand. Refit the locking plate and screws, if the screws will go in you are sweet and the wheel will spin freely, otherwise adjust until the screws will fit.
Reassemble with a smear of gasket silicon on the hub mating surfaces and your done.
I had always thought you have to back off a bearing (as in trailers) but not in this case.
Very grateful to my mechanic for showing me how to do this properly and am better prepared for out back repairs.
Hope this helps you too.
The tool........