Help with Wheel Bearings setting

The TMC method involves using a dial indicator and is very easy to do....roll hub backwards while tightening to 200 ft lbs, back off and tighten until you have .001" - .005" of "play".

 

You Do not need any fancy torque wrenches or dial indicators. The knee and ear indicators work just fine. Tighten the nut down, Give her a spin. While squatted down bounce your knees off the bottom of the wheel while loosening until you hear the noise of the bearing chatter retighten until noise goes away. 4 years in the Marine Corps Repairing their vehicles, 25 years fixing commercial trucks. When installing lock tabs better to tighten a little for the tab then to loosen.

 

You will end up with precisely what the dealership said and the TMC member said.

 

Squat next to the tire. Bounce your knees off the bottom of the tire while You tighten your final adjustment. You will hear the knock go away.

 

I didn't think a dial indicator was a "fancy" tool. $80 at Grainger about 15-20 years ago. I thought it was as necessary as tire irons and beer for a trucker. Used it for steering knuckle rebuild, crank shaft play check, S-cam play check, besides wheel bearings. I just feel a lot more confident going down the road knowing exactly what stuff is set at than hoping I guessed right.

 

Backing off the nut 1/3 - 1 quarter is precisely where you will hear the knock. This is what the book calls for. Dial indicator gauges go for much less than $80. I have only found them useful for overhauling engines transmissions and rear ends.

 

Put bearings in dry,small coat of lube on seal contact area of axle housing, tighten wheel nuts up snug,wheel should have some drag,use only the inner nut at this time.using a big deadblow hammer, try to drive the wheel on further to remove any unseen slack in bearings. Inner could not be up to shoulder because of tight fit. Check for drag, repeat a couple times, if it's up you won't get slack, then back the inner nut about 1/8 to 1/4 turn .add lock and tighten the outer nut. Remember when you tighten the outer nut your putting more load on the bearings because of the slack in the threads of the inner nut. You may need to back the inner off a little more to acquire the slack you need. Some hubs have a filler plug on them to install oil at the bearings,if not elevate the axle so oil will run over to the newly installed bearings and seal. P.s. Dry bearings don't give good service