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Old 08-02-2004, 10:48 AM
MB, love..hate..love..
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: NB Canada
Posts: 1,173
Wheel bearing adjustment with dial indicator

I heard the proverbial 'humming' sound from the right front wheel, like the sound you get going over a steel grid bridge deck, and had to replace the right wheel bearing. Thanks to the many posts on this subject, I was able to complete the operation without much hassle.
The bearing failed, I think, due to my own inexperience with adjustment (I had replaced both front bearings about 3 years ago) and the grease I used (Valvoline wheel bearing grease). I don't think regular wheel bearing grease repels water very well, nor is able to withstand high temperatures. I believe, from examining the rollers, that water got in and corrosion ate good chunks out of half of them! The car is stored most of the year, and only sees high speed road use once or twice in summer.
Not to repeat the same mistakes, I called the nearest dealer (none in my city) and he advised using 'any good synthetic' grease. I chose a product available locally, PC-1000 http://www.prolab-technologies.com/contenu/produitsIndusDetail_ang.cfm?noFicheProduit=53
Anyway, setting the correct play took awhile, actually 2 attempts on 2 separate evenings. I went back in and double checked, and I'm glad I did. I don't have a dial indicator in millimeters, and the shop manual calls for '0,01 to 0,02' mm, which I believe is .01 - .02 in NA notation. That puts the play at about .0005 inches, which corresponds nicely with the index on my indicator.
Folllowing the manual, I preloaded the indicator to about 2 mm, then set it up as shown in the picture. I added a clamp to hold the rotor from turning as I push/pulled the hub to check play. The clamp is light, so the force of pushing and pulling easily overcomes its tension.
It took several tries, and I had to readjust after tightening the clamp nut down (backing it off, resetting the big nut, tighten and try again until right). 5 ten thousands of an inch is mighty small!
So we just got back from our vacation, and the left wheel (with the 3 yr old bearing job) is covered in an oily film and brake dust, which I take to be the Valvoline grease spun out of the hub from heat and compression, given that I probably put too much in there too. This time, I carefully measured 60 grams of grease on a postage scale, putting 45 in the bearings and 15 in the dust cap, aproximately.
I'll repack the left bearings this week, or replace if they look iffy.
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Last edited by donbryce; 08-02-2004 at 11:14 AM.
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