Wheel Bearing: Adjustments

Fig. 1 Wheel Bearing Adjustment:

Fig. 2 Staking Wheel Bearing Adjusting Nut:

1. Block front wheels, then raise and support rear of vehicle.
2. Remove wheel and tire assembly.
3. Ensure parking brake is fully released, then remove grease cap and raise staked portion of wheel bearing adjusting nut using a suitable chisel.
4. Remove wheel bearing adjusting nut and discard. To loosen adjusting nut on left hand side of vehicle, turn nut counterclockwise. To loosen adjusting nut on right hand side of vehicle, turn nut clockwise.
5. Position replacement adjusting nut on spindle, then torque nut to 18.1 to 21.7 ft. lbs., while rotating brake drum to seat bearings.
6. Loosen locknut slightly, so that nut can be rotated by hand.
7. Install lug nut on stud, then position stud at 12 o'clock position. Using an inch torque wrench on lug nut, measure and record amount of force required to start rotation of brake drum, Fig. 1. This measurement is seal drag.
8. To determine preload setting, add the required amount of preload, which is 1.3 to 4.3 inch lbs., to the seal drag reading obtained in step 7.
9. Tighten wheel bearing adjusting nut slightly, then using inch lb. torque wrench as described in step 7, measure wheel bearing preload. Continue to tighten wheel bearing adjusting nut a little at a time until wheel bearing preload determined in step 8 is obtained.
10. After proper preload setting has been obtained, stake wheel bearing adjusting nut, Fig. 2. If nut is damaged during staking, it must be replaced.
11. Install grease cap, then install wheel and tire assembly.