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Over-Torquing Wheel Bearings?

M

mmichaelk

New CEG'er
Joined
Sep 4, 2009
Messages
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Question regarding installing wheel bearings.

I had Stazi press fit my wheel bearings for my 99 Mystique (97K) back in August 2010, so I know they were installed by a competent pro. Put on new LCAs and BJs at the same time. When Stazi did the job, he noted that whomever pressed them in the year before (a local speed shop) did a hack job and possibly ruined the hub and/or knuckle. Said they had heated them so badly, they put a hole in one of the splines, but thought they would still work. However, three months later, I'm now getting a bad grinding noise from the front end again at all speeds and when I turn left.

When I installed them last time, I cleaned the threads completely, pounded the hub assembly back in with a wood block until it was snug, then torqued the wheel retainer nut to 208 ft-lbs like you're supposed to do. After installing the the brake and wheel, I noticed quite a bit of play in all positions (horizontal, vertical) on both wheels. So I went back and torqued the retainer nuts down past the 208 ft-lb mark and both nuts traveled an additional quarter-inch of thread. But it still didn't get rid of the extra play.

So, did I ruin the bearings by over-torquing them? If yes, then what should I have done about that extra play and the fact that there was obviously still room on that thread for the wheel retainer nut to move back on. When I replace the bearings (again), should I clean the threads, pound the hub on, torque to 208 and then stop, regardless of any "play" that I feel in the wheel?

BTW, this time I'm also going to replace the hubs and knuckles on the advice of Stazi's previous assessment. Also, I hear no clicking from the CV joints, so guessing they're still good. Any opinions welcome. Thanks.
 
Chances are if you hear the noise you will need a new bearing anyway, and you should not have any play when torqued
 
Stazi replaced both sides with SKS bearings.

I realize I have to replace the bearings. No way around that. My question remains as to whether or not I should torque PAST the 208 ft-lb mark if play remains in the wheel. I torqued them down further trying to eliminate the play last time I installed them and probably trashed the bearings in the process. AND I never was able to completely eliminate the play.

So...
1. How do you know for sure that the hub is all the way in as far as it can go BEFORE you start applying the torque?
2. Then, if you torque them down to the 208 ft-lb mark and play remains, should you torque them any further?
 
At proper torque you should have no play ,you need to find out why you have play. Wrong bearing ,missing parts , wrong nut ,bearing not seated ,bad drive shaft ,:shrug:
 
(Sigh).

Torquing down on a cartridge type wheel bearing does not change bearing ball clearances. All it does is make sure the axle/hub/bearing/knuckle are one integral part when done. It WILL NOT AFFECT PLAY AT ALL, that would be a condition inside the bearing itself. The ball bearing play is built internally into the part and cannot change except to GET LOOSER ONLY, it CANNOT be tightened up. Take one apart and view the guts and construction and you will understand why.

Bearing is actually two side by side but sharing a common outer shell. When you tighten you are only pulling bearing center races in to butt on each other on the inner shells, the ball clearance is set to that butted up condition. Any other tightening you do cannot change that set clearance.

Having said that, I suppose some fool could tighten the part up to 400 ft.lbs. and damage it because of distortion. Also, even though I have pounded bearings into knuckle and hub into bearing with good success, it is not recommended procedure. Pressing parts in with press is the best way. I'm thinking some of the Chinese replacement parts showing up on our shores nowadays are somewhat substandard in their heat treat process, hammering them in dents/loosens the softer balls/races and there's your play. Same installing hub.

Problems? Use better quality parts, not the cheaper version. I've yanked a cheapie just now that started making noise in like 2-3 days. Knocked it out to find virtually no grease inside part, no wonder it failed. Cheap 90 day warranted part, didn't even make that. Blame that on stupid cheap bastard (me). Almost everything bearing comes from China now, but they have crap companies and good ones just like we do (or did).

Press the bearings and hubs, ditch the hammer. Go to spec 208 lbs. torque and forget about it. Either it will work fine, or you get to do it again. Bearing quality will determine the outcome.
 
I had good quality SKF bearings installed by Stazi, but what I've been able to figure out is that the guys BEFORE him ( a local speed shop with supposedly a good rep) used a torch on the hub to remove the bearings and damaged the hub splines in the process. Stazi pointed out the damage to me when he did his install but at the time he couldn't say if it would cause me any further problems. Apparently, the damage didn't allow the hub to seat snug against the wheel even though it was torqued to spec (and a little beyond) and the bearing failed again. New hubs, new bearings and everything is good now. I suppose the lesson is that you can't take your bearings just anywhere to be pressed.
 
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