I'm putting new front bearings in my 66 coupe, and was looking at the torque specs for the spindle nut when making adjustments on the bearings. The manual states that the nut should be torqued to 12 lbs, and then backed off 1 "flat". This is a term I've not run across. Can anyone enlighten me?
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Re: 66 coupe wheel bearing
John,
I believe the 'flat' refers to one side of the six that make up the hexnut. -
Re: 66 coupe wheel bearing
The wheel bearings MUST have one to five thou clearance. The initial torquing is done to seat the bearings. Tighten the nut to about 12 lb-ft then spin the tire a few times. Now back off the nut until you just detect some clearance and insert the cotter key, but do not bend it over. Spin the wheel a couple of more times and grab the top and bottom of the tire, wiggle the wheel, and verify that it has just a slight rock to it. Next, remove the cotter key, advance the nut 1/12 turn and insert the cotter key in the perpendicalar hole. Spin the tire and run through the clerance check again. If it has no clearance back off the nut to the previous position and spread and cut off the cotter key. If it still has clearance, advance the nut another 1/12 turn and repeat the procedure. Once the nut has no play you back off 1/12th turn and you should have the proper one to five thou clearance.
Take your time and keep going through the procedure until your confident that you get the feel of it.
The spindle has 20 threads per inch, two perpendicular cotter pin holes, and six slots on the castle nut. Therefore the nut can be rotated and the cotter pin installed every 1/12th turn so the amount of axial movement in 1/12th turn is:
(1/20)/12 = .0041"
and this is the basis of the .001" to .005" end play.
DukeComment
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Re: 66 coupe wheel bearing
Thanks guys - I really appreciate the "how to" instructions.
JohnComment
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Jesus, Duke...
enough detail or what?
Great reply to a procedure often done too lax - copied to my hard disk.
BillComment
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There's more
Minimum clearance is preferred. IMO the tighter the clearance the better the steering feels. If the clearance feels like it's on the high end of the spec, you can remove the washer and dress it down a few thou by rubbing it on a piece of 280-400 paper wetted with mineral spirits on a flat surface. You'll need a a one inch mike to measure the thickness so you know when you've taken off two to three thou.
When you put everything back together the nut will be 1/12th turn advanced with the cotter pin in the perpendicular hole and the clearance will be reduced by the amount you shaved off the washer.
If you're at the minimum one thou clearance you can usually tighten the nut with your fingers just to the point where you can install the cotter pin, but no more. For maybe an hour's worth of fiddling you can have "blue printed" front wheel bearing clearance.
DukeComment
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Got that part too! *NM*
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