wheel bearing install ?

[Chicken]

71 f100 2wd. In need of opinions/advice. Installing new bearings/races in need of proper method of adjustment/tightening of the spindle nut/castle w/pin. Snug up then finger tighten? Use torque wrench?
Many Thanks.

Sorry, drum brakes.

[fordman]

take it apart. remove the dust cover cotter pin nut shield and nut. wiggle the hub and the washer and front bearing should edge out . put all of that aside so it doesn't get more dirt on it. put the nut back on the sipindle. pull hub out until clear of brakes and so the rear bearing is touching the nut. pukk quick and hard against the nut with the hub to dislodge the rear bearing from the hub. once all of that is removed clean everything get new rear seal and or bearing. or repack old bearing with wheel bearing grease. reinstall rear bearing into rub TAP new seal in place with small hammer and a board or something so as not to damage the seal. reinstall hub front bearing washer nut and everything except the nut shield and cotter pin. tighten nut hand tight. spin wheel and tightten nut with wrench as the tire spins. when it stops the hub that is too tight. so back it off maybe 1/4 to 1 1/2 turns so that it spins freely and isnt binding. don't loosen it very much just until it turns freely. and you can get the nut shield and new cotter pin back in. that is the general way to do it. but spinning the wheel and getting it not loose but yet tight is what you want to do.

[jor]

I second fordman's advice, however, I would add that you should use a torque wrench when you are spinning the wheel and tightening the nut. The manual will have the proper torque - can't remember it off hand, probably 20# or so.
jor

[68F250]

I think the only reason there's a torque spec. is so you don't overtighten and ruin the bearings. You do want the bearings to seat though, i just tighten with a big crescent wrench as the wheel is spinning and then back it off to the first place the holes lines up for the cotter key. Then I check the wheel bearing for play by grabbing the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock. There should be a tiny amount of play in it.

[67heavystepside]

i agree with 68f250, that was how i was showed years ago , and still do them to this day . never have had a problem.

[studdmstr]

The service manual says
1. While rotating the wheel, torque the adjusting nut to 17-25 ft-lb to seat the bearings.
2. Install the nut lock so that the cotter pin hole in the spindle is aligned with a slot in the nut lock.
3. Back off the adjusting nut and nut lock two slots of the nut lock and install the cotter pin.

My dad always did it like fordman though and never had a problem.

[jor]

My dad always did it like fordman though and never had a problem.

I've done it many times like your dad too, however, I figure if the manual recommends a torque wrench, why not!
jor

[fordman]

ok i never knew about the torque wrench thing. i have never had one. when i was taught to do it the old school way we didn't have a torque wrench then either . i'm sorry for being different than the books. but if you have a torque wrench you might as well use it. you didn't buy it for looks did you.

[68F250]

Yeah if you have a socket that big, what size is it?

[classic67]

that would be 1 1/8