<VV> Front Wheel Bearing Adjustment

[Mikeamauro at aol.com]

"...So I was looking through the shop manual for my 65 Monza in the  
suspension section and I came across the adjustment of the Front Wheel Bearing  
section on page 3-2. It said to tighten the adjusting nut to 100  lbs..."
 
Tapered roller wheel bearings should be, when  properly adjusted, at a zero 
preload condition. And, for Corvair bearings, with  decent condition bearings, 
end play should not exceed .008 (this info comes  directly from 1965 Corvair 
Chassis Manual, Section-Page 3-2, step-5). To get to  this condition, the 
previous steps explain to spin the wheel and tighten the  adjustment nut to 100 
inch pounds, and then back off one flat and insert  the cotter pin; if through 
hole is not visible, then back the nut further until  one of the two through 
holes becomes available. A later update, in the 67  manual, replaces the "100 
inch pound" spec with "12 foot pounds." I suspect this  was done because most 
mechanics: were mistaking 100 inch pounds for 100 ft  pounds.; or, because foot 
pound torque wrenches were much more available than  were inch pound wrenches. 
Personally, I've never used a torque wrench  to adjust wheel bearings. I do 
follow the steps outlined in the manual; but,  when it comes to the of torquing 
part, I run the nut in until I feel some  friction developing in the bearing, 
and then back off to the very next available  cotter pin position. The 
following Popular Mechanics article articulates what I  just stated in a way much 
better than I could ever hope to (see paragraph  starting with: "...Reinstall the 
brake disc (or drum) on the  spindle..."): 
_http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4205243.html_ 
(http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4205243.html)  .
 
Mike Mauro
 
 
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