Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2013 17:46:57 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: 1988 GL - FW Bearings: How tight is tight - How loose is
loose - How Hot is hot?
In-Reply-To: <CAFnDXk13u=kTWzzoDX-WCiC4SWK25_oZvCf7N4tj7hOEEQBDyg@mail.gmail.com>
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fwiw you guys ..
for over 40 years I have been going to 'just zero ' ...
and then the tinest bit more load , like 1% more. Barely, barely any
more load ..but barely some.
Have never had have any bearing problems ever, in thousands, literally ,
of times doing it that way.
I suppose it doesn't hurt to run them a little loose , but I can't.
Was the feel of the bearings in the races checked first ?
like spin the tapered bearing it the race with fingers, to make sure it
turns smoothly?
Any chance some of the old parts were put back in accidentally ?
the only front 2WD drive vanagon bearings I have seen any issue with is
the early ( like 82 ) smaller outer front wheel bearings. And 'maybe'
one or two, if that, outer front wheel bearings fail in hundreds of
vanagons over two decades.
And really ...hundreds of vanagons are running with the front wheel
bearings having never even been thought of , lubed or adjusted, and they
are all doing just fine. It's flat amazing how well they last.
And I sure would not take a chance replacing good servicable orignal or
servicale used brgs with new ones .
I see them with not enough grease in them now and then.
The cap should have some it in, in my methods anyway.
'Do just the right thing, and not less of course, , but certainly not a
lot more than is Just Right.' You can get in trouble that way, and it
costs more.
On 4/6/2013 4:38 PM, Jim Felder wrote:
> What Don said. Back off, drive, replace if still hot. If they are hot, you
> are going to have to replace them at some time in the near future anyway,
> so you might as well start looking for bearings.
>
> Don't be afraid of a little, like a sixteenth inch, of wobble in the wheel
> when it is jacked up though.
>
> Jim
>
>
> On Sat, Apr 6, 2013 at 6:06 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> They should not be too hot to touch. I'd try backing the nut off one
>> "flat" see if that make them run cooler. If they are quiet and feel smooth
>> when you put your fingers inside and turn them by hand...I bet they are too
>> tight...
>>
>> When I adjust wheel bearings I like to 'just' feel the slightest movement
>> when I grab the wheel, top and bottom and try to rock it.... If I feel no
>> movement at all, and the wheel feels slightly draggy as you turn it in the
>> air.....I consider that too tight and I back it off slightly.....
>>
>> I used to run those Open Highway rallys at very very high speeds, and
>> wheel bearings were something I tried to learn about....it takes a bit of
>> 'feel' that you learn....the way all the books describe to adjust the
>> tension is pretty vague.
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Apr 6, 2013 at 3:31 PM, JRodgers <jrodgers113@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> My question: How tight is tight - How loose is loose - How hot is hot?
>>>
>>> Just installed new FW bearings on my rig. All seems proper - BUT -
>>> after a run I cannot put my hand on the hub or around it is so hot -
>>> both sides.
>>>
>>> I have done many wheel bearing changes on many vehicles including
>>> airplanes - races, bearings, lube, the works. Per Bentley I seated the
>>> bearings then backed off the spindle nut so there was play in the keyed
>>> washer. Then I peened the nut. But the wheels don't turn well, and as
>>> said - they get hot as ol' Rip. No growl, no smoke. I did have a bearing
>>> three years ago that was bad right out of the box. First time for that.
>>> But that particular new bearing growled from the get-go. Not these.
>>>
>>> I'm thinking serious about replacing these new ones with more new ones
>>> but from a different source.
>>>
>>> Sure would appreciate the collective wisdom of The List on this problem.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> John R
>>>
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