Just when I thought I was out.....

[Dan W]

.....they pull me back in.

So I finally finished my epic front axle service and 'thought' I'd finished, but now my front hubs are getting pretty toasty.
Now I'm not sure how warm they're supposed to get as I didn't often fondle my wheel nuts after driving, however now they're getting to the point where they're too hot to touch.
I installed new bearings and followed Julian's method for applying preload and everything turned easily and smoothly and was within the tolerances described in the guide.
I thought it was possibly the brakes but I've done about thirty miles since it was done and the issue persists.
Any ideas?

 

[clivehorridge]

Hi Dan, what a PITA! I'm sure Chris will be along soon with some real innovative ideas, but starting with the basics, have you jacked up one front wheel at a time to check they still rotate freely?

A binding caliper would cause it, but unlikely to be both sides at the same time. I don't fondle my nuts too much either, so I can't advise on what's normal, but I've just made an exception and had a feel of mine after 30 minutes of city driving and they're the high side of warm, nothing that would ring any alarm bells.

Hope you get the bottom of this soon.

 

[karl webster]

I'd guess bearings are too tight mate. They may free of a little with using it. Whenever I do bearings I always keep checking them by jacking the car up. I always check bearings every time the jacks out regardless wether they are new or not.

 

[pberrey]

I've not done the bearings on mine yet but this is the technique I've used on LRs and I've done *plenty* of those...

Do them up pretty tight, don't by shy but don't try and crush the bearing either. Then back it right off. Now do it up again and you will notice the bar goes around a lot more. Do the tighten/release a few times until it settles down to tightening at the approximately same amount of rotation and then set the final torque. I think that was 17ft/lb on a 52mm LR bearing so a 54mm Toyota one isn't going to be miles out and I would err on the side of tighter rather than looser. You should be able to spin the brake disc about half to three quarters of a turn by hand. Use a socket and a torque wrench if you aren't sure. Check the for top to bottom play after 100 miles.

I tend to pack them with loads of grease hence the tighten/slacken procedure. If you use less grease you might not need to do that but you want plenty of grease in your bearings. Period.

It's an easy job to get right and the best intro to learning 4x4 maintenance in my opinion.

Rgds.
Paul


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Too tight or not enough grease, you did grease the new bearings thoroughly?

 

[frank rabbets]

Spring balance on the wheel stud at right angles to the centre after calliper has been taken off. Weight should read 6-12 lbs AFTER the hub has started turning. Check heat after 6 miles without having used the brakes. Should be slightly warm only.

 

[Dan W]

Hi guys, thanks for all the replies.
I've jacked it up and each wheel still turns freely. I thought it could have been the brakes because I got in a kerfuddle and put the pads in the opposite side to how they came out (I was tired okay!), so thought it might take them a while to bed back in again.
I will check the bearing preloads again then in case I've done them too tight. I was checking them with the string and fish scale method, is that acceptable? It took 14lbs to get the hub to turn and then about 8 lbs to keep it turning, this was same on both sides. Was that correct?
And finally, I think I greased the bearings properly. I have a little cone shaped device that you sandwich the bearing between and then use a grease gun to force grease through the rollers, and then I had a go at filling them by hand as well. I filled the hubs with grease to the depth of the bearings leaving a little hole for the end of the driveshaft to come through.

However, the way I'm going to work has quite alot of 50mph roads which stop and start regularly so maybe it is normal? I went a different way to work which is slower speed but the same distance and they weren't nearly as warm.
I'm not sure what's normal, I really ought to start fondling my nuts more.

 

[frank rabbets]

Sorry Dan I forgot to mention to take the cones and hub end off so you are just testing the hub itself. Your figures however are similar to mine. Perhaps take it for a long run using the gearbox to slow down if necessary.