Front hub bearing replaced ... but can't preload?
07-12-12, 07:17 PM
#1
Front hub bearing replaced ... but can't preload?
Well, first off I'm 100% sure the size is right, I installed the race correctly, pack the bearing with Mobil1 grease (the red type), hammered the new race back into the hub with bearing race installer from HF (these suckers are actually quite good)
installed, torque the big nut to 22 lbs, turn the hub couple of times (like 20 times probably), loosen the nut put 2 lbs on one of the bolts ...
the hub does not move with my 2 bags of food(1 lb each), it moves only if I give it a little "push"
So now, I just torque the big nut to about 10 lbs and reinstall everything, test with Wheel on, zero free play. Guess I'm good ?
I wonder if I put a little "too much" of the grease inside. those Mobil1 Grease is pretty thick. anybody had this problem before?
installed, torque the big nut to 22 lbs, turn the hub couple of times (like 20 times probably), loosen the nut put 2 lbs on one of the bolts ...
the hub does not move with my 2 bags of food(1 lb each), it moves only if I give it a little "push"
So now, I just torque the big nut to about 10 lbs and reinstall everything, test with Wheel on, zero free play. Guess I'm good ?
I wonder if I put a little "too much" of the grease inside. those Mobil1 Grease is pretty thick. anybody had this problem before?
07-14-12, 07:16 PM
#2
I generally tighten the nut down finger tight, get a breaker bar with the proper size socket, then alternately tighten and loosen the nut while spinning the hub to seat the bearing. Do that over and over a few times, then torque it down. Keep in mind that the bearing pre-load is more important than the torque, but if you're off by a little bit it shouldn't hurt it. I just like to be very precise, but that's just me.
07-14-12, 09:08 PM
#3
Well, it might have something to do with the grease I use, these Mobil1 stuff is extra thick.
On the Driver side I use new race and bearing, I post pic in my other thread, the race has rust when I first open it, not gonna take my chance.
on the passenger side, I reuse the bearing and race, cuz it shinny new, no wear mark whatsoever, but I can tell the Grease is old/not good. So I removed it, clean it completely, Pack it with the same Mobil1 grease again, and reinstall, again it does not spin with the 2 lbs preload, I had to give it a little push for it to "load", so I think it's the grease.
oh btw, when I took the passenger out, the big nut is NOT torque down at all, I can spin it off with just my finger. well, I guess that's what the cotter pin and castle nut are for, right ?
Toruqe it down to about 10 lbs and reinstall. didn't even bother with the preload, I mean if the previous owner survive with wheel bearing that's not torque down at all, I think 10 lbs is not too much. at least better than it's just being hold by the castle nut and cotter pin for god knows how long.
tested both sides zero free play, just took it out for a test drive about 10 miles. no noise whatsoever, rock stable. so I guess I'm good ?
next one gonna be the rear bearings, but I probably gonna wait a bit.
On the Driver side I use new race and bearing, I post pic in my other thread, the race has rust when I first open it, not gonna take my chance.
on the passenger side, I reuse the bearing and race, cuz it shinny new, no wear mark whatsoever, but I can tell the Grease is old/not good. So I removed it, clean it completely, Pack it with the same Mobil1 grease again, and reinstall, again it does not spin with the 2 lbs preload, I had to give it a little push for it to "load", so I think it's the grease.
oh btw, when I took the passenger out, the big nut is NOT torque down at all, I can spin it off with just my finger. well, I guess that's what the cotter pin and castle nut are for, right ?
Toruqe it down to about 10 lbs and reinstall. didn't even bother with the preload, I mean if the previous owner survive with wheel bearing that's not torque down at all, I think 10 lbs is not too much. at least better than it's just being hold by the castle nut and cotter pin for god knows how long.
tested both sides zero free play, just took it out for a test drive about 10 miles. no noise whatsoever, rock stable. so I guess I'm good ?
next one gonna be the rear bearings, but I probably gonna wait a bit.
07-15-12, 06:40 PM
#4
That's why I said to seat it again and again. I use the breaker bar and apply probably more than 10 lbs of torque to it while spinning, then loosen it up and tighten again, still spinning the hub the whole time. If you don't seat it in, it's going to loosen itself. And yep, that's why the cotter pin is there. Otherwise you'd be looking for a whole bunch of parts and your car would have dug a big *** hole in the road. 
07-15-12, 08:00 PM
#5
That's why I said to seat it again and again. I use the breaker bar and apply probably more than 10 lbs of torque to it while spinning, then loosen it up and tighten again, still spinning the hub the whole time. If you don't seat it in, it's going to loosen itself. And yep, that's why the cotter pin is there. Otherwise you'd be looking for a whole bunch of parts and your car would have dug a big *** hole in the road.
but same thing, the 2 lbs preload doesn't work unless I give it a little push.
well, I drove it for around 20 miles. it doesn't make any noise but I noticed some wobbling when I brake really hard, I'm not sure if it's already "there" before I took apart, cuz it's been a while (more than a year) since I last drove the FC.
it might be just the pad is cleaning out the rotors (it's all rusted). will give it a few more days. see what happens.
Now I'm fighting with the A/C of the car, **** is leaking and I can't seem to find it, will try again tomorrow.
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