Low Capacity Torque Wrench Doing High Capcity Work

[60dgrzbelow0]

Bob likes to over-explain.

I use one of these, never failed, don't waste any grease, and my hands stay clean (for the most part)...




Put the bearing in, press down on the lid until the grease oozes out of them, DONE. Takes about 10 seconds.

John...Yeah...I know...I know...But...Cool Beenz... I never saw one of those neat little items...what a clever idea!...

Jack Nicholson's Joker in the art museum fight with 'The BatMan'... "Where does he get those WONDERFUL Toys!!! ???"

[walterdude]

These are the best pics I've got at the moment.. Should get the idea.. The axle has to be an inch or more in dia and is splined to match the bearing. The big nut on the end of the shaft pulls everything tight... And you DO need to "Ape" it on there. I think the torque is around 250??? We are saying "Bearings",, Hub Assembly is the proper term I believe... If better pics are needed I can take some better ones tomorrow.. Camera is in the car and the PC with USB isn't started up.. Just got in from work and I'm lazy!!
One thing I've noticed with aftermarket "Hubs" is my 99, plain Jane Lumina, doesn't even have ABS, has the SAME part number as my 93 Z34. Don't know if GM numbers are the same or not.. The point of this is the Z34 rims sit out about 2-3 inches further than the 99 Steel rims on the 99... I have swapped them. That would add more torsional (?) force... Perhaps that's why we go thru these things so quick.. Maybe later I'll see if GM lists different numbers between models....
Hope this give you an idea of what a W-Body bearing/hub looks like....
Tom...

[walterdude]

Man this is being troublesome tonite.. Let's see if the pic will upload THIS time...


Well I can't get the good pic to upload right now.. I'll try later...

[walterdude]

Try this again.... I've never had this many problems with this site......

Man,, I give up!!!!

I don't know!!! Just follow this link... Post 4 has pics...

http://60degreev6.com/forum/f110/stupid-question-replacing-wheel-studs-t41914

[60dgrzbelow0]

Tom...

Excellent breakdown on everything... Thanks! I can see that the "bearings" that are part of this wheel hub assembly really are "sealed"...although the one you removed and took images of looked like it had some rust on the outer race areas. Do these breakdown and have the bearing segments rust out underneath or inside of the bearing seals and make all that "growling" racket and noise?? If they do...then it has to be happening because of all the rotational stress of front engine torque ...mixed in with the front wheels being turned back and forth for steerage that must be the killer. Now I have a better understanding of the problem... No hand packing of the bearings required.

[Talontwoswords]

Please... Don't be tempted to clean your old/new wheel bearings with brake cleaner and then use compressed air with a nozzle to blow them dry....people have been killed or seriously injured by spinning up roller and ball bearings to excessively high RPMs and when the bearing finally heats up enough due to a lack of any lubricant or exceeding its design standards...it can seize up suddenly and explode like a grenade right in your hand...and just when you are staring at it...

That's good to know. I guess now I won't be on Spike Tvs "1000 Ways to Die"

[Talontwoswords]

Since this is off-topics. My 2002 Chevy S-10 manual said to re-pack the front wheel bearings every 30K. The truck now has about 65K on it, and the wheel bearings have never been done. Should I be worried?

[SHOoff]

My dilemma is that I need to replace the front wheel bearings and I believe the spec is around 180 ft lbs for the axle nut, my 1/2" drive torque wrench maximum capacity is 150 ft lbs.

On mine I just tighten to 150 on the torque wrench. Then swap with the breaker bar, and put a bit more beef on it, and all is well.

[GutlessSupreme]

The factory spec for 1st and 1.5 gen W-bodies calls for 184 ft-lbs for the axle nut. While my wrench only goes up to 150 as well, I just set it to 150 and crank it maybe another 1/4 turn or less. Not perfect but fairly close.

If you overtighten the axle nut, the constant excessive axial load you're putting on the wheel bearing will likely cause premature failure. It literally is squashing the ball bearings.

Undertightening can result in play in the bearing as normal forces are exerted on the hub/bearing by the wheel during everyday driving - it basically can allow it to wobble back and forth a bit, which is significant when it's rotating over 1000 times per mile.

And our W bearings are not serviceable, as mentioned - they're built into the whole hub assembly.

here's another shot of an ebay knockoff hub:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1988-1996-GRAND-PRIX-REGAL-Front-Wheel-Hub-Bearing_W0QQitemZ360176636254QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item53dc33515e&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245#ht_3977wt_939

surprisingly, I apparently don't have a single pic of our front wheel bearings and for once, both of my cars have their front wheels on the ground lol

[60dgrzbelow0]

Please... Don't be tempted to clean your old/new wheel bearings with brake cleaner and then use compressed air with a nozzle to blow them dry....people have been killed or seriously injured by spinning up roller and ball bearings to excessively high RPMs and when the bearing finally heats up enough due to a lack of any lubricant or exceeding its design standards...it can seize up suddenly and explode like a grenade right in your hand...and just when you are staring at it...

That's good to know. I guess now I won't be on Spike Tvs "1000 Ways to Die"

You seem amused...and are probably tempted to try this out... So here is the How-To...(with the very same WARNINGS I mentioned in red ink). Have fun!

http://www.wikihow.com/Spin-a-Bearing

[pocket-rocket]

I know this is an old thread, but I have witnessed what happens to FWD hubs if you don't tighten the axle nut enough (hand tight). Someone I know replaced their hub assemblies and went to take off for a test drive before they tightened the axle nut and the brand new hubs popped apart causing the brakes to drag. The axle nut also helps hold the whole "assembly" together under the weight of the car.

[91LQ1Lumina]

Found that out the hard way when I pushed my old GP down the drive way after removing the engine and trans. Took a left about half way down the drive to park it. BANG!!!! Dragged one the ball joint for about ten feet. Not pretty at all!

[pmaniac69]

what you need is an ape, holding the wrench, than kick him in the nuts

that will get them nice and tight!!!