Can't get the front wheel bearings tight enough

The FSM says to tighten the front wheel bearings until the wheel binds and then back off. However, even using a long handle ratchet, I can put loads of torque on it and the wheel does not seem to bind. Should they really be that tight? Aside from using a cheater bar and putting all my weight on it, I can't get it any tighter but yet the wheel doesn't bind.

 

I wouldn't do it until it binds. Torque about 30-50 lbs ft while rotating the hub is plenty then back off and adjust. This seats the bearings and races and squeezes excess grease from between the bearings and races.


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To me, it doesn't seem right that you are unable to bind the wheel bearing? Are you putting the thick washer between the bearing and the big nut when tightening? Did you check that the big nut would screw all the way down on the threads (bottom out).

 

It has been a long time since I put the thing together but everything was there according to the FSM diagram when I assembled it. I just noticed that the left front wheel was shaky so I knew the bearing wasn't tight enough.

 

I'm with Walt-something isn't right. Even if the races/bearings were mixed from 25/27, they should still easily tighten up-long before you needed a cheater bar.

 

OK that's what I needed to know, I'll take it back apart and investigate. Thanks all.

 

Worn bearing could cause this. Are yours new?

 

Yes new bearings and races.

 

Good thought, I'll take it back down and check it out.

 

Yes, I suppose this could happen. I recently ran into the opposite end of this mismatch. When I attempted to thread on the outer lock nut, there were no threads left on the spindle. I had the early hubs and bought the later (thicker) bearings, so I had to get the correct late hubs to get it back together.

Don

 

Perhaps I have the incorrect size race. I really h ave no idea what I am doing with wheel bearings but I am installing a disc brake kit on my Dana 27 and cannot get the races to seat far enough into the hub. Because of this, I cannot get to the threads to install the nuts. Any ideas?

 

Anyone have pic of inner bearing and how it fit? I have the same problem,but I have brass bushing instead.

 

I would love to see a photo of this as well.

 

Should not be a brass bushing for the wheel bearings.
Soundsl like a later model wide bearing and race in an earlier model narrow bearing and race hub. This would push everything out too far on the spindle.

 

Just thinking out loud, but make sure you are adjusting the wheel bearing with only the first nut. If you have both on there, they lock against each other and you will not get an accurate adjustment.

 

Disregard previous post. I guess I didn't read the whole thread...

 

What i thought was a bushing was what left of bearing,the P O use the wrong bearing. The bearing WAY too big. It just bang around on spindle.

 

Stout, did you ever resolve this problem?

My FSM goes up to 1971, but I have a 72 D30 up front. I installed my wheel bearings according to the 66-71 FSM, but I couldn't get the wheel to bind either, wound up torquing to 50 lbs-ft, then backed off a little and installed outer lock nut. The bearing I used was made by SKF, PN BR35. Does it sound like something's really wrong if the wheel won't bind up?