Every week I seem to get onto something. Maybe it is boredom. This week it is getting zero play in the front wheels. Normally most just tighten up the castle nut in the front wheel bearings and back off to the first available spot for the cotter key. This is not good enough. I jacked each side up and did this then checked play by grapping the wheel at 12 and 6 oclock and the play is too much. An article from a big block from hell is really good on setting up the front wheel bearings. I did this. While spinning in the direction of rotation tighten with a torque wrench to 15 foot pounds, then back off and retighten while rotating to 50 or 60 inch lbs. One of my castle nuts allowed the cotter pin to be installed and that wheel felt like it had zero play, at least nothing that I could detect. The other wheel of course the castle nut didn't line up so I increased the tightness a little then installed the cotter pin.
I took it for a high speed run and when I got home checked the bearing temperature. One was fine but the overtightened one was hot. According to the article you need to get a few valve spring shims and use them to shim the castle nut so it arrives at 50-60 inch pounds at the same time as the cotter pin lines up.
I had a whole pile of shims but I can not find a single one. Must have loaned them out.
Anyway is makes a difference in how the front end feels at least while jacked up. It should also help with air pumping in the brakes.
We shim our rotors to get mininum play but forget the wheel bearings that can introduce even more play.
Just something to think about. :) Have a nice day.

 

Mr. NorvalWilhelm,

I've been using 20 ft-lbs to seat the bearing, then 20 inch-lbs to set the cotter pin.

What kind of hi-speed run did you do? And would you expect to have a similar heat problem if your hi-speed was "only" 70 mph or so?

 

You seem to have the adjustment down right. I was from the old school of just tightening then backing off and that is wrong. After reading the Big Block from hell and going out and jacking the car up I found out how wrong it is. I shim my rotors for a few thou runout at most and leave bearings at more then .010 play. This doesn't make sense so I am on a kick to remove all play.
By high speed I only mean cruising at 80 mph for about 10 miles then getting out and feel each bearing. One was hot and the other felt normal. I will redo the hot one with the valve spring shims and torquing to 50 or 60 inch pounds.