Wheel Bearing Installation Concern/Issue
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 364
Likes: 103
From: Atlanta
Wheel Bearing Installation Concern/Issue
Hey guys,
I am in the process of installing rebuilt wheel bearing assemblies and Global West offset trailing arms on my 1980 4-speed.
The rebuilt bearing manufacturer installed knurled studs holding the assembly together so the only thing I have to do is use supplied nuts to bolt the assembly to the trailing arms; whereas the stock setup has bolts going through the trailing arm into the bearing assembly. The rebuilder says that all I have to do to install the assembly is remove the spindle flange, slide the studs through the trailing arm, and install the nuts before reinstalling the spindle flange.
My concern is that is the process of test fitting everything I noticed that the studs were only long enough to engage about 3/4 of the threads in the nut. After diving in further, I looked in the gaps and noticed that you could clearly at least 2mm of knurling on all of the studs and the head of the stud was not pressed in flush.
Common sense would be to tighten the nut to pull the stud through, but I am concerned about stripping the nuts or damaging the stud threads.
What advice do you guys have? I know I could pull everything and press in the studs, but the whole point of buying the rebuilt assemblies was to not have to worry about installing everything...
I am in the process of installing rebuilt wheel bearing assemblies and Global West offset trailing arms on my 1980 4-speed.
The rebuilt bearing manufacturer installed knurled studs holding the assembly together so the only thing I have to do is use supplied nuts to bolt the assembly to the trailing arms; whereas the stock setup has bolts going through the trailing arm into the bearing assembly. The rebuilder says that all I have to do to install the assembly is remove the spindle flange, slide the studs through the trailing arm, and install the nuts before reinstalling the spindle flange.
My concern is that is the process of test fitting everything I noticed that the studs were only long enough to engage about 3/4 of the threads in the nut. After diving in further, I looked in the gaps and noticed that you could clearly at least 2mm of knurling on all of the studs and the head of the stud was not pressed in flush.
Common sense would be to tighten the nut to pull the stud through, but I am concerned about stripping the nuts or damaging the stud threads.
What advice do you guys have? I know I could pull everything and press in the studs, but the whole point of buying the rebuilt assemblies was to not have to worry about installing everything...
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,706
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
If it were me, I’d do 1 of 2 things:
1). I’d call the manufacturer. Seems a little odd and these are a little expensive to wreck
or
2). Get a grade 8 nut or two and a small stack of washers and pull them through like you suggested. Just stay away from the end threads
1). I’d call the manufacturer. Seems a little odd and these are a little expensive to wreck
or
2). Get a grade 8 nut or two and a small stack of washers and pull them through like you suggested. Just stay away from the end threads
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,175
Likes: 3,989
From: Connecticut, USA
The bearing support has to sit flat on the arm and be bolted in place. GW arms didn't come with the common 3/8-24 studs GM and other arm companies use. They had 7/16 plain grade 8 hex bolts in the arms I built. I wasn't impressed by them for the money they cost, but that's me. I prefer to build arms with the studs pressed into the arms.
