Now I am confused too. Just last week I tried to tighten up my front
hubs to eliminate a small amount of play in the bearings. I torqued
the nut to 45 lb. and found that I still had some movement in the
hub. I cranked on them to the point where the play was gone but then
I couldn't get the cotter pin in the castle nut. If I loosened the
nut to the point where the cotter pin would go in they were too
loose. If I tightened them up to the point where the pin would go in
the wheel was locked solid. My conclusion was that I needed a spacer
(shim) to correct the problem. I also understand that there is not
normally a shim used with the midget wire wheel hubs. My only
conclusion was that I had a new set of substandard bearings or that
there was some wear somewhere where I couldn't see it. So, should I
find shims, drive it with a little play, replace the bearings again or
just forget that there is a problem?
Mark
70 Midget
Nashville
Ulix Goettsch wrote:
>
> Jeff,
> the spacer is supposed to be firmly squeezed. You tighten the nut until
> it is. I have never seen shims used. I guess they would be necessary
> when, after tightening the nut, the wheel was locked up.
> Similarily, I had a brand new wheel bearing that still had a little play
> after the nut was tightened and considered machining a little off the
> spacer. I didn't, but would like to know if this is common practice of if
> everyone's front wheel bearings are perfect after they are installed.
> Ulix
>
> On Fri, 30 Oct 1998, Jeff Boatright wrote:
>
> > This whole spacer question was hashed about on the mgs list also. I've
> > replaced both sets of front bearings and both sides had the spacers but no
> > shims. First, are there supposed to be shims, and second, if not, how would
> > the spacer add strength since it's not long enough to be firmly squeezed
> > between the inner and outer bearings? Or is it? (This is starting to sound
> > like an X-files thang...)
> >
> > Crash, I loved that note. :)
> >
> > Jeff
> >
> > At 12:31 PM -0500 10/30/98, David Ramsey wrote:
> >
> >
> > > Sorry guys I can't resist, I run tapered cone roller bearings from timken
> > >without the spacer in my hubs. This allows you adjust the pre-load on the
> > >bearings and kicks butt when compared to ball bearings. I thought
> > >everybody knew that, but when I posted it before I found out that my
> > >wheels are going to fall off because the axles are so weak on these cars
> > >that they need the bearing spacer to support them. Was I surprised that
> > >this spacer that gives the ball bearings some kind of pre-load (not really
> > >it just spaces them apart) is the only thing between me and the front
> > >wheels on my car flying off. Last month I hit a pot hole on I-80 east of
> > >Reno that threw my car into the air and had an axle snapped I still would
> > >run the tapered cone roller bearings! I was surprised the whole front of
> > >the car didn't break off. It was so bad that I spilled my beer, dropped my
> > >cel-phone (I was talking to my lawyer), and worst of all I lost the draft
> > >of the "triple trailer" 18 wheeler. OK you can all go back to more
> > >important things on the list now.
> > > Crash
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
> > Senior Editor, Molecular Vision
> > http://www.molvis.org/molvis
> > Mailto:jboatri@emory.edu
> > 404-778-4113
> >
> >
> >
>
> Ulix __/__,__
> .......................................................... (_o____o_)....
> '67 Sprite
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