Stemco wheel seals

[Hammerhead]

(10-05-2017 )ZeroNthedark Wrote:  Hey Hammer, I just did a complete brake system R&R on my drive axles and didn't have any issues until it came time to do the hubs. Because of time constraints, I reused the old bearings because they didn't look too bad. I've never done them before, so I looked up the manual(Eaton LMS) plus Timken for good measure, and they both called for 300ft/lb on the first nut, without using the metal sleeve. When I asked for 2nd opinion, I get everything from needing to back it off and re-torquing to a lower value to one guy who just uses a 3/4" air gun and had no idea there was an actual torque value on bearings.

What am I missing? How bad did I screw up? When I took everything apart they were barely finger tight, so I'm kind of worried.

Re-using bearings is fine. I re-use bearings all the time, even at the weights I run.
I see no reason to throw out a perfectly good bearing just for fun, that's my money and I'm just like Rawze I like to keep my money!
I inspect the rollers and the races closely, and if my thumbnail can't catch anything, they're fine IMHO, and get re-used. To each their own, but that's what I do and I've never had a bearing failure yet.

As far as the Timken bearings with the tapered spacer cone I have never done one of those myself, so I make NO CLAIMS OF EXPERIENCE on this subject! I hope I'm perfectly clear.
I have watched them being installed, and yes 300 ft/lbs was the torque setting I saw used. I told the mechanic I saw doing it I wouldn't give two shits for half a second, I'd still dial indicator it to verify endplay, but I'm anal. He did and it was right. I know 300 ft/lbs sounds high, but if the spacer is the correct length, you are ONLY clamping the inner races together against the axle race stop, the outer removable taper races are spaced via the prescribed clearance in the hub.
I understand the concept, but...Once again, I have never personally done one of these.
Even with the spacer, I would still verify the endplay.
Just like drivers for the most part ain't what they used to be, mechanics aren't anymore either, so they're making things that can be incorrectly assembled with bad concequences stupid simple as well. They're trying to remove procedure failures from the equation.

However 300ft/lbs WITHOUT the spacer cone is absolutely TOO TIGHT! The spacer cone is what sets the end play, without the spacer cone just follow the ProTorq instructions (if that's the nuts you used) to set and verify the endplay that way. When ProTorq's are adjusted properly and you take them apart a while later, they are barely finger tight on the threads, however the endplay is still in spec. It feels tighter when you first assemble it because there are no wheels attached, and it hasn't "bounced and banged" down the road and you aren't strong enough to simulate that on just the hub and bearings alone.


A spacer and shims with tapered bearings is how all Harley wheels are mounted on the axles. They are shimmed to proper endplay verified by dial indicator, so I can't see why the same principle wouldn't work. (until '02, I haven't touched anything newer)

Bottom line, I would never close off a wheelend on anything without verifying the endplay, too tight or too loose and they will certainly fail prematurely and/or unexpectedly.

If you're unsure, find and follow the part manufacturers procedures correctly, I'm just some jackass spouting crap on the interwebs....

ProTorq's instructions can be found here: http://www.stemco.com/f/qbin/Pro-Torq_Literature.pdf