can someone please explaing this

:? :h

I can't resist this one. Why does pinion bearings require approximately 55 inch lbs of rolling torque and axle bearings require free play all running in the same oil 2 feet apart? My obesrvation has been that pinion bearings out last axle bearings. Loose bearings beat themselves to death and cause seals to leak.

Unless you have an Al-Ko axle like I do that requires you tightening the nut to 20 lbs using a torque wrench while spinning the wheel, then loosening the nut and re-tightening again to 7 lbs before inserting the cotter pin.

I find those instructions ridiculous and just do it like I learned fifty years ago, i.e., tighten down while spinning the tire till it feels right then backing off the nut, before finger tightening till I can insert the cotter pin. Like Vulcaneer said, "try to tilt the tire top and bottom to feel how much slop. should be just a very little. A little loose is always better than a little tight."


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fty years ago, which is

The best way is to use a dial indicater and measure the play or deflection. If you have to do it by feel, err on the side of being a little loose rather then too tight.

Yup,pretty close.
I would only add,tighten the bearing down is somewhat subjetive. You only tighten it lightly wrench tight while slowly spinning the wheel.
Stop spinning wheel,loosen nut half round,finger tighten to last hole that will recieve retainer.
If you wrench tighten as you would the lug nuts,the bearing will likly be deformed and soon catastorply fail.:S

rtaylor0830 wrote:
when you repack bearings and you put hub back on i have heard you tighten down the nut to seat the bearings than loosen it, than retighten to finger tight is this the proper way.

Pretty accurate. Except when you first torque the nut down, you should be spinning the tire, while tightening. That seats the bearing in the race, and equalizes the pressure on the balls and races. Then back off the nut, before figure tightening. I then try to tilt the tire top and bottom to feel how much slop. should be just a very little. A little loose is always better than a little tight.