Trailer roller bearings

[Donald]

If you have the race say 1/16" from being fully set will setting the new bearings push it the last bit?

I have seen various articles to tighten the nut anywhere from 20 lbs to 80 lbs to set it and then loosen and then set it slightly more than finger tight.

 

[jhellwig]

If it won’t drive all the way in you are not going to be able to pull it the rest of the way with the axle but without damaging something. If it isn’t seated it will move after some use loosening the bearings.

I always tighten till you can’t spin the hub at the lugs by hand then back it off about a quarter turn. Never had one fail.

 

[Kawiguy454]

Get a bearing driver from HF or use a large craftsman socket to drive in the race. Trying to draw it in using the bearings is not something I have tried. Placing the bearing race in the freezer for a few hours before mounting can make it easier to go in. I have seen bearings literally drop in place heating the hub and freezing the bearing.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
Get a bearing driver from HF or use a large craftsman socket to drive in the race. Trying to draw it in using the bearings is not something I have tried. Placing the bearing race in the freezer for a few hours before mounting can make it easier to go in. I have seen bearings literally drop in place heating the hub and freezing the bearing.


The freezing is great advice. Especially with pressed in hub bearings, like in a saturn I always put hub bearings in my freezer overnight. But even freezing a race can help.

I do tighten the wheel bearing to about 60lbs to fully seat it, then back off and adjust by feel, a touch loose.

 

[oilboy123]

I have been working on cars on my own, and worked in some car shops over the years. Bearing adjustments have always been the most confusing thing to me. Because everything always says to do it a certain way, but it always seems like it is over simplified.

I tighten to maybe 35-40 lbs back off the nut, then hand tighten and try to feel a minimal amount of play at the bearing by cranking on the tire. If it feels too loose I might encourage the nut a little tighter.

 

[Chris142]

You need to knock the race all the way home before putting the bearing in. If its not all the way in it will eventually work its way in and cause a loose bearing and possibly damage the bearings. I have a set with aluminium drivers to seat races.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
Get a bearing driver from HF or use a large craftsman socket to drive in the race. Trying to draw it in using the bearings is not something I have tried. Placing the bearing race in the freezer for a few hours before mounting can make it easier to go in. I have seen bearings literally drop in place heating the hub and freezing the bearing.


I used a bearing driver and felt I got the race in the proper place. But I could not get the cotter pin into the hole properly and thought maybe I did not pound hard enough setting the race.