Wheel bearings & Different "pry" strengths: how hard ?

The old screwdriver test referred to the ball bearings used on king/link front ends.

Ball joint axles use tapered roller bearings and the adjustment is set so that there is "zero" preload on the bearing. IOW, there should be a certain amount of "looseness". That amount is specified as .001" to .005".

You can use a dial indicator, or mount the rim and tire and rock the tire top and bottom. When set correctly, there will be a play which you can barely feel.

If you overtighten them, the rollers will destroy the highly polished races in no time at all.

Speedy Jim

On 17 Sep 2004 18:49:05 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@MSN.COM (MATT S.) scribbled this interesting note:

While Idiot Guide makes for interesting reading and is sometimes the best source for some procedures, that is not the case this time. Get a real manual. The Bently manual is a good one, although not authoritative and there are occasionally mistakes in it too. The real factory repair manual is the best source for information, but you don't see those very often and they are usually priced kind of high.

Keep an eye on eBay. Here's a sample search:

are a couple of Bently books currently listed and they come upfrequently. Get as many different repair manuals as you can since eachwill state things in slightly different ways or have slightlydifferent illustrations. You will find yourself referring to themoften.

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

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Or even faster. Use a clock. Set them to about .005, drive the thing a few miles to ensure they are seated then check them again.

-Bob Hoover

How do you measure the play? I am trying to imagine it but am drawing a blank.

--Dan E

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Dear Dan,

You are measuring the cold radial play between the wheel and the axle. The manual shows a dial indicator attached to one of the wheel lugs with the indicator touching the outer edge of the axle.

The tricky bit is learning to move it just enough so as to read the radial clearance without causing the assembly to pivot on the kingpin/ball-joint.

I prefer to do it with the wheel dismounted; only the brake drum in place. This reduces the mass you have to move. I also use my toolbox or something similar, as an indicator... just align an edge or rivet or whatever with the center-line of the axle and glance at it as you wiggle the brake drum. There should be no motion at all relative to the tool box but the dial indicator should be dancing back & forth.

Standard procedure is to tighten it right down -- take out all the slack -- then back-off about an eighth of a turn of the lock-nut and clock it.

As with any adjustment, the contacting surfaces must be true and flat. If the washers or the lock-nut is buggered up you'll have to replace them or have them re-ground. (You can't get repeatable readings when you're dealing with irregular surfaces.)

Always check it again AFTER tightening. Roller bearings are tapered; real easy to get them too tight. Once you get the hang of it, it's a minor chore that takes only a couple of minutes. I adjust the brakes, check the link-pins, wheel bearings and toe-in every other oil change; gives me something to do while the oil is draining :-)

-Bob Hoover

OK, So what I get from this is you do not / cannot adjust the tapered wheel bearings according to how much the washer under the nut moves.

Though I have to check on this again, on my super with now discs on the front & me adjusting the bearings, when I measured the play with a dial indicator, and got it to the "right" spec.s, there was a lot of play with the washer. (I have not done this for a while 'cause I've been bogged down with a massive home project -I know, where are my priorities??? )this bothered me - but I will go back and verify this.

Thanks so much

Matt S.

There are a couple of Bently books currently listed and they come up> frequently. Get as many different repair manuals as you can since each> will state things in slightly different ways or have slightly> different illustrations. You will find yourself referring to them> often.

I adjust them a different way. VW suggests a certain rather small amount of end play. I adjust until I get a barely perceptable amount of play and then verify that I have at least SOME play all around as I rotate the drum/rotor. I don't think the bearings like having preload on them, but you won't like it if the wheels have too much play.

The minimum amount of play is desirable, as long as the "play" doesn't become negative at any point in the rotation.

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----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney snipped-for-privacy@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711 USA

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I like the Official Owner's Workshop manual by Robert Bently too. But I do not have the tools like they recommend you use for most of the precedures. I keep it for like a Holy Grail. I like the John Muir book, but I usually use the Robert Haynes maual for my 1973 Beetle. Some things in the Muir book, like letting it idle for 5 minutes before you drive or disconnecting the auo choke except in cold weather do not seem necessary. In warm or hot weather, I have the choke set just a little, by turning it just a few degrees, so it will work for just until I get through the first stop sign. I cold weather, I adjust it a little more, but just to last until I drive that first mile.

I would back off the brake pads so the wheel will spin freely. Next, spin the wheel and slowly tighten the big nut until the wheel slows down. Then, back off the nut about 1/8 turn. Spin the wheel again. Stop the wheel and grab it at the 12 o' clock and 6 o'clock position and try to rock it just a little. There should be just a little play. Pump the brakes to get the pads back in contact with the disc. Take it for a test drive for about 5 miles with the front hub caps removed. Reach down and feel the hub to see if it is warm or hot. If it is hot the adjustment is too tight. I have gone about 1500 miles so far with no problems. But this is with making usually short 5 mile trips with mostly stop and go driving. I used to just the pry the washer method and try and fit a .001 feeler gauge under neath it but I have been getting too mugch play that way. Is there anything wrong with the first method I mentioned? Thanks! Any help is appreciated!

tHANKS TO ALL WHO REPLIED!!! - It helps!! Matt S.