wheel bearings
 

I just re-packed the wheel bearings on my '34. After a good test drive, the rears are cool but the fronts are hot. I loosened the fronts a wee bit and they're still warm to touch after a drive. Not extremely hot but quite warm. Just wondering what is normal?
Thanks in advance, Doug.

Re: wheel bearings
 

Brake shoes dragging?

Re: wheel bearings
 

How are adjusting the front wheel bearings? I usually snug them up and then back off to the next cotter pin hole. If it is on the edge I may back off two. A guy in our club looked at the size of the nuts and torqued them to 100 ft-lbs. Needless to say his fronts were hot after only a short drive.

Charlie Stephens

Re: wheel bearings
 

Did you install new bearings? I have run into a lot of new bearing that are too tight (the bearing itself). I have had to find good used bearings because of this. I would not think that would be such an issue with the tapered bearings used on front wheel hubs, but might be worth checking out. On front wheel bearings I have always tightened the nut down until the wheel will not turn and then backed it off until the wheel will spin freely.

Re: wheel bearings
 

If the nut moves easy on the spindle you can't go wrong by tightening tight with wrench while rotating drum, back off then get as tight as you can with 2 fingers ---back off to nearest cotter pin place ----

Re: wheel bearings
 

I didn't put new bearings in, just re-packed them with new axle grease. I torqued the rears to about 80 lbs. and the fronts just enough to get the up and down wobble out. The backs stay cool but not the fronts, the drums don't get hot, just the part where the bearings are. Is it normal for them to be a little hot, or should I try loosening them a bit?
Thanks, Doug.

Re: wheel bearings
 

If they are hot or warm they are too tight. Boat trailer ball bearing need a little movement in them or they will be warm. Warm or hot bearings are not your friend!

Re: wheel bearings
 

"repacked them with axle grease"- think you better get wheel bearing grease.
there is a difference

Re: wheel bearings
 

I said 'axle grease' by mistake. I'm using Lucas X-TRA heavy duty grease. I will loosen them a bit more and see what happens.

Re: wheel bearings
 

Over greasing, like packing the cavity, could lead to churning and heat generation and other conditions.

Re: wheel bearings
 

I learned many years ago, from a Ford guru, to tighten the front bearings a bit more than snug, back off and re-tighten to 15 inch-pounds/closest cotter pin hole. This has worked for me ever since.

Re: wheel bearings
 

More bearings have been lost because they were too tight than when they were too loose.
Bruce

Re: wheel bearings
 

Rears to about 80 lbs.?????????????--Is this a tapered axle hub nut? If so, maybe 150 lbs. more--

Re: wheel bearings
 

I thought it was 200?

Re: wheel bearings
 

I've got the front bearings so loose now that they are practically finger tight. They still get hot- so now I'm really stumped! I'm beginning to think maybe it's the brakes after all, (as fordwife suggested). Not sure why they would start over heating all of a sudden but now the whole drum gets hot after a drive. It's been in the upper 90s F for the last week or so, with high humidity but I can't see how that could make any difference??? Anyway, I loosened the brakes 3 notches and will take it out tomorrow and see if the drums stay cool. Wish I'd never messed with the bearings in the first place!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: wheel bearings
 

You should be able to see if its the brakes by jacking the car up and spinning the wheels,
ONE thing,if there is too much play in the king or spindle pins,(up and down play), when the car is on the jack and the wheel and stub axle is hanging down,if the brakes are adjusted then,then when you drop the car back on the ground the brakes WILL be tighter ,the play is taken up by shims by the thrust bearing.
Lawrie

Re: wheel bearings
 

Good point on the mech brakes, there, Lawrie. I would not have thought of that (never ran mech brakes).

1934: Jack the front up and adjust the brakes properly, until only a slight drag can be felt. You MUST tighten the rear nuts a lot tighter than 80 lbs, That is asking for cracked axles. Take a good 3ft bar and lean on it hard.

Mart.

Re: wheel bearings
 

After driving the car for a while, re-tighten the rear axle nut to 200 ft. lbs. the key is the only thing you are using to drive the wheel, if they are not adjusted to spec. On the front check the bearings for rough spots, if they are in good shape do as the others suggested, tighten them, back off to next slot for cotter pin, good luck. Al

Re: wheel bearings
 

Thanks for all your advice, guys. I really learned a lot from this episode! My torque wrench only goes to 100 lbs. so I did it to max then tightened some more with the cheater bar. I'm probably around 125 to 150 lbs. now but will get a bigger torque wrench and make sure to get up around 200. As for the fronts, I've snugged up the bearings and backed off the brakes 3 clicks. Only had time to drive it about 15 miles but the drums are running cooler now. I guess, as Lawrie said, the bearing adjustment affected the brakes so they were too tight.
Thanks again, Doug.

Re: wheel bearings
 

I work with a lot of different bearing applications and have found a person has to be somewhat specific when temps are up. It's not uncommon for bearings to get as high as 180 * F and especially when they are new. If you grab something that is that hot, you will get burned if you stay with it for more than 2 to 3 seconds. Normal bearing temps are around 160 on most types. Bearings like tapered roller Timkens with a higher pre-load will remain high most of there service life but they are usually bathed in gear oil so it helps take some of the heat away. The rear axle wheel bearings on an old Ford are just flat rollers and they tend to run cooler than average with no pre-load. Timken front wheel bearings are tapered rollers and run warmer due to more pre-load even though they don't have all that much. To me, hot is anything over 200* F. Most over temp warning switches are set to go off at 235* F.

Any bearings in brake drum or disk brake hubs will run higher than a lot others due to the brakes plus may get wet due to road conditions. This is why they always recommend a grease just for this purpose. It can take more heat without separation and it tends to work OK if some moisture gets in there.