Front wheel bearing questions

When you pull the drum off, remove the nut and washer, remove the oputer bearing and screw the nut back on 4 or 5 turns. pull the drum towards you and let it drop on the spindle, then give it a good fast tug and the inner bearing will stay on the spindle, simple huh? LOL. If you don't have a seal installer tool use a block of wood and hammer and drive the seal in evenly. Timken bearings need a little play in them, tighten the nut 'till you can still move the washer up and down slightly with a screwdriver blade. Good luck.

You must tighten the castellated nut just enough to remove play in the bearings, no more.

1951hornethardtop wrote:

I was told to tighten the nut with a wrench while spinning the wheel . Then back it it off and finger tighten the nut , moving it a little to the tight side to get the cotter pin in if you have to. ?????

NO NO NO! Never the tight side if you want the bearings to last.

Lee O'Dell

1951hornethardtop wrote:

Lee, Thats interesting. Im not disagreeing with what you say but, I have done this for 50+ years and 200000-300000 miles on Hudsons and never had any problems. Maybe my finger tighting is to loose to start with. lol I have found that loose wheel bearings will affect the steering. Maybe I have just been lucky.Thanks for the input.

We are not in disagreement 1951 hudsonhardtop. I agree with you about using fingers. I don't think its possible to overtighten bearings that way. That is how I've done it too. Unfortunately, all to often pliers or wrench are used by someone, to turn the nut to the cotter key hole where fingers could not. I've had to replace far to many customers wheel bearing because of overtightening. I didn't want anyone to think it was ok if the hole is almost visible to grab a wrench and tighten more. That is when bearings burn up. The worst experience I had was when I actually had to use a breaker bar on a customers car to loosen the spindle nut because someone had tightened it way to tight and the bearing races became welded to the spindle. In 53 year of working on cars I have never had to replace a wheel bearing on any of my personal cars.

An exception is for anyone with a car that may have ball bearing wheel beariing. This type requires tension on the bearing.

Here is a tip I have used on rare occations, for whatever it is worth. When I had my shop, I had a supply of new king pin shims. Used ones will also work. If I had one the right size, it was useful to instal it between the spindle nut and washer to help adjust wheel bearings when I could not turn the nut to the cotter pin hole. The shim would back the nut up to another slot on the castle nut that would line up. Now if I can only find those shims. My recently purchased Hornets right front wheel bearing is not adjusting to my liking. It's either too tight or too loose. For now it's on the slightly loose side until I can correct it.

Something else, if a bearing looks good but the wheel still rocks after snuging the bearing nut, it should be replaced for better car handleing. It has been loose for so long that the needles have worn tappers on both ends so that they rock against the bearing cup.

Just sharing a few experiences.
Lee O'Dell