Wheel bearing washer test question, How easy should it move? Options

[emerygt350]

Just curious. I did my fronts last week and rechecked them today. How easily should the washer move? I can make it move easily when I pry against the side of the hub with a screw driver. Is that right or should it be easy to move without prying? And does it really matter that much? I am from the old school "tighten til it's hard to rotate and the back it off half a turn" world.

[SirAndy]

Here's my method:

- Tighten by hand until i can't turn the nut any more.

- Using an extra large screwdriver, put it in the slot and give it a good "flick" with the wrist to further tighten.

- Done, tighten the clamp.


At this point, moving the washer behind the nut should not be easy anymore and require some force with a flat-head screwdriver.
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[emerygt350]

Here's my method:

- Tighten by hand until i can't turn the nut any more.

- Using an extra large screwdriver, put it in the slot and give it a good "flick" with the wrist to further tighten.

- Done, tighten the clamp.


At this point, moving the washer behind the nut should not be easy anymore and require some force with a flat-head screwdriver.
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Excellent, that sounds like right where I am at. It felt right and the resistance on the wheel/rotor feels right, just didn't want to take any chances. And I went in again to check today after putting some miles on it.

[Superhawk996]

Do not pry to move the washer.

As a general rule - better loose than too tight. Obviously that doesn’t extend to noticeable looseness & axial movement of the rotor.

Check as you accumulate miles to make sure the bearings / hub aren’t getting hot.

Factory manual.

[emerygt350]

Do not pry to move the washer.

As a general rule - better loose than too tight. Obviously that doesn’t extend to noticeable looseness & axial movement of the rotor.

Check as you accumulate miles to make sure the bearings / hub aren’t getting hot.

Factory manual.

Ahh. Ok, I will go in and double check tomorrow.

[Superhawk996]

Gonna put this up for additional guidance.



https://www.timken.com/wp-content/uploads/2...-Brochure-1.pdf

[SirAndy]

Gonna put this up for additional guidance.

Yupp, just like i said, tighten by hand, give it a whack, done ...
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[Superhawk996]

Gonna put this up for additional guidance.

Yupp, just like i said, tighten by hand, give it a whack, done ...
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Most OE’s long ago moved away from taper roller bearings due to the inherent “vagueness” of their adjustment.

No matter how well documented and how many words are on paper it still comes down to a certain degree of familiarity and feel.

There is also the weirdness that the rear ball bearings must have significant preload on them to live while taper roller bearings are basically the opposite - preferring no preload or only slight preload.

If you’ve got the feel. . . You’ve got the feel.

[rjames]

"loosen clamping nut until the tab washer can just be pushed easily and laterally be [by] means of a screw driver".

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Yeah, it's a feel thing, but easy to get wrong. Funny that I installed new bearings many years go just fine, but when I rebuilt my front suspension last year and replaced the bearings, I apparently overtightened them using the same method I had read was the 'correct' method in another post and turned 2 perfectly good (and refinished) strut assemblies into metal that's ready for the recycler. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) To bad those spindles aren't replaceable.

The big lesson I learned was that you should be able to move the washer with a screwdriver without prying against the hub. Also don't overtighten the allen screw on the nut. The spec is much lower than you'd think.

[930cabman]

"pushed easily" is the key phrase here.

Definitely better loose than tight

[emerygt350]

I went back in yesterday and loosened them till I could move them without prying.

I am an entomologist and I remember back in grad school reading a key to a genus of frustrating ants with a couplet that read something like "penultimate segment longer than long."

[SirAndy]

I went back in yesterday and loosened them till I could move them without prying.

From my personal experience, if you can move the washer with your fingers, it's not tight enough.

Do you have any play left/right or top/down after putting the wheel back on?
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[emerygt350]

I went back in yesterday and loosened them till I could move them without prying.

From my personal experience, if you can move the washer with your fingers, it's not tight enough.

Do you have any play left/right or top/down after putting the wheel back on?
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I loosened them to the point where it took a little effort but could be done without prying. No play in the wheel. I probably need to replace my tie rods next though....