Tightening wheel bearings??

Sako · Post by **Sako** » Sat May 21, 2005 10:16 am

Hi, ya know when you get a warrant and they jack the front of the vehicle up and give the front wheel a wiggle to see if there is any play...? Does anyone know how to explain tightening the wheel bearings up to remove the play, vehicle is IFS '92 Surf. Or is this a job best left to a mechanic?

albundy · Post by **albundy** » Sat May 21, 2005 11:31 am

sounds like you may need to replace them. Are the tierods in good order or do they need replacing.

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Sat May 21, 2005 11:34 am

Hmm, i can try and explain, but youreally need to get in there and have a look, so you can see what I'm talking about.

You know how to check for bearing play??
Grab the top and bottom off the wheel and wiggle it in and out, pushing on the top of the wheel while pulling on the bottom. There should next to no movement. If you grab the wheel on either side and wiggle it left to right and there is movement it indicates worn steering linkages.

Briefly to adjust the wheel bearings, you need to pull the free wheeling hub completely off. Behind that you should see the adjusting nuts or rings depending on what yours has, you will see them as the are threaded on to the stub axle.
Remove the lock ring/plate/washer and screws or what ever yours has, and depending on what yous has, bolt or plate, tighten it slightly.
Check the play on the bearing how i mentioned earlier, i always leave a tiny bit of movement, and then spin the wheel make sure it has some run out, and doesn't rumble or binde.
If your happy, put the lock washer or what ever back on, then the hub and your done.
Just take your time if you havn't done it before.
Some times you need special tools, so before you go playing in there make sure you have come up with a way to move the adjusting nut with some thing you have, if you don't have the special tool.

On the Safari i used two brass drifts and a pair of stilsons as it doesn't have a nut, just a plate with staggered holes in it. Real hi tech, but it worked. I made a tool in the end :wink:

Post by **mike** » Sat May 21, 2005 1:35 pm

Just as a side note, up and down movement can also be kingpin (older vehciles eg landrovers) with swival housings. and wiggle side to side could be the wheel bearing still. Hear/feel where the noise is coming from. hollow type as opposed to a click/clunk from further in will be wheel bearing alternativly put some slight weight on the wheel which should eliminate the wheel bearing and then wiggle the wheel for steering.

You can normally see the bits that are moving and trace them back to where it stops moving and this joint will be at fault.

just my 2c worth :wink:

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Sat May 21, 2005 2:24 pm

Good point!!
Being IFS the movement would be in the upper and lower ball joints on the "A" arms as opposed to the tie rods with the back and forth wiggle.

You can push on the top of the wheel, taking up the play in those joints, and with your other hand wiggle the bottom of the wheel to feel for wheel bearings.

Unless your steering is really rooted, you are unlikely to get movement in the steering that feels like wheel bearings wiggleing the wheel back and forth. You first have to have movement in the wheel bearings in that direction to get movement on the steering if you see what i mean.

If the wheel bearings are tight, you will have no movement, which in turn cannot translate through to the steering. That being reliant on your Upper and lower ball joints being tight as Mike said.

If you are unsure, you can get some one to wiggle the steering wheel from side to side putting a slight load on the steering wheel in either direction while you go around and watch each joint for play.

Starting to get complicated huh :lol:

wjw · Post by **wjw** » Sat May 21, 2005 3:17 pm

To do mine I need some Torx bits a plumbers wrench and some circlip pliers that was on a Prado....

Post by **mike** » Sat May 21, 2005 3:44 pm

With a LR you need a screw driver a hammer and pin punch (bolt will do)

as a general rule you shouldnt really use brass drifts as bits break/flake off into the bearings. :wink:

Mike

Sako · Post by **Sako** » Sat May 21, 2005 5:29 pm

When I got a warrant the guy jacked the front of the truck and wiggled the wheel from top to bottom, I did it too and good feel a little play there. He said I need to get it adjusted. I think you tighten up the wheel bearings to do that, he said be careful not to overtighten as that can be as bad as them being loose. I have no FWH to remove cos its a push button ADD surf. Its sounding a bit hard for a pen pusher...!!

DieselBoy · Post by **DieselBoy** » Sun May 22, 2005 12:03 am

Nah, the hardest bit is pulling the free wheel hub off!!
I was worried we were starting to make it sound hard, but boys will be boys, we all like to show how much we know by making a simple job sound hard!!!
Just unbolt the drive flange then, and take of the lock system for the bearing adjuster, and tap the adjuster around untill you can feel a fraction of play left, check the wheel still rotates ok and the bearings don't rumble, put the lock system and the drive flange back on and your done.

By leaving a fraction of play in the bearing, you know you havn't over tightened them and aren't going to cause any damage.

Have a go, you gotta start with these simple jobs, it builds a sense of confidence!!!

Post by **mike** » Sun May 22, 2005 10:03 am

As Dieselboy says its not hard at all and the hardest bit for you will be getting that drive flange off. Undo all the bolts and then youll need two 8mm bolts with long enough thread to wind it off. you will see two extra holes where you wind them in. This jacks the flange off making it really easy to remove.

Mike

Sako · Post by **Sako** » Sun May 22, 2005 6:18 pm

Fellas - good tip with the 8mm bolts, worked a treat. There is a locknut, washer, locknut...have tightened a little. Having trouble getting the flange back on, is there a knack to this?? Seems the threads aren't lining up.

Also, hub is very hard to turn, like the disc pads are touching it? Thoughts?

Thanks heaps
Bob

Post by **mike** » Sun May 22, 2005 6:39 pm

as long is there a little movement in the bearing ie when you lift it up and down then it will be the brakes rubbing. shouldnt be overly tight though.

the flange has locating dells on it. it can either go on one way or 180 degrees i think. It could be the spline on the end of the drive shaft is just out a little. try turning it a wee bit or even lifting, might be catchign the bottom of the flange. dont forget to put sealant on it :wink:

Mike

Sako · Post by **Sako** » Sun May 22, 2005 7:00 pm

Mike - all done, yep just needed to turn the shaft a little to line up. Put the tyre on, jacked it up again, and would you believe but virtually no wiggle. Stoked. Need to do the other side, but now have an idea what I am doing.

Sealant?! There was a lot of grease in there... where do you put the sealant?

Bob

Sako · Post by **Sako** » Sun May 22, 2005 9:39 pm

Did both sides, took a few hours but got there...used bearing grease. With wheels on still very stiff to turn, was like this before I lifted a spanner and looks like the disc pads are rubbing - a problem?

Thanks all for the advice and help, wouldn't have got the job done without it.

Kind regards
Bob

Post by **mike** » Sun May 22, 2005 9:50 pm

a simple check that they are ok is if there is an abscence of heat(hot to touch) in the wheel centre. Try to check after not breaking to much ie those nice long straights from rangiora to here(chch). if there is a difference from side to side you may have one of them to tight ie the hot one.

Sealant is to stop water ingress. There are several ways water can enter bearings. Down that flange face, in through that tight cap, through the back face of the wheel bearing (rear seal) and back through the driveshaft from the CV boot end I think. so the more you eliminate the better :wink:

Mike

Sako · Post by **Sako** » Sun May 22, 2005 10:06 pm

Good tip - thanks again Mike!

Post by **mike** » Sun May 22, 2005 10:14 pm

no worries, glad to help.

You'll never be stuck for your surf questions on here. There are a few surf owners on here with a hell of alot of knowledge about the old surf. I'm just a surf newbie trying to transfer my Land Rover knowledge over but after my last mis-adventure think I'll be sticking with the old Rovers :roll:

Mike