Torque Value? (wheel bearing)

[Richard]

Waiting for an inner wheel bearing to arrive for my 15' flexwing mower. I already have the outer assembly.

Memory from 40 years ago says:

(after all is assembled correctly and greased up)

1. Tighten to an appropriate torque....
2. BACK the nut off say, 1/2 turn then slide cotter pin through castle nut


I just went through both, the owners AND service manual for my mower. (I get that this is a mower, not an automobile going 100 mph down the hwy)....

Anyway, seems the wheel hubs are supposed to be taken off and evaluated every year! (HA! HOw many do that????!!!!!)

It seems however, they don't give you any installation proceedure. I know I don't want to crank it down and crush things. I can't do anything for several weeks until the bearing assembly arrives..... but absent any good info, I'm thinking put back together. Snug bearing down "fairly firmly" then back off. Well, what does "fairly firmly" mean?

Don't really know.... so I'd liken it to "spark plug" tightness, then back off 1/4 - 1/2 turn.

I'm open to all better ideas! (which is likely most of them!!!)

 

[DJ54]

I always adjust the nut until I feel some drag on the hub while turning to preload the bearing. This should squeeze any grease between rollers & cage. Then back off 1 notch in the castle nut. You can always shake the hub to check for any wobble.

If you want to get technical and have a torque wrench, you could snug the nut to 200 in. lbs. or 17 ft. lbs. while spinning the hub to preload the bearings if you have one that goes that low, then back off 1 notch.

I've never used a torque wrench on implement, or trailer wheels but have on truck rear axles. I guess just 50 years of knowing when to say when snugging for preload.

 

[etpm]

On YouTube are videos from Timken explaining how to adjust tapered wheel bearings. For example:

Eric