Wheel bearing?

Im not sure where to go with this. I just finished replacing the inner and outer bearings and races as well as the grease seals.

The issue that prompted this was the fact that if the top of my wheel was puahed on it would shift and "click". After doing the above it still have the problem.

Is it possible the hub just didnt seat properly? Does it need to be tightened down more?

(FoghornLeghorn) I say I say that's a ball joint problem son! (/FoghornLeghorn)

With hand packed bearings you want to crank the nut down to 50 ft/lbs or so, then back it off and set the preload. Also make sure to put enough extra grease in there to fill about half of the air space in the hub.

Javelin wrote: (FoghornLeghorn) I say I say that's a *ball joint* problem son! (/FoghornLeghorn)

I agree with this, but it could also be a bushing depending on the vehicle. My daughter and I just did inner and outer upper arm bushings on the rear of her Thunderbird SC for that same symptom.

In reply to BrokenYugo:

I only cranked it to 22 ft/lbs as per the factory manual. Thought that sounded light.

22 should be fine, you just want to put it on tight before you back it off to set the drag, that step just ensures everything is seated properly.

In reply to Toyman01:

The bushings were all replaced with poly a little more than a year ago.

I presume this is a normal, average, everyday RWD car with good old tapered roller bearings, a castellated nut and a cotter pin.

Not unusual at all to have a wee bit of movement on an older spindle, even with the bearings adjusted properly. It is my opinion that if you look close enough, you will find the spindle is a wee bit out of round. Most of the time, you will have movement in the "ball joint checking" position, but not in the "tie rod end checking" position. I've seen it a million times.

In reply to Streetwiseguy:

Care to explain on the positions?

Its on a rwd car with front macphearson struts.

Fitzauto wrote: In reply to Toyman01: The bushings were all replaced with poly a little more than a year ago.

The bushings we replaced in the T-bird were 18 month old Moog parts. I wasn't real happy about doing it again.

In reply to Toyman01:

I would be pissed if my bushings were already bad.

In reply to Fitzauto: Top and bottom will give you motion, front and rear less.

You need a second person to look for the motion. Its hard to see where the movement is coming from when you are creating the motion.

Fitzauto wrote: In reply to Streetwiseguy: Care to explain on the positions? Its on a rwd car with front macphearson struts.

He's saying there will be some play with hand packed bearings with the wheel off the ground since there is always a little slop between the inner races (especially the outer one) and spindle stub and very little preload on the bearings to keep it from moving (nut should only be finger tight).

I had movement/noise on my Fairmont (Fox Chassis, just like a '93 Mustang). It turned out that the top bushing in the strut was shot.

My wheel bearing tightening procedure is: While spinning the rotor, tighten to 25 ft-lbs. Let rotor stop. Loosen nut, and make as tight as you can with the socket in your hand. Make sure the rotor (or hub) doesn't turn from the time you loosen the nut until you tighten it again. If it does, start over.

Also, I have never put extra grease in the hub, and I have never lost a wheel bearing.

In reply to snailmont5oh:

SKF says to add grease, so I add grease.

http://www.skf.com/binary/79-61236/457809.pdf

Turns out my balljoints were bad. berkeley.

I guess Javelin gets to say 'told ya so'.

Fitzauto wrote: Turns out my balljoints were bad. berkeley.

I have said that exact same phrase on 2 vehicles since the beginning of the year. One I only noticed AFTER I spent a weekend doing springs, tie rods, and caster-camber plates. The other one might get started this weekend. maybe. It's such a PITA.