need some help. i just replaced the spindles and hubs on my ranger trail trailer. i have read about 10 diff articles about how to tighten the retaining nut, but seems that they all say different things. am i suppose to have no freeplay wobble with tire installed, or very slight freeplay wobble?. right now i have it set where the is no freeplay. if i back the nut off to the next cotter pin position it has a little freeplay in the tire. which is correct. i just want to make sure…dont want to burn up the bearings, or on the other hand prematurley wear tires out.
No expert but have had to replace several recently. I’d rather have just a little play than too tight. Hard for me to describe exactly how I do it. But I usually tighten it up pretty good using a wrench a few times and spin the tire. To me this seats everything, gets the grease spread out, etc.
Then I back it off and retighten a few times by hand or lightly with wrench and try to find where it wants to stop without having to torque it down. I will say I recently put a whole new set on and it was running a little hot (15-20 degrees higher than other side). Backed the nut off just a touch and now it runs same temp as the other side.
Look forward to hearing from the experts on this though.
The wheel should spin freely. If you tighten to the point that the bearings are getting pinched that is the recipe for heat at higher speeds. Heat is the enemy. Tighten until the bearings pinch and the wheel begins to see some friction. Then, back off to the next available cotter pin slot.
17’ Henry O Hornet
26’ Palmer Scott
Tighten it down until you know it is fully seated. Then back the nut out to the next hole and place the cotter pin in. If the wheel spins freely… you are set. Install Bearing Buddies. Give a shot a grease before every trip or once a month. Why not?
if i back them off just a hair to next cotter pin slot they spin a little more freely, but if i grasp the outter edges of tire i can feel a little side to side and up and down play. is that ok?
2005 Ranger Cayman 191
quote:Long as you cranked the nut down one good time. I doubt you have the strength to over tighten the hub nut.
Originally posted by ranger_stevoif i back them off just a hair to next cotter pin slot they spin a little more freely, but if i grasp the outter edges of tire i can feel a little side to side and up and down play. is that ok?
2005 Ranger Cayman 191
You will necessarily end up with a little play b/c you are loosening the nut to get the cotter key slot to line up. Like Bigger said, seat eveything down well. Tighten the nut to seat all the parts against each other…to the point that it begins tobind/pinch the bearings. Then back off to the next cotter key slot. I’d be more worried about to tight than too loose. The bearing races are wide enough to handle a little play. And, if you tighten then down to the point the are binding(wheel not spinning freely), then the first few miles you drive will deform rollers in your bearings…instant wear and particulates permanently mixed in your grease = accelerated wear.
I’m no expert, but that’s what I’ve read and been taught. Repacked a bunch of hubs and they seem to do fine. Dragging my HenryO around on 30 year old hubs that are going strong.
17’ Henry O Hornet
26’ Palmer Scott