Rear wheel bearings question

[frankenfester]

So I was installing the lugs in the rear drums and noticed I had some wiggle (when holding the tire at 12 and 6 and then at 9 and 3 o'clock).
My question. I'm gonna go ahead and replace the bearings back there since I've got new wheels and they're under warranty. However the last time I replaced them if I tightened it to where there was No wiggle the drums barely turned without stopping dead after a half second of free spinning.
Do I need to tighten them to where they don't spin freely on the car? Or, keep them as they are (where when the car is raised you can spin them No problem)?
I've had some vibration and whining out of the back end which is why I'm thinking That's the problem.
Any help will be appreciated. As when I follow OEM specs on torque for those nuts It's too tight for the wheel to doing freely.

-James

[william]

With out the wheel for rotating mass yes they shouldnt spin much at all.
And even with the wheel on thy won't just keep free spinning.
After a little driving they lossen up quite a bit.
I always tighten spin tighten spin tighten spin and when i think i have them right ill drive it a few miles then take it home and check em.
Most of the time the stay were they should be but its a good idea to check them.

Although I'm sure there lots of ways to do it i never have any problems with my method.

[frankenfester]

With out the wheel for rotating mass yes they shouldnt spin much at all.
And even with the wheel on thy won't just keep free spinning.
After a little driving they lossen up quite a bit.
I always tighten spin tighten spin tighten spin and when i think i have them right ill drive it a few miles then take it home and check em.
Most of the time the stay were they should be but its a good idea to check them.

Although I'm sure there lots of ways to do it i never have any problems with my method.

Thanks a lot man!


-James

[MasterTec]

Mine was eating up bearings every 8 months or so. I got tired of dealing with it so I bought all new Timken rear bearings and followed the installation procedure EXACTLY.

You'll need a 1/4" torque wrench (preferably one with the indicator not a click-type) that measures in inch pounds, and a 3/8" torque wrench that can measure in foot pounds.

First you need to "seat" the bearing by tightening the nut to 18-22 foot pounds. Then you loosen the nut until you can loosen it by hand.

Then you install one of the lug studs and use the 1/4" torque wrench to see how much torque it takes to spin the wheel (seal drag). Now add 3-4 inch pounds to that number and tighten the nut until it takes that much to spin the wheel (IIRC mine was 7 inch pounds total). At this point make sure there is no bearing play and stake the nut.

In my case I cut notches off of the end of my nuts (to castle them) and I drilled a small hole through the spindles and installed cotter pins. I don't trust staking these. Also if I remove my rear drums for any reason I can simply reinstall the nut to the same position and all is good.

[Flyin4stroke]

Check your spindle if you keep going through bearings. A scored spindle will eat bearings.

[Bert]

Luckily rear wheels is not a science. Long ago I gave up being precise and torqued them up tight too much and then loosened them off until the wheel could be turned by hand. Then drove for a day or two and repeated the procedure. It's been 3 years since the last time I tangled with rear bearings (despite having replacing them down to an art which required only 1/2 hour in between driving assignments to do a complete set). Front wheels is a whole other business and I trust you had some luck in getting that rectified. Those 'black art' spacers are the primary reason the JYs are chock full of otherwise usable Rios that people have given up on and why Festys and Aspires left the roads well in advance of being truly ruined.
But I did personally notice that you're one of those superficial folks that have no problem investing in expensive/fashionable rims that are worth more than a car and yet baulk at $25 shipping charges for mostly free-to-a-good-home front hubs. Those rims will be worth nothing a few years down the road but a car with good bearings up front will pay for itself a dozen times over the same period.

[frankenfester]

Mine isn't going through bearings, I Just noticed when I was installing the lug conversion kit I had some wiggle with the tire on.
That was using the method as spelled out in that long post Just previous. I followed my own method which involved a torque wrench and they're Just fine now.
New timkens on both sides in the rear and timkens wheel seals. As well as mobil1 synthetic grease (the red stuff) No wiggle. No whining even at high speed (like there was). I prefer stake nuts as I don't feel like taking the time to Tap out a hole and grind my nuts. I have a spare spindle with the hole and castle nut, Just don't feel like messing with frozen bolts to replace the existing ones.

Thanks for all the help guys.

-James

[Flyin4stroke]

Luckily rear wheels is not a science. Long ago I gave up being precise and torqued them up tight too much and then loosened them off until the wheel could be turned by hand. Then drove for a day or two and repeated the procedure. It's been 3 years since the last time I tangled with rear bearings (despite having replacing them down to an art which required only 1/2 hour in between driving assignments to do a complete set). Front wheels is a whole other business and I trust you had some luck in getting that rectified. Those 'black art' spacers are the primary reason the JYs are chock full of otherwise usable Rios that people have given up on and why Festys and Aspires left the roads well in advance of being truly ruined.
But I did personally notice that you're one of those superficial folks that have no problem investing in expensive/fashionable rims that are worth more than a car and yet baulk at $25 shipping charges for mostly free-to-a-good-home front hubs. Those rims will be worth nothing a few years down the road but a car with good bearings up front will pay for itself a dozen times over the same period.

Aspire doesn't use the same hub assembly. You can change the bearings easily without a press and spacer issue. I believe it's the same for the rio's but I don't have rio's so it's speculation.

[WmWatt]

Here's what I did.
See photo #25 for tightening...

https://www.photobucket.com/Festiva-backwheel

[Bert]

Aspire doesn't use the same hub assembly. You can change the bearings easily without a press and spacer issue. I believe it's the same for the rio's but I don't have rio's so it's speculation.

Huh? Festys/Aspires and Rios use the same archaic spacer arrangement in the front hubs. Where Aspire/Rios really shine is the ability to change their ventilated rotors without having to pull the hubs.

[Prafeston]

Here's what I did.
See photo #25 for tightening...
www.photobucket.com/Festiva-backwheel

Good write up with pics!