Wheel bearing replacement

[NathanE]

[quote="Bottoz"]
Per an e-mail from Tom, I've added Loctite® and re-torqued back to 200 on Monday. If it comes loose again... then it's back to the drawing board. I'd rather not try to drill into that axle. If you're off a few degrees, then it won't line up correctly at the other end of the castle nut 
[/quote]

That was sort of my concern, although the idea of a lock pin is a really good one.  I guess to do it properly you would have to use a bench mounted drill with the axle removed to get it perfectly alligned, a job to do during build rather than a retrofit for most of Brits without those lovely garages that you have in the US!

[bolus]

How about locking axle nuts?  Are they any good?

[NathanE]

Do you mean double nuts that you torque together like you get on old fashioned cup and cone type axle bearings?

If so, they lock together well, but getting the setting correct so that it allows movement but no slack and is sufficiently tight without binding can be tricky (for a numpty like me at least). 

[3Rotor]

you get a funny shaped washer, that kind of looks like a castle nut,  but it just fits over the actual nut,  then with a split-pin, it holds the nut.... works absolutely 100%..... and no need for whacking something with a hammer ether...  I'll go snap a pic of it now...  but if there is no hole for the SP.  then well yeah...  your stuck... however,  this washer makes it easier to get it to line up, as you can rotate it's position on the nut,  till it lines up with the hole...

[wisp]

I can't honestly say that I have ever worked on, one of my own, cars that has not had a locking arrangement on the wheel bearing nuts. Even my MK1 has a locking arrangement on the rear wheel bearing/hub nut.

[rfmarz@frontiernet]

Spanky, I think it's a matter of getting the correct torque on the axle nut (200 ft.lbs.) and then checking it every time you come back into the pits.

[Hellooo Newman]

What about using a second nut right up against the first one to stop it from getting loose??

[1965Cobra427]

[quote="Spanky"]
1965Cobra427,

  If I remember right, you guessed that your rear wheel bearing failed at VIR because you did not get it to fully seat against the shoulder on the axle. I just installed a new rear upright. What do you recommend I do to make SUREmine is fully seated? Please advise.

Thanks.           

[/quote]

Spanky,

I think it is possible to tighten the nut to 200 ft lbs and NOT have the axle completely seated. I found that under hard track running, I needed to check the torque once per session for the first three or four sessions after installing the axle. It would take as much as 1/2 turn at first and progressively less with each check. After about five sessions, it seems to stabilize. As you know, I am using a jamb nut (thanks) so I'm sure it's not a matter of the nut backing off. I still check it at least every other session. One caveat: I am running on slicks most of the time at the track, so that may increase the side loading enough to exacerbate the problem.

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="1965Cobra427"]
In case anybody wants to stock some spare wheel bearings and seals for their Brammo built Atom, Here are the part numbers:
[/quote]

Is there a circlip on the inside of the upright? Looking at my new uprights, there's a groove around the inside of the upright which looks like it would hold a clip.

[1965Cobra427]

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
[quote="1965Cobra427"]
In case anybody wants to stock some spare wheel bearings and seals for their Brammo built Atom, Here are the part numbers:
[/quote]

Is there a circlip on the inside of the upright? Looking at my new uprights, there's a groove around the inside of the upright which looks like it would hold a clip.
[/quote]

Terry,

There is a retaining clip inside the upright to retain the bearing race. The retainer looks like this one on my car.

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="1965Cobra427"]
There is a retaining clip inside the upright to retain the bearing race. The retainer looks like this one on my car.


[/quote]

Thanks. Any part number evident on it?

[1965Cobra427]

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
[quote="1965Cobra427"]
There is a retaining clip inside the upright to retain the bearing race. The retainer looks like this one on my car.


[/quote]

Thanks. Any part number evident on it?
[/quote]

I didn't take one down. I have an extra set of assembled uprights at my shop. I'll check them out when I'm out there next and see if I can find a PN.

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="1965Cobra427"]
I didn't take one down. I have an extra set of assembled uprights at my shop. I'll check them out when I'm out there next and see if I can find a PN.
[/quote]

Per Jacob Ensign, it is a McMaster #91985A321.

[dingo]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread.
 
On cleaning the right front wheel while putting a washer over the outer rod end of steering pushrod,  I noticed a fair amount of caked on grease inside the rim that must have leaked from the hub \ bearing. 
The bearing itself seems happy and there's no sign of wicking of gunk \ grease from it now. (all leaked out?). 

That right front takes a beating at our counterclockwise track. Got 8,000+ miles on the car in 18 months. 
Does this suggest just a repack of high temp bearing grease is warranted?

Would you replace the bearing while you've got the hub \ upright off the car?

Also, it's not (to me) entirely clear from above.  Are front and rear bearings exactly the same ?

[Heywood-Yablowme]

Stage one of bearing failure is precipitated lubricant.
Stage two is a humming/whining noise. Bearing may still feel tight at this stage.
Stage three is loud rumble with noticable movement.
Stage four you are looking at chasing parts down the road...or a lockup  and usually collateral damage.