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Ok, bought the tools, Timken bearings yadayada. Installed races made sure they were seated. Started with thickest shim in kit, had 0.022 play. Played with shim until I was at 0.003”, took a deep breath, and packed the bearings and put it all together.
“Awesome”, end play now 0.006”....really pissed.
Next day, decide to pull it apart and redo it with the other set of bearings/seals.
So I found a spacer/shim combo that is 0.004” shorter. Put it all together and here I am with 0.006” end play again. Didn’t change?
Gotta be missing something.
Guess I may not be smart enough to do this and should send them out...
I didn’t check the spacers or shims that closely. I did check in several spots and they seemed close (checked on surface plate with caliper). Not sure they were within 5 tenths....
torqued to 120lbft with the install tool, then torqued the nut to 100lbft on flange castle nut (basically following the Duntov instructions I found duntovmotors.com/tech-rear-spindle.php).
Using a dial indicator with mag base on the control arm (Ridetech arm). Per pic attached.
You need to be using a good micrometer, not a caliper, to measure your shims. Get one and measure the shim in 4 places, 90 degrees apart and see what you get. Find a local machine shop and have the parallelism checked/corrected on the spacer.
You need to be using a good micrometer, not a caliper, to measure your shims. Get one and measure the shim in 4 places, 90 degrees apart and see what you get. Find a local machine shop and have the parallelism checked/corrected on the spacer.
Correct, calipers are not accurate enough. They are good for general checks but allow too much flex and readings can be off. The chances of getting one of the common shim kits to dial in close to where they should be are slim. They are just too widely spread in size. The spec is 001-008" at 003 you can push and pull on the axle and feel it move. It will work and if you're ok with it you're done. I don't like endplay like that and dial them in tighter.
The bearings should be washed and seated once new, I would not reuse bearings once they are pressed on the axle. Same if you accidently drop one- replace it.
Every spacer I check out off an axle is out of parallel. The same goes for the axle flanges, I grind them flat as the face that mates to the bearing is usually bad.
Do you need to machine the parts? no, it all depends on what level of build you want.
Rear hub shim issues
