Front Wheel Bearing collapse

[cooky73]

My wheel bearing has collapsed on my 1970 and I can't separate the drum from the backplate and I also think the spindle on the stub axle will be knackered as well because the heat caused the bearing to weld itself to the axle.

Any ideas? Is it easier to just get a second hand stub/backplate/hub?

 

[BJ1]

This is caused by the outer nut being torqued up. I've said this many times - there is no torque at all on the outer nut! Should be gently tightened until you can just move the washer beneath the nut using a screwdriver flat. Should be around 0.5mm movement at rim.

 

[slow-lane-Matt]

I too was wondering about this after seeing "Ed" on Wheeler Dealers saying you should tighten the front wheel nut (by hand) - then undo it half a turn - to accommodate the bearings expanding when hot - it wasn't a VW he was working on - but I suppose same principle applies to all old cars. It just feels wrong not to tighten up a wheel nut...

 

[BJ1]

Yes - people often misread the manuals and put 7 ft lbs torque on the nut. That torque is for the allen clamp screw on the nut, not the nut itself. Taper roller bearings should not have a preload unless they run in an oil bath. It does seem counter intuitive but look at bottom of p170 where they state rightly that there should be some 'rock' at the wheel rim.

 

[Happystamps]

Yes - people often misread the manuals and put 7 ft lbs torque on the nut. That torque is for the allen clamp screw on the nut, not the nut itself. Taper roller bearings should not have a preload unless they run in an oil bath. It does seem counter intuitive but look at bottom of p170 where they state rightly that there should be some 'rock' at the wheel rim.

Yup- although you often have to adjust it out for the MOT... It's usually not worth the argument with my guy.