Front Wheel Bearings

[Andy - SE London]

I have been getting a low noise whine from the front of the car, I'm suspecting front wheel bearings?

Not much info in manual on how tight to put bearings on etc?

Does anybody know what the torque setting for the front wheel bearing nuts should be?

I have looked through the manual and cant find it anywhere.

Any help appreciated

[p5tgc]

The workshop manual specifies an endfloat for the assembled bearing rather than a torque figure for the retaining nut. You would need to set up a dial guage indicator to measure this accurately. I suppose you could do a calculation to convert the nominal 5 thou endfloat into a number of (partial) turns of the nut if you knew what the pitch of the thread was, this would be as good as anything.

[Deleted]

A torque setting should definitely not be used

[Andy - SE London]

Thanks chaps, I dont have an end float so will go with the tried and trusted method of, suck it and see? Finger tight ish?

[Phil Nottingham]

End float is a state of being not an article. Finger tight is OK but there must be some barely detectible play in the bearing - the washer and peg set up allows the correct adjustment and the holed washer can be reversed to give further allowance.

If the bearing has been run tight or even too loose its likely to have been ruined - it should at least be fully dismantled cleaned and inspected and then if OK regreased. Fit a new locker washer as well

[Andy - SE London]

Thanks Phil,
Just been out today and bought new front and rear bearings for both sides, I thought finger tight would be OK for the washer with the holes in, and just a tweek of tightness to the nut to hold it all together?

[Phil Nottingham]

Yes thats about right - but spin the bearing to settle it after tightening the lock-nut - I reiterate there must be be slight play but only a hint

[lagain]

Found this old thread thanks to Google !
Having done as much as I can for the moment at the rear of the car I have moved to the front. Each year I remove the wheels for the winter and then the pads at the front and then spin the hubs to make sure that the bearings are ok. This year the front off side is making the same rubbing noise as the rear near side, a very early sign of worn bearings (presumably). I have now removed the hub and the tapered bearings have fallen out, leaving just the bearing housings left in the hub.
Before I attempt to remove the housings, or take the hub to an expert, my question is this;

I have examined the surface of the housing that the bearings turn on and they are both perfect, so do I need to replace them or can I just put the new bearings in and put it back together.
The bearings that I have are antique/new Timken and are exactly the same as the ones on the car, for some reason I bought them soon after I bought my car and they have been in my spares box ever since

[johnwp5bcoupe]

You should change the cage as well as the rollers George

[lagain]

Oct 21, 2019 11:16:26 GMT johnwp5bcoupe said:

You should change the cage as well as the rollers George

OK, Thanks, John.

[Brendan69]

I agree with Phil and John too George and if the races are fine and not scored or pitted then leave them in the hub and just fit a new set of bearings/cages with some quality grease and all should be fine for another 50 years.

[lagain]

What I did find was that the seal at the back of the hub had given up probably many years ago. It seems a rather poor design that the seal is fitted in the hub which is spinning all the time and the thin rubber a close fit on the stub axle, the rubber cannot last very long. Fortunately it is not the easiest place for water to get in.

I think that I have probably over greased them over the years as there was quite a lot of grease in the hollow of the hub - I wondered where it went !

[johnwp5bcoupe]

Oct 22, 2019 20:18:19 GMT lagain said:

What I did find was that the seal at the back of the hub had given up probably many years ago. It seems a rather poor design that the seal is fitted in the hub which is spinning all the time and the thin rubber a close fit on the stub axle, the rubber cannot last very long. Fortunately it is not the easiest place for water to get in.

I think that I have probably over greased them over the years as there was quite a lot of grease in the hollow of the hub - I wondered where it went !

Modern seals are available in several compounds and are far more durable George as long as the shaft is smooth!

[Brendan69]

Some greases George can actually melt and just dissappear on there own accord over time. The fact you have over the years regularly checked and topped up with grease is testament to your cars good health and longevity so i would not be too bothered.

Its like the old saying " dirty oil is better than no oil "

Regards, 

[enigmas]

Just my 2 cents worth here guys...never fit any type of oil/grease seal without lubricating the lip and the running surface it works on...otherwise the seal's lip will burn on first rotations creating a leaking seal. Not so critical on a wheel bearing hub seal but diabolical if an engine front or rear main seal, trans or diff seal!

[johnwp5bcoupe]

Oct 29, 2019 5:32:46 GMT enigmas said:

Just my 2 cents worth here guys...never fit any type of oil/grease seal without lubricating the lip and the running surface it works on...otherwise the seal's lip will burn on first rotations creating a leaking seal. Not so critical on a wheel bearing hub seal but diabolical if an engine front or rear main seal, trans or diff seal!

I use Petroleum Jelly a lot for that purpose Vince it stays put until needed

[djm16]

I believe that silicon grease is the right stuff to use for most oil seals. It has a low vapour pressure (it will not evaporate). I have not tried mixing it with oil to see if it will dissolve. Perhaps I should!

[johnwp5bcoupe]

Personally I wouldn't use Silicone grease will is disperse?? Petroleum Jelly will for sure and it works fine