I have always fitted rear hub ball bearings, but i just got 2 taper kits.

My question is - Do i leave out the spacer and gently set the preload like a common car or leave the spacer in and torque it like normal?

Thanks in advance

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Dean Hutton's first car was a Mini.

Leave the spacer in and torque as normal. Spacer should come with kit.

Don't use the old spacer, use the one in the Timken bearing kit.
Some rear Timkens now come with 1/2 a `spacer' width added to each bearing, these don't use a separate one.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I just put Timkens in the rear of my car, each bearing half has an integrated spacer. Even so, the preload was wrong when assembled dry -- they wanted to bind up when torqued correctly. I had to use a 3 or 5 thou shim (I only had balljoint shims handy, so they went in) to get them right.

This is the third set of rear taper bearings I've put in in as many years (although the first genuine Timkens) so with any luck these ones will last...

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

I have always wondered how standard Timken tapered rollers (ie not a `matched set' would go in the rear with NO spacer fitted, just adjust as you would for the front hubs of (say) a Holden. ie. do em up finger tight and put the pin in?
Unlike the fronts which have CVs, there is really no need for the whole assembly to be torqued up solid- as it is not transmitting any power through the (stationary) shaft.
Excessive preload in the back is worse than NO preload, IMO. It buggers bearings real quick.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I see no problem with adjusting them via preload, and not torque. Most wheel bearings for non driven axles are like this

I wouldnt worry about shims but there should be a spacer of some kind. still just go by preload though.

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The fleet:
1949 Fiat Topolino
1965 Morris 1100
1966 Mini Van (project)
19?? Morris 1500 (for sale)
1979 Chrysler Regal
1990 FSM Niki

So with the bearings with an integrated spacer, how do you set the preload when the spacers are too small, causing too much preload on the bearings when torqued up!?



I can attest to that, I reckon that's been the reason I've gone through so many sets in the past few years -- I've used integrated-spacer types each time and trusted that they resulted in the correct preload when assembled. Obviously not....

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

dont torque them up. just put a spanner on the nut and tighten it until you start to feel the bearing first start to stiffen up slightly (turn the hub while youre doing it to feel it) line the nut up with the next hole (should be two holes in the stub axle so it'll always be close to one of them) then whack a split pin through and youre done. check for play after you've done a couple of hundred k's if you dont trust this method, but I havent had any problems.

perhapse preload was the wrong word to use.

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The fleet:
1949 Fiat Topolino
1965 Morris 1100
1966 Mini Van (project)
19?? Morris 1500 (for sale)
1979 Chrysler Regal
1990 FSM Niki

Call me a belts-n-braces type if you will, but I reckon I'd feel more secure knowing I had 60 ft-lb's on the hub nut and correct preload myself, rather than relying on the (likely Chinese rice noodle) split pin to keep my arse out of the trees

[edit] Added to that, I wouldn't offer that advise to others on a forum without having banked years of experience (read: survival) doing it that way either...

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

taper rollers push outwards from the middle, I dont see them meeting in the middle being a huge issue so long as the rollers are seated in the correct position on their races (no slack) and not being crushed (not overtightened).

ball bearings are a different story, they need their races to be held in place from both sides.

in any case, the nut is designed so that if the split pin breaks it will just overtighten itself (left hand thread on the left side), but the split pin is just to stop tightening from vibration combined with the influence of the direction the wheel is turning, theres no torsional load on it.. if it breaks you already had problems.

_________________
The fleet:
1949 Fiat Topolino
1965 Morris 1100
1966 Mini Van (project)
19?? Morris 1500 (for sale)
1979 Chrysler Regal
1990 FSM Niki

Well it sounds i could go either way. If they go tight i will just set it gently like a common car, or small aircraft for that matter

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Dean Hutton's first car was a Mini.

yep, looks like it's up to you to choose how you do it:)
I'm gonna bet it'll get too tight, and I recommend doing it gently like a common wheel bearing setup.

I didnt mean to turn this into an argument, sorry about that.. I hadnt thought anyone would object to the method I've always used.

_________________
The fleet:
1949 Fiat Topolino
1965 Morris 1100
1966 Mini Van (project)
19?? Morris 1500 (for sale)
1979 Chrysler Regal
1990 FSM Niki

Sorry to disappoint but you haven't upset me

IMO i beleive an experianced mechanic will be able to set up a bearing by feel just as accurately as with shims.

_________________
Dean Hutton's first car was a Mini.

ah thats good:)
It was an experienced mechanic who showed me how to do it, so yeah, I guess your right:)

_________________
The fleet:
1949 Fiat Topolino
1965 Morris 1100
1966 Mini Van (project)
19?? Morris 1500 (for sale)
1979 Chrysler Regal
1990 FSM Niki