How tight should the wheel bearings be?

[nitro71]

I'm putting everything back together after doing one ball joint. Wondering how tight the wheel bearing should be? Should you be able to wobble the rotor at all?

 

[BrooklynBay]

It should be able to turn freely, and not wobble.

 

[nitro71]

How free brooklyn? So tighten past wobbling and if they still spin pretty freely they are good?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Jack the wheel up, and try to free spin it. It shouldn't spin like a bicycle wheel. It should turn a few times, and then come to a stop. It's supposed to be snug, but not tight.

 

[nitro71]

Thanks Brooklyn! Fingers are covered with grease.. Any tricks for getting that spring loaded piece back on?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Are you referring to the grease seal?

 

[nitro71]

Nah, the piece for the automatic hub. Has springs wrapped around it. Really bear to get back on.

 

[rngmStr]

I'm guessing you're talking bout' the cam assembly?
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=232754&page=2

 

[nitro71]

Heck yeh I am. After I cussed at it and told it I'd see it in hell it went right back on. Nothing like a little intimidation!

 

[rngmStr]

it was only after replacing the front components of the X, that I found this forum Had I found it earlier would have been a GRIP easier, that damn ABS bracket got me the first time, found a replacement at a JY and found out what size tool I'd need to finish the install. The X thanks all who input to this forum................. course cussing the part out doesn't hurt
GOOD LUCK

 

[HahnsB2]

The nuts should be torqued to 35 ft/lbs while rotating the rotor then back them off and tighten to 16 INCH/lbs (about hand tight with a socket).

 

[nitro71]

Doesn't seem to tighten them enough. They are pretty loose at 16 ft/lbs. rngmstr, how did you get the sensor out at the junk yard? Seems like they rust in really good.

 

[rngmStr]

the vehicles in the JY over here R in pristine shape (far as rust), was able to snap the ABS bracket in two, pull the sensor and took it to the JY and found a first GEN with ABS on it. $2 bucks for the bracket and $15 for a socket set

 

[lifeguard379]

i used to take the spring off then put it back on. but i haven't had auto hubs in years.

 

[HahnsB2]

Doesn't seem to tighten them enough. They are pretty loose at 16 ft/lbs.

16 INCH/Lbs is plenty as long as you seated the bearings first (35 ft/lbs while spinning the rotor), it's what it's spec'd for and what I've ran for years. Any looseness you're feeling is probably ball joints or tie rods.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check # 27 in my list of useful threads for more information: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122696

 

[nitro71]

Hahns, I tried your method this morning and it worked perfectly. I rotated the rotor and bumped it with my torque wrench set to 16ft/lbs. It actually put it right where I had adjusted by feel. LOL! I appreciate all the help from everyone and am confident my bearings are seated correctly now.

 

[MrShorty]

I rotated the rotor and bumped it with my torque wrench set to 16ft/lbs. It actually put it right where I had adjusted by feel.

Watch your terminology. 16 ft/lbs is roughly 12 times tighter than the 16 in/lbs Hahns and the manuals specify. If you really did tighten it to 16 ft/lbs, you may burn the bearings up from being too tight.

 

[HahnsB2]

Watch your terminology. 16 ft/lbs is roughly 12 times tighter than the 16 in/lbs Hahns and the manuals specify. If you really did tighten it to 16 ft/lbs, you may burn the bearings up from being too tight.

Yeah, I really hope you didn't set them at 16ft/lbs.

 

[konstan]

tighter

I was concerned about the wheel wobbling on the spindle. It may be that the spindle gets worn, and in my case it was plainly obvious that just hand-tightnening that nut isn't going to do be enough.

So I "eye-balled" my optimum tightness based on how the rotation of the wheel felt. The nut ended up pretty tight on there. I just made sure I checked to see if the bearing and spindle aren't too hot after driving it around.