Front Wheel Bearing Tension

[reptilechick]

Hi all,

Have searched the forum but no luck. Have questions from my dad (he's helping me, or doing my fix it jobs!) Have changed the front ball joints and tie rod ends. Because dad took off the wheel bearings to do the ball joints, he wants to know what tension to do them back up at. Any suggestions?!

Thanx all again, I'd be lost without u

[Demonic]

until there is no freeplay in it... i used a small punch to knock the housing round to tighten it.

[geeves]

This is the official method

WHEEL BEARING
1) Raise and support vehicle. Remove wheel assembly. Remove
hub cap, grease cup, cotter pin and nut retainer on 2WD models.
Remove locking hub assembly and lock washer on 4WD models. See
LOCKING HUB PROCEDURES in the LOCKING HUBS article.
2) Rotate wheel and tighten (hub) spindle nut to 22 ft. lbs.
(30 N.m). Rotate wheel 2 to 3 turns and loosen (hub) spindle nut.
Tighten nut finger tight until hub has no free play.
3) Make sure that brake pads are not in contact with brake
rotor. Attach a spring scale and measure starting torque. Tighten
spindle nut until spring scale reads 2.2 lbs. (1.0 kg) on 2WD models.
4) Tighten hub nut until spring scale reads 3.3 lbs. (1.5
kg) on 4WD models. On all models, perform procedure to both front
wheels. Install remaining hardware to complete wheel bearing
adjustment.
NOTE: If bolt holes on lock washer and hub nut do not align,
reverse lock washer. If holes still do not align, turn nut
slightly to align holes.

The spring scale attaches to a wheel stud and the measurement is when the spring scale starts to turn the wheel assembly.

This is the method everyone uses
Tighten till no free play and turns reasonably freely Set the lock washer and drive round the block and readjust. Then reassemble completely. They always seem to loosen in the first couple of km especially if the outer shell has been removed.

[reptilechick]

thanx Geeves!!

[justinw]

"Tighten till no free play and turns reasonably freely Set the lock washer and drive round the block and readjust."

This ends up a lot looser than using a spring balance. I was quite suprised how much more I had to tighten it up the first time I used a spring balance.