Wheel Bearing Adjustment advice

[MDSA]

Checked the brakes on the Deuce using T M 9 - 2 3 2 0 - 2 0 9 - 2 0 - 3 - 2. No real problems till I came to the wheel bearing adjustment. This TM says:

1 . C h e c k b r a k e a d j u s t m e n t . R e f e r t o p a r a 1 3 - 9 .
2 . R e p l a c e f r o n t w h e e l . R e f e r t o T M 9 - 2 3 2 0 - 2 0 9 - 1 0 .
3 . W h i l e t u r n i n g w h e e l ( 1 ) a n d u s i n g w h e e l b e a r i n g n u t w r e n c h , t i g h t e n a d j u s t i n g
n u t ( 2 ) u n t i l w h e e l b i n d s .
4 . U s i n g w h e e l b e a r i n g n u t w r e n c h , b a c k o f f a d j u s t i n g n u t ( 2 ) 1 / 8 t u r n .
5 . P u t o n e h a n d o n b o t t o m a n d o n e h a n d o n t o p o f w h e e l ( 1 ) . P u s h w i t h o n e h a n d
a n d p u l l w i t h t h e o t h e r h a n d . I f w h e e l b e a r i n g ( 3 ) i s a d j u s t e d c o r r e c t l y ,​

w h e e l s h o u l d h a v e v e r y l i t t l e w o b b l e .

Seemed a little too subjective to me so I searched the threads and found one that said to use a torque wrench. Don't have a wheel bearing socket so can't torque it. I only have a pipe wrench.

I did what my TM says and have NO wobble. So is it too tight?

Any advice besides finding a wheel bearing socket? (which i may have to do)

Thank you

 

[Carl_in_NH]

A m I t h e o n l y o n e h a v i n g t r o u b l e r e a d i n g t h i s ?



-Carl

 

[AMGeneral]

Brian,i have the correct socket if you need to borrow it.

 

[wsucougarx]

Wheel bearing sockets can be had at NAPA. You'll need a 3" 8 sided one

 

[MDSA]

Brandon, Thank you. Will come by tonight?

 

[gimpyrobb]

If it is tight and you can still spin the wheel, you are good.

 

[jollyroger]

You are right about the spec being subjective. Like the other guys I just tighten them until I get some good resistance turning the hub and then I back it off 1/8th and check for resistance again. There is a sweet spot I have learned over the years but you only get that feel by doing it alot. You can use a torque wrench initally and after a while you won't need it anymore.

 

[Rattlewagon]

You are right about the spec being subjective. Like the other guys I just tighten them until I get some good resistance turning the hub and then I back it off 1/8th and check for resistance again. There is a sweet spot I have learned over the years but you only get that feel by doing it alot. You can use a torque wrench initally and after a while you won't need it anymore.

exactly!

 

[kurtkds]

Per Tm 9-2320-361-20 Page 9-11

2. Turn wheel, tighten inner adjusting nut (3) 50 lb-ft (68 NŽm), then back off nut (3) 1/16 to 1/4 turn.
3. Install adjusting nut washer (2) and outer adjusting nut (1). Tighten nut (1) 100-200 lb-ft

 

[Keith_J]

It might seem subjective if you have never done it. You can feel when there is play on the bearing, especially if you observe the hub/axle gap. Or feel it.

Be sure to properly seal the keyway gap with the cork. And double check the breathers on the axle, when they "stick", pressure forces GO into the GAA lubed bearings.

 

[Hammer]

I crank the nut down while turning the hub. I keep cranking until it REALLY slows it down.
I then back the nut off until it's not making contact (being careful not to let the bearings move, this cannot be done well with the tire still on).
I then take the nut, by HAND, and tighten it until I feel real contact.
I then TIGHTEN the nut 1/4 to 1/2 turn.
This is how I did it for all the big rigs I worked on, cement trucks, logging trucks, etc.

 

[MDSA]

Thanx everyone. I really appreciate all the advice. I now have a bearing socket (Thank you AMGeneral) so will try the torque method until I get the feel for it.

Thanx again.

 

[Keith_J]

The thing to remember is with jam nuts, the tolerances of the nuts on the axle add up. With the inner nut tight, cranking down on the outer nut will take ALL of the "play", further compressing the bearing. Always spin the wheel after installing the jam (outer nut) and before peening over the tabs.

And the tabs can be reused if annealed. Heat to glowing red, allow to slowly cool.

 

[cbvet]

Carl,
No, you'renottheonlyonehavingtroublereadingit.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Carl,
No, you'renottheonlyonehavingtroublereadingit.

Thanks! I was beginning to worry.

-Carl

 

[jimm1009]

bearing adjustment

A point to make if you are not experienced with bearings.
The torque that is listed is also for a freshly packed with new grease bearing.
If you are just adjusting the bearings on a truck without the bearing inspection accomplished I would go much lighter on the torque.
The newer TM has better info in this area in my opinion.
What one person "feels" is not the same as the next person. One of many reasons why torque wrenches were developed.

Good luck and ask away as required.

Jimm1009

 

[MDSA]

Got R Done tonight. Borrowed a bearing socket and it turned out I had been pretty close with the pipe wrench on the inner nut, but way off on the outer. Glad I waited and got advice.

Thanx again guys.

 

[rosco]

I shoot for zero to .005 end play! You can't hardly feel that. The reason that you tighten the inside nut, tight while turning the wheel assembly, is to get the rollers to climb up the race incline, and seat against the shoulder, where they are supposed to run.

There is slack in the nut threads, so when you use the second nut, and jam it tight, it takes up the slack and can push the inside nut, too tight against the bearing assembly. So..... when you back-off the inside nut, you have to feel where it backs off to the neutral spot, then allow for the .005 end play (or what ever the spec is), AND for the slack in the threads between the two nuts/lock spacer.

The business of "backing off", for end play, is arrived at, by calculating the amount of travel / amount of turn per thread. In other words.... there are x number of threads per inch - each thread gives so much travel (per inch) and 25% of one turn would give 1/4 of that, or what ever your after.

If you get them too tight, they won't last! But I don't like to feel them either - not very much, anyway.

When I was a Kid, there was a mechanic, that I came to respect. He used to say, that torque wrenches were for amateurs. I think today, there is a place for them, but they are just a tool, and you have to learn to use them.

Lee in Alaska

 

[Keith_J]

Thanks, Lee! (rosco). That is a great explanation of bearing adjustment as I was trying to do. So many have too much confidence in a torque wrench when in actuality, torque to actual fastener tension is highly variable. For the bearing nuts at the specified torque, it is fairly close BUT bearings are unforgiving. Displacement is the key...with a buddy, you can feel the play, just put your thumb over the hub/axle gap and give the wheel a shake. You will feel it. Or a mag base dial indicator.