loosing my bearings

Post by **simon** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 4:05 pm

Im having trouble finding a spanner or socket that will fit the nut holding the bearings in on my 59 moggy anyone know the right size ?

Post by **rayofleamington** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 4:28 pm

Do you mean the front wheel bearings?
I've never resorted to needing socket on them as they don't need to be done up with high torque. A pair of mole grips has done the job for me.
Once they are lightly nipped the split pin stops it coming undone.

Post by **Kevin** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 5:18 pm

Not sure of the size but both my sets have sockets that fit, as you have the cover of measure across the flats and I can check what will fit.

Post by **simon** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 6:27 pm

Sorry should have said rear bearings .

Post by **Willie** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 6:41 pm

I must admist that,though it is not good engineering practice,
that I use a hammer and drift on these nuts as I have no
spanners near this size. Do remember that the near side
nut is a left hand thread!

Post by **les** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 10:13 pm

The size is 1 7/8'' AF. Of course we,ve all been there, but I was shocked to hear of the method you use Willie!!!

Post by **Willie** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 8:08 am

That was a comment LES not a recommendation!!
None of us is perfect,certainly not me!

Post by **57traveller** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 11:07 am

1 1/8 inch Whitworth is the correct fitting size but of course 1 7/8 inch A/F probably fits. My books are all packed away ready for a house move but it's quite a high torque figure to tighten so be prepared. I'm sure there's also a torque figure for the front hub nuts, again it's not to hand, but more than finger tight.

Split pins are only a safety measure and should not be relied on to secure nuts, this is achieved by the threads' wedge effect.
A hammer and punch definitely fits.

Post by **simon** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 2:51 pm

Thank for help especially the tip on left handed thread I would have been banging at that for days . Moggy all fixed and much better for it.

Post by **Willie** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 4:11 pm

'57'....you are so right, the front bearings are supposed to
be done up TIGHT, the idea being to lock the bearing inners
solidly to the stub axle to prevent any movement.

Post by **les** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 7:08 pm

Just a bit of a leg pull, Willie!

Post by **rayofleamington** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 10:05 pm

there's also a torque figure for the front hub nuts, again it's not to hand, but more than finger tight.

Did anyone say finger tight

I didn't think they were much more than 20 or 30 Nm though - they never seem to be highly torqued on any cars I've worked on.
If they do need to be high torque I stand corrected :?

Maybe my definition of high torque is presently distorted - I had to take the pulley retaining bolt off from the end of my Honda's crankshaft.
Standing on the end of a 2.5 foot torque wrench didn't do it - it needed to be hit with a big hammer at the same time.

Post by **Cam** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 10:43 pm

55-65 foot pounds according to the Haynes Manual (p148).

My taper roller bearings on my vented disc setup have to be just 'pinched' with a slight amount of play, but a ball bearing setup has to be tightened until there is NO play as they can't be 'nipped up a bit'.

60 foot pounds is in my category of pretty tight, but it just goes to show that no real damage is done if they are not tightend perfectly!!

Standing on the end of a 2.5 foot torque wrench didn't do it - it needed to be hit with a big hammer at the same time.

Ay Carumba!

Post by **Willie** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 7:45 am

True CAM no damage will be done if the front hub nuts
are not done up as tightly as they should be, until the
bearing inners,for whatever reason start to spin on the
stub axle. It wouldn't take many miles of that to ruin
the stub axle. The bearings on the Minor front hubs are NOT
adjusted by loosening the hub nut.

Post by **57traveller** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 8:24 am

Sorry Ray, don't know where the "finger tight" came from.

Post by **Cam** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 10:51 am

The bearings on the Minor front hubs are NOT adjusted by loosening the hub nut

Exactly! there is NO adjustment in them at all, unlike my taper roller set, but that's a different thing entirely.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 2:50 pm

55-65 foot pounds according to the Haynes Manual (p148).

Hmm - I shall do them up tighter in future then!

80Nm does soumd more like a torque wrench job. I think it wouldn't cause a problem until one of the bearings failed anyway.
If it fails and causes the inner to spin, then the Stub axle will get damaged (happened on a high miles Eurobox of mine - I wasn't happy to buy a new hub, but served me right as I'd put off doing the bearing for ages)

Post by **Cam** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 4:50 pm

served me right as I'd put off doing the bearing for ages

Yes, that's what I am doing with my Rover at the moment!

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 5:52 pm

my Cavalier bearing eventually locked up and wore the hub away instead....
You may be needing the Travy pretty soon then

Post by **Cam** » Mon Oct 27, 2003 8:51 pm

I'll get round to it eventually............like everything else.

Having the Trav on the road would be sweet though.............so sweet........drool.......