The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Dolomite 1300. My annual "not-MOT" (=Safety Check) advised me to look at front left wheel bearings. I felt the amount of play at the tyres edge to be acceptable; but I have lifted out the outer and cleaned. Seems to me the bearing has rather a lot of movement - mostly up and down, but also some in and out. Can anyone advise me how much is ok please?
Thanks Roger

Could be wear in the stub axle. That causes up/down, but not so much side to side.
The figure for play at the rim is in teh WSM somewhere, but a very small amount, as in the smallest amount I can get with teh castellated nut, is what I use. A friend (retired mechanic) does them up so he has no play. And before anybody says it causes a problem, he did approx 300k in his herald, now 150k on his spitfire, like that. With zero issues. But I amways go for a tiny smidge of play.
I do wonder if the setting up with play was to stop people overtightening them?

Thanks. Got new bearings (Timken) from BearingKing. Remarkable - play barely perceptible.
Old ones came out quite easily, gentle drifting. But to replace -
has anyone tired the oven versus freezer system please?

toryroger wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 1:15 am Thanks. Got new bearings (Timken) from BearingKing. Remarkable - play barely perceptible.
Old ones came out quite easily, gentle drifting. But to replace -
has anyone tired the oven versus freezer system please?

In over 50 years of replacing this kind of taper bearing, i've never done anything BUT gentle tapping/drifting to replace the outer races. I've never cracked a race yet! So long as a modicum of care is used that the drift doesn't slip and scratch the bearing surface, you are good to go.

I once changed out a similar design of front wheel bearing on a 60s Austin Westminster at the side of the road on Salisbury plain on a Sunday evening, armed only with a hammer and a knife and fork (Jack and wheelbrace too, of course, being pedantic!)

Steve

No disrespect to Steve, or anyone else, of course....but my wife was making mincepies - I couldn't resist.....the hub went in the oven for 20 minutes (no idea how hot) and the new cones into the freezer for 10 minutes. They nearly dropped in; just tiny taps with a taper of wood, until they met the seat. The tone of the sound changed as they hit bottom.
Thanks all for advice.