Front Wheel Bearing
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 396
Likes: 1
From: SF Bay Area
2004 E500
Be sure the bearings are correct. The oem have a chamfer on the inner race that seats on the spindle. If you have a conventional square cut bearing you can have a bearing failure.
Hope this is helpful. Buying a complete hub and installng is really a good way to go on this bearing.
Hope this is helpful. Buying a complete hub and installng is really a good way to go on this bearing.
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
E300D
You are correct it is very easy to put too much preload on a bearing.
Here is how I do it and your results may vary. (I have never had a failure using my method but it is possible to have a failure) (my disclaimer
)
[1] I will rotate the hub while using a wrench to LIGHTLY snug up the bearing nut.
[2] Once the nut is snug I will back off the nut and tighten again VERY LIGHTLY. This is to take the bearing to ZERO 0.000" clearance.
[3] This time with the nut snug STOP rotating the hub.
[4] Back off the nut just enough so you can move it with your fingers.
[5] Then WITHOUT turning the hub tighten the nut to a light finger tight position then lock it in place.
Remember when the bearing heats up the internal clearance gets tighter and will increase the preload and pressures can exceed the film strength of the lubricant resulting in bearing failure.
Now this is how I do it and I won't recommend this to anyone. But for me
it works.
vettdvr.
Here is how I do it and your results may vary. (I have never had a failure using my method but it is possible to have a failure) (my disclaimer
)[1] I will rotate the hub while using a wrench to LIGHTLY snug up the bearing nut.
[2] Once the nut is snug I will back off the nut and tighten again VERY LIGHTLY. This is to take the bearing to ZERO 0.000" clearance.
[3] This time with the nut snug STOP rotating the hub.
[4] Back off the nut just enough so you can move it with your fingers.
[5] Then WITHOUT turning the hub tighten the nut to a light finger tight position then lock it in place.
Remember when the bearing heats up the internal clearance gets tighter and will increase the preload and pressures can exceed the film strength of the lubricant resulting in bearing failure.
Now this is how I do it and I won't recommend this to anyone. But for me
it works.vettdvr.
