Tightening the Hub Nuts
Submitted by Jackfrost80 on Wed, 2016-12-21 12:58
I’ve changed over my seals, bearing races and bearings and regreased it all and tightened the nut while turning the hub a good dozen or so times. Usually I do up the castle nut to ‘nut tight’ and then back it off a notch (finger tight) but when I’ve done this there is a tiny bit of play in the hub so I’m about half a notch from the sweet spot. I’ve used the wrench and tightened it just enough to slide in the cotter pin.
It doesn’t feel like there’s resistance and my theory is that it is yet to seat properly anyway and that tiny bit of play will become larger if I back it off a notch.
Question is, is it better to be a tiny bit tight than a tiny bit lose or am I just splitting hairs?
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Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Both my boat and camper have
Both my boat and camper have a bit of play. Tighten up with a spanner, then back off, then tighten up by hand before putting in the pin. Took the camper to Shark bay and back without getting warm.
opsrey
Posts: 1200
Date Joined: 05/10/07
Swap sides with the castle nuts
The nuts all have different starts to the thread. So change the nut and get a different stop point for the hole line up.
Slop is a killer of tapered roller bearings, a tiny fraction is OK but a good amount of slop is not good.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8050
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Good idea, I'd forgotten
Good idea, I'd forgotten about that little trick. Normally I don't mind if I can wobble the hub ever so slightly but being extremely fussy it's just a little bit more than I was comfortable with.
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Starbug
Posts: 563
Date Joined: 27/08/09
Timken Bearings recomend
Timken Bearings recomend between 0 to 10 thou of end play on the bearings (ford and holden tapered roller trailer bearings). 10 thou is 1 notch on the nut. I've tried the "preload the bearing" school of thought and it only causes excessive bearing wear. 0-10 thou clearance has given me the best life from my bearings.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8050
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Cheers mate, based on that
Cheers mate, based on that it sounds like half a notch is gonna be fine although I got NSK bearings
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Oldbull
Posts: 175
Date Joined: 21/09/15
tigten up until
it is harder to turn by hand then back it off, retighten until hard again and then back off one notch. Should now spin freely without wobble. That seats the bearing properly and better to be one notch loose that one too tight.
keg
Posts: 395
Date Joined: 17/07/07
thermal growth
a little play is usually taken up when your bearings warm up a little. better to have a little play than none at all.
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Yep any wobble will become a
Yep any wobble will become a bigger wobble once bedded in. You dont want any wobble.
Jackfrost80
Posts: 8050
Date Joined: 07/05/12
Cheers lads. I've backed them
Cheers lads. I've backed them off and with the tyre on the ground I've got no wobble so pretty happy with that.
Heading to Matilda Bay Friday before heading down Mandurah next week so will check them again after that 1st run.
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poida
Posts: 234
Date Joined: 08/08/05
Keg is correct
A little wobble is better than tight as when hot metal expands taking this play out.