Huntindog wrote:
K-9 HANDLER wrote:
It may have been mentioned but bearing preload also plays a factor in service life. Obviously too loose or too tight is not good.
Had a farm wagon running gear from the 40s with original bearings up till last year. It was a gravity bin wagon which got drug around behind a corn picker for decades. Not alot of miles but hard off road service.
Bearing preload is a term sort of like doing an axle flip.... What it says is NOT what it means.
Axle bearings are NOT preloaded. They are adjusted to have a specified amount of FREE PLAY.
When they heat up expansion takes up the free play, so that the bearings operate at zero clearance.
The specified setup clearance can be set with a dial indicator, or by following the EXACT procedure in the axle manual.
Thanks for setting me straight. Timken does discuss "preload" (axial interference) in their manual for setting their tapered roller bearings.
https://www.timken.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/5556_Bearing-Setting-Brochure-1.pdf
