Wheel Bearings

[rocmoc]

How did you guys know your wheel bearings were failing or failed? What sound or signs? How in the heck did you hear it with all the noise the Trooper makes? Curious!

rocmoc n AZ

[Randy]

Mine was easy. The lug nuts wobbled loose and the wheel fell off! Not sure which came first, the bearing failure or the loose lugnuts. Now when I have the wheels in the air to change from paddles to bighorns or back, I try to wobble it. If it shows up as more than just a teeny wobble, then probably a bearing.

Randy

[Guest Lenny]

How did you guys know your wheel bearings were failing or failed? What sound or signs? How in the heck did you hear it with all the noise the Trooper makes? Curious!

rocmoc n AZ

The lugnuts shouldn't have anything to do with the wheel bearing. One can be loose without effecting the other. The best way to check the wheel bearings is to jack up the rear of the and push the wheel in and out on the top side. There should be no play. The stock trooper has play when new in most cases because it's a double ball bearing which can't be adjusted snug like tapered roller bearings as on the front of a car. The stock bearings are totally under specked for the job. Mine also had a bit of play between the bearing outter race and the spindle housing. My new bearings are a medium press in fit. If you replace bearings with what Silverbullet has and it is also a loose fit in the housing, be sure to clean it perfectly and use loctite. You don't want the bearing race spinning in the housing. The OD of the bearing is precise but the housing is slightly overbored by Joyner on some vehicles. Keep in mind that if the large axel nut is loose it will show up as play and should be tightened. I always check mine when I have the wheel off. The nut doesn't really come loose because it's pinned but as the spindle, housing and bearings all settle in and sort of seat themselves, loosness can show up. Sort of like re-torquing your lugnuts after you run them for a while especially in a high stress situation like off road riding. If the bearings are quite loose you can see that the tires will tip in on top more then normal.

Lenny

[Randy]

Lenny,

I have been curious about the cause of my bearing failure. I had supposed that the stress of the wobble with loose lugnuts over the several miles of difficult terrain before the wheel came off either caused or contributed substantially to the failure. Are you saying that it is unrelated? I also run 3" offset (2-5) wheels with my paddle tires - do you think that had more of an effect over time?

Randy

[Guest Lenny]

Mine was easy. The lug nuts wobbled loose and the wheel fell off! Not sure which came first, the bearing failure or the loose lugnuts. Now when I have the wheels in the air to change from paddles to bighorns or back, I try to wobble it. If it shows up as more than just a teeny wobble, then probably a bearing.

Randy

Besure you put the lugnuts on quite tight or they will loosen. Always put oil on the threads and inside the nut before assembly and they will stay tighter. A dry nut when tightened only converts about 40% to 45% of the torquing force into clamping force against the rim. A lubercated nut and threaded shaft will transmits about 80%-85% of the torque into clamping force. The tighter it's clamped, the less movement that is possible and the less chance of comming loose. My problem with a wheel falling off is different. With attention deficiet, If I don't consiously tighten the lugnuts all the way but instead go to the other side first with the idea of comming back to torque everything at once, while my mind ventures off to the next project and it never does get tightened. I have to be deliberately consious of where I set tools down and make notes if I leave something to do that I put off for 15 minutes later. It's really not a curse, actually it helps me a lot. When I sit down to think how I want to do something, my mind sort of stays scattered for a bit. I come up with an idea then think wait, how about doing it this way, no wait again could do it this way too. While this goes on and on for a quite a while sometimes but when I'm done I usually pick from a larger number of possible ways then most people and the more ways you have to pick from the better the chance of the one you pick being good. Attention deficiet people arn't smarter, they just wallow around in the mud longer.

Lenny

[Quig]

Hi Lenny,, I'm going to change rear wheel bearings,"they have little wobble" Front seems ok,? Do you think it's worth it, just change them all to be safe? Thanks for your help,,,Quig

[Kinarfi]

Besure you put the lugnuts on quite tight or they will loosen. Always put oil on the threads and inside the nut before assembly and they will stay tighter. A dry nut when tightened only converts about 40% to 45% of the torquing force into clamping force against the rim. A lubercated nut and threaded shaft will transmits about 80%-85% of the torque into clamping force. The tighter it's clamped, the less movement that is possible and the less chance of comming loose. My problem with a wheel falling off is different. With attention deficiet, If I don't consiously tighten the lugnuts all the way but instead go to the other side first with the idea of comming back to torque everything at once, while my mind ventures off to the next project and it never does get tightened. I have to be deliberately consious of where I set tools down and make notes if I leave something to do that I put off for 15 minutes later. It's really not a curse, actually it helps me a lot. When I sit down to think how I want to do something, my mind sort of stays scattered for a bit. I come up with an idea then think wait, how about doing it this way, no wait again could do it this way too. While this goes on and on for a quite a while sometimes but when I'm done I usually pick from a larger number of possible ways then most people and the more ways you have to pick from the better the chance of the one you pick being good. Attention deficiet people arn't smarter, they just wallow around in the mud longer.

Lenny

When it comes to lug nuts, I AM NOT DONE UNTIL I TORQUE EACH ONE WITH MY TORQUE WRENCH, 100 FT LB. + OR -

Have your read this lately?

Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

I have recently been diagnosed with Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder (AAADD). This is how it goes ...

I decide to wash the car, start toward the garage and notice the mail on the table.

OK, I'm going to wash the car...

BUT FIRST I'm going to go through the mail. Lay car keys down on desk. After discarding the junk mail, I notice the trash can is full. OK, I'll just put the bills on my desk....

BUT FIRST I'll take the trash out, but since I'm going to be near the mailbox, I'll address a few bills.... Yes, Now where is the checkbook? Oops... there's only one check left. Where did I put the extra checks? Oh, there's my empty plastic cup from last night on my desk. I'm going to look for those checks...

BUT FIRST I need to put the cup back in the kitchen. I head for the kitchen, look out the window, notice the flowers need a drink of water, I put the cup on the counter and there's my extra pair of glasses on the kitchen counter. What are they doing here? I'll just put them away...

BUT FIRST need to water those plants. I head for the door and... Aaaagh! Someone left the TV remote in the wrong spot. Okay, I'll put the remote away and water the plants...

BUT FIRST I need to find those checks.

END OF DAY: car not washed, bills still unpaid, cup still in the sink, checkbook still has only one check left, lost my car keys; and, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm baffled because... I KNOW I WAS BUSY ALL DAY! I realize this condition is serious...

I'd get help...

BUT FIRST...

I think I'll check my e-mail!

And having gremlins in the garage doesn't help either!!!! But at least I am amused the games they play with me, it's be amused or get pissed off and that wastes time and energy

Kinarfi

[Quig]

Hey, I'm glad it's not just me!! I have similar problems.. I now have figured out why they say old,, or "some" people can hide their own easter eggs,!! I qualify for that.. lmao

[Guest Lenny]

Hi Lenny,, I'm going to change rear wheel bearings,"they have little wobble" Front seems ok,? Do you think it's worth it, just change them all to be safe? Thanks for your help,,,Quig

If you have just a bit of wobble I would just keep an eye on it. If your getting say 1/4" of back and forth play at the top, I would think about replacement or watch them extra close. Once they are this loose, they will start to go faster. If they were to totally fail, it could do some costly damage.

Lenny

[rocmoc]

WELL, and a deep one! Looks like the left bearing is going, nearly 1/2 of my neg camber is because of the bearing. The right side is not at bad only about 1/4 of the neg camber is caused by the bearing. Needless to say looks like I am now tearing down the swing arms.

Rick, TOO much work now. Still waiting for trailer parts for the suspension rebuild, shocks and now the rear bearing. The left one is too loose to chance an outing so I don't believe there is anyway to make the 10th.

Lenny, when could you be ready to meet Rick and me at Lake Havasu?

rocmoc n AZ

[Guest Lenny]

WELL, and a deep one! Looks like the left bearing is going, nearly 1/2 of my neg camber is because of the bearing. The right side is not at bad only about 1/4 of the neg camber is caused by the bearing. Needless to say looks like I am now tearing down the swing arms.

Rick, TOO much work now. Still waiting for trailer parts for the suspension rebuild, shocks and now the rear bearing. The left one is too loose to chance an outing so I don't believe there is anyway to make the 10th.

Lenny, when could you be ready to meet Rick and me at Lake Havasu?

rocmoc n AZ

I should be finished with the computer install in about a week. The question is and the intimidating part is, is it going to start and how long is it going to take to get it running reasonable. I'm completely in new territory but it shouldn't be too bad. I should know in a couple of weeks. I sure would like to meet up. I'll keep you informed

Lenny

[Quig]

Hi Lenny, what happened, hadn't heard your computer was bad, or you just upgrading? Or none of my business,, lol,,Quig

[ricksrb]

WELL, and a deep one! Looks like the left bearing is going, nearly 1/2 of my neg camber is because of the bearing. The right side is not at bad only about 1/4 of the neg camber is caused by the bearing. Needless to say looks like I am now tearing down the swing arms.

Rick, TOO much work now. Still waiting for trailer parts for the suspension rebuild, shocks and now the rear bearing. The left one is too loose to chance an outing so I don't believe there is anyway to make the 10th.

Lenny, when could you be ready to meet Rick and me at Lake Havasu?

rocmoc n AZ

Really sorry to hear that.Are you still planning the Yuma trip on the 14th? Let me know what dates for LH or anywhere else as long as its over a weekend and I can work on taking a Friday or Monday off.

[rocmoc]

Rick, All depends on parts arriving. One of the problems of living in the sticks. Everything has to be shipped. I will let you know the moment parts arrive. Sure sorry about pulling your chain on the time frame. Also Lenny may be ready.

rocmoc n AZ

[rocmoc]

Lenny, tried to leave you a PM. Will try to email you thu regular email.

rocmoc n AZ

[ricksrb]

Rick, All depends on parts arriving. One of the problems of living in the sticks. Everything has to be shipped. I will let you know the moment parts arrive. Sure sorry about pulling your chain on the time frame. Also Lenny may be ready.

rocmoc n AZ

No problem.Be nice to meet Lenny also if he could make it.Maybe better time frame for some others to join us also.

[Guest Lenny]

Hi Lenny, what happened, hadn't heard your computer was bad, or you just upgrading? Or none of my business,, lol,,Quig

My computer is working fine. I'm changing it to a stand alone computer (Megasquirt) because the stock computer won't keep up with my supercharger. Haven't been able to get It running right on the stock computer.

Lenny

[Quig]

My computer is working fine. I'm changing it to a stand alone computer (Megasquirt) because the stock computer won't keep up with my supercharger. Haven't been able to get It running right on the stock computer.

Lenny

Nice, keep us up on progress,,, I live in this forum,,,, lol

[plumber]

I just received my wheel bearing from silverbullet man that's a nice looking wheel bearing