I did not explain the whole issue because I had done so in previous threads. I had been adjusting wheel bearing end play since 1967 on my own vehicles and on the job as a Mechanic. I had no issues adjusting wheel bearings (many years of success) by hand till 2008 when I adjusted the wheel bearing end play by hand on the Mercedes.

I actually already had a dial indicator and knew how to use it but because I used to be a Mechanic I have extensive tools I seldom used (got in an accident and had not been a mechanic for like 8 years) and the indicator was buried somewhere with in them.

I did not want to look for the dial indicator hence I did it by hand and I ended up overheating the hub and roasting the grease. I had to do the job over again but this time did it with the Dial Indicator and zero problems. Zero problems every time I used the dial indicator. That is just me reporting the facts of my experiences.

There is no requirement to listen to me or anyone else on the forum. It is just info to help people decide what they want to do.

If someone ever needs to do the rear wheel bearings the time and labor that it takes to do the job and the expense of the bearings back there I am going to stick my neck out and defiantly recommend following the factory service manual an using a dial indicator. That means learing how to use a dial indicator is a good thing.

There was a member called Dormisson. He worked in an autorepair shop in a what I guess was a manigorl copacity. He had several of his workers adjust the wheel bearing end play on his W123 and checked it with a dial indicator. What he found is that none of the got the same clearance and all were loose beyond spec.
Loose won't overheat and you won't notice that unless it is extremely loose.
Note that Dormisson has severl wikis saved to this forum.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

My recommendation is that if you can get a dial indicator, definitely learn how to use it. I only use a genuine Mercedes-Benz dial indicator when I do wheel bearings. The slightest turn of the spindle nut can make a large difference on the dial indicator.

I cannot imagine doing the rear wheel bearings without one. You have to use a new crush spacer and slowly work against it with a lot of torque until it's just right. If you're slightly too tight, you have to loosen it up and start over again with a new crush spacer. I definitely wouldn't want to just guess at it and have to do it over again.

In contrast, my roommate's 1960 Ford truck is not as precise--I tried adjusting the bearing play with a dial indicator, but it was a joke. There is a castle nut and cotter pin that fits through it and the spindle. One position change of the castle nut can be the difference between so tight the wheel barely turns and slightly loose from side to side. There is really no way to get any kind of precise or even comfortable adjustment out of those.

What I did was insert a washer between the castle nut and bearings on the side where it was a choice between "way too tight" and "way too loose" which brought it into an acceptable middle ground. The other side was fortunately a choice between "so tight the wheel won't turn" and "just about right".

Too tight and the bearings overheat. Too loose and they get jolted around and little bits of metal break off. I like that Mercedes put a free play value on them.

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DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

This happend on my Van when I did it. I would have ended up with it looser then I wanted. What I did was got 2 thicker washers and thinnned one for each side down till I got the clearance I wanted and the Castleated Nut lined up with a cotter pin hole.

I sat and watched TV while I thinned the Washers on a board with some course wet-dry sand paper on it. So the length of time it took was not much of an issue for me.
Note on my van the hub and rotor are all one part; something that I had never scene before.

It could be that some hardware stores have shims that you could buy to put betweem the castalated nut and the washer so you could get your clearance and get the nut liked up with the cotter pin hole.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

When I set the bearing preload (correctly) with a dial indicator, I cannot feel any axial movement by hand. It's tough to do something "by feel" when there is nothing to be felt. By the time any movement can be detected by hand, the clearance will be well in excess of specification.

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When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

Is the tolerance of end play similar in all models, if so does anyone have the -/+ as per WIS.

Changed a few but never really had issues, that said will check with dial gauge when inspecting pads this week.

edit, if doing by hand remove the wheel turning the rotor instead, this makes for a more sensitive adjustment as opposed to rotating a large heavy wheel.

Cheers

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David


1996 Mercedes S124 E300TD - 129k - rolling restoration project -

1998 Mercedes W210 300TD - 118k (assimilated into above vehicle)

It's the same between the W116 and W126, at least. I'd imagine it's the same for all chassis. If I remember correctly, the play should be between 0.01 and 0.02mm--someone correct me if I'm wrong.

__________________
Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

Thanks, it will be interesting to see how close my previous non-gauge attempts have been.

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David


1996 Mercedes S124 E300TD - 129k - rolling restoration project -

1998 Mercedes W210 300TD - 118k (assimilated into above vehicle)

When I replaced the rotors and re packed the bearings I remember being told the bearing nut trick does work so I tried it again and Lo ! .

Like a charm it works ! .

You simply yank the rotors hard, pulling them straight out and the grease seal and inner bearing pop right out .

Remember to use a proper driver or correctly sized piece of pipe to knock the seat back in else you'll distort and ruin it .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Weekend job ahead, just wanted to clarify method of measurement.

Original poster suggests using tightening nut in how to for dial gauge, WIS a bit further down bolt itself and then for another model caliper and rotor.



https://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210-e-class/1337378-photo-diy-wheel-bearing-free-play.html

https://www.benzworld.org/forums/attachments/w210-e-class/437518d1334294516-photo-diy-wheel-bearing-free-play-adjust-wheel-bearing-play.pdf

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David


1996 Mercedes S124 E300TD - 129k - rolling restoration project -

1998 Mercedes W210 300TD - 118k (assimilated into above vehicle)

pondering on which method, the caliper (with pistons retracted) and rotor seem to offer the most amount of play, especially if dial needle is located right to one edge.

Using the bolt/rotor less so I would have thought due to more of a sideways movement across bolt surface.

Rotor/nut, poor due to thread movement, likely to give inconsistent readings plus nut could rotate.

MB may however have intended the above for reasons other than specified.

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David


1996 Mercedes S124 E300TD - 129k - rolling restoration project -

1998 Mercedes W210 300TD - 118k (assimilated into above vehicle)

"Analysis paralysis" can be overcome.

Mount the magnetic base on the rotor.
Place the dial indicator probe on the end of the axle.
Pull the hub assembly axially (evenly) to measure end play. (Do NOT shake the rotor side to side as indicated in post #39.

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When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

Good advice too, pulling evenly on the rotor when adjusted to 0.01 - 0.02mm can translate into 0.01 - 0.06mm with other method.

Adjusting within spec is imperceptible by hand, both mine were way off despite previous attempts.

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David


1996 Mercedes S124 E300TD - 129k - rolling restoration project -

1998 Mercedes W210 300TD - 118k (assimilated into above vehicle)

That's why I have laugh when folks claim that they can adjust bearing preload by "feel." There is nothing to feel. And if you do feel movement, the play is excessive.

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When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

That's why I laugh, folks who are not Journeyman Mechanics talking about things they simply don't under stand .

"That's why I have laugh when folks claim that they can adjust bearing preload by "feel." There is nothing to feel. And if you do feel movement, the play is excessive. "

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I wish I was that good. It would have saved me about $25,000 in tools. I can't do something as simple as changing a flat tire without using a wrench. It is truly impressive that you can do so much by hand.

It would be great if you could post a video or two of you doing things by hand. I would especially like to see a 617 valve adjustment. And maybe a lower ball joint job.

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When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.