1952 Chevy truck. Upgraded to taper bearings over the winter. After about 100 miles truck drifts and hard to keep in a straight line going down the road. Curves require all the attention available. Last summer the truck drove beautifully, one handed most times. Now there is play in the wheel bearings and castle nut is tight. Won't go any tighter. Put a thicker keeper washer under castle but no difference. Take keeper but completely out no difference. Behind inner bearing is the seal and grease retainer. So the question is. Is there a shim or shims available to put behind inner bearing to hold pressure on the inside or what? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I did the same conversion. There was no shim required. Did you remove and inspect the bearings and races for defects?
The bearings should not have the spindle nut so is tight at all. The nut should be just nearly touching or loose. The wheel will push the bearings out because of the taper. If you have the nut tight, the bearings will lock up and spin on the spindle. You really need to take in all apart and inspect the spindles for wear where the bearings ride.
Where did you get the bearings? Are they Chinese or American made bearings? I would pull them and check their condition as Voodoo Twin said.
I had an F1 axle I had to put in a 1/8" shim behind the bearing adapter. I used a grade 8 washer and made so it was a slip fit over the spindle. Everything else on the front end is tight? Drag link , tie rod or something didn't go bad?
Don't know where these came from, Christmas gift. The drivers side had frozen onto the spindle so I'll be getting new ones anyway. Destroyed it taking getting it off Wouldn't have thought it would be that tight, passenger side came apart easy. Anyone ever gotten these bearings from Motion industries or Bearing Inc? One of them in town, might be better than waiting a week. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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