On wheel bearings, a little loose is better than any too tight. If the castle fitting doesnt line up, I rotate it (leave the nut there) til I find the hold closest to where I am at, then BACK off til the cotter pin fits.

It sounds to me like the guys at NAPA did like the guys at my local NAPA- hurried through the job of installing races.

Races are actally easy to install. Get a punch, and once you get the race started in the hub (this may require a few 4 letter words, and some coercion with the hammer), tap on each side of the race, driving it in evenly, til the punch bounces off the end of the race (actaully, I guess the hammer would bounce off the end of the punch, but you get the idea). When it bounces, you know it is seated. Cant tell that in a press.

I had a driveshaft rebalanced last fall at the local NAPA (98 years experience, they are the best ). They missed an extraordinary amount of slack in my slip yoke. I had them install a new one lat week, and had to pay for another balance, but after arguing with them in the past about other stuff, I have decided to not have any more work done there. They are right, just ask them, and as a consumer (NOT a "professional" mechanic) you dont know jack. Nor diddly, for that matter. If "professional mechanics" use NAPA, it's no wonder most of us do our own work, do a more thorough job, and it stays together longer. My girlfriend's boss has "one of the best shops in the area," and I wouldnt trust him to do an oil change. (Wanted to put the original shim pack back in when we rebuilt my first Getrag )

Most shop work is like OEM performance- it's a compromise between quality and cost/ profit.

Daniel

 

Thanks guys so if I were to tighten 30 to 40 ft/lbs there sould be no play at all until I back off to release the bearing preload torque then there should be 0.001" to 0.003" end play?
When I have bearing torqued there is play makes me think the bearings are wrong ones?
Ray

 

Assuming you're no being thrown off by slop in other areas. Yup.

 

If there is still play with the nut torqued up tight, I would think there was wear between the inner race and the spindle. It's probably damage on the spindle that was caused when the race spun on it and eventually seized. You can test for this by sliding each bearing separately to its home position on the spindle, then rock it and feel for a snug fit. If the spindle is worn where the bearing rests, there's not much you can do but replace the spindle.

 

Thanks Ill check that

 

i have done hundreds of front bearing packing jobs as a fleet mechanic in my past and these guys are right on . if you want to make a driver for pushing in your new races take old races to grinder and grind a few thousands off the outside (nothing to measure) anyway weld a plate across these old outside races that you just ground on then weld a driver onto the flat plate. (kinda looks like a branding iron when done.) keep in tool box for those size of bearings. works in press or hammer.

 

Thanks farmer great tip Im going to do that on my next bearing job

Well thanks to all the help I think I got it First I tried to tighten the nut so as to make sure there was not any play/spindal damage and was sucssesfull so I loosened up and did as directed only thing though when hand tight still seamed slopy a little (mabey Im too weak) so I very gently snuged with a wrench so as to leave a very little play Just went for a ride and seams much better
Do you think this will be ok
Thanks again for all th input Ray

 

Sounds like the bearing is moving on the spindle. It'll never hold up if it's doing that, it should be a pretty tight fit.

 

ALso, if you dont have the spacing washer between the bearing and nut it will never feel tight, no matter how much torque one applies. BTDT, but didnt drive on it. I'd say it's time to start searching for a new spindle.

DP

 

This is also very true. Don't ask me how I know.