Driver Side Rear wheel "play"

[Ron V]

Hi Guys,

Another question now that I have my cooling issues sorted. Taped up 1/2 of both Rads and she is running 170-180 deg Fahrenheit. Very Good.

Now another issue. I was changing my tires/wheels at the track to my race setup. On the Drivers Side Rear(the side that takes a beating given the direction we travel on the track)I notice I have a bit of "play" when I grab the top and bottom of the tire and wiggle it. The other side has none.

Is this normal or do I have a Hub nut working itself loose? The play is small enough to write off as normal bearing wear but I have not been running the car long enough to know one way or another.

How much "play" or "wiggle" is acceptable for the axle bearings?

Thanks for any help guys.

Ron

[Myd]

Firstly I would disconnect the Nic-link, then take the wheel off check to see if it's centre hub that's showing play or the whole upright, if it's the latter I would check if all the spherical end lock nuts are tightened up to the wishbone shoulders. Then give the wishbone to chassis mounting bolts a little nip up.

Can you feel some free play or just hear it?

If you think it's the wheel nut, swap it with the front wheel and compare both.

Edited by Myd on Sunday 19th August 20:19

[Simon T]

Check all the bushes and rod ends, if it's not one of those it's a wheel bearing there should be no play

S

[Ron V]

It is enough play that I can feel it. I will check that corner of the car over again but I have a sneaking suspicion that it is the wheel bearing.

Simon, could it be the nut that holds the axle/hub in is working itself loose or is it a bearing that is going south?? I remenber reading somewhere that if you install the bearings incorrectly it will shorten the bearing life to a few hours. That is exactly where I am at with the car since the full rebuild by the guy I bought the car from.

Thanks for the help guys.

Ron

Edited by Ron V on Sunday 19th August 21:24

[Simon T]

The hub nut should be staked onto the hub, it could be loose but you should e able to see if the nut has movedl but it sounds like the bearing if all the other buses are tight, check th wheel is torqued up too

If its only just been done I'd get the guy who did it to take a look at it.

S

[Ron V]

The guy who did it is 2500km away form me so I don't think that is going to work.

I am going to go over that corner of the car again.

I will post when I figure it out.

Thanks Simon, your help is greatly appreciated.


Ron

[Ron V]

ok, I am 99% sure it is the wheel bearing. If I hold the axle cup just inside the upright and Wiggle the tire from the top and bottom I can feel the play in the axle cup.

Everything else on the car feels tight on that corner.

Now the million dollar question. Can I go out next weekend as is or should I replace it? How do these bearings fail? Catastrophically or will they slowly degrade with each track session.

Like I said, there is very little play right now, just enough I can feel it.

What do you think Simon?

And if I need to replace it, what is the SKF bearing part number for the bearing I need? Or the exact sizing?

Thanks Guys!!!

Ron

[DarcySmith]

Hi

Get somebody to sit in the car and stand on the brakes.

If you lose the play in the wheel,its bearing

Darcy

[Ron V]

Thanks Darcy. I will try that as well but I am pretty sure it is the bearing at this point.

I am going to go out as is and check it hot. See if it is better same or worse.

I will pull the axle out at my shop to check to see if the hub nut has backed off by checking the stake marks. I still don;t totally understand how that nut works but a look in there should make it make some sense.

Thanks!

Ron

[Ron V]

Top mount bolt on the rear upright to A-Arm.........how am I to take that off. Just a wrench or should I use an impact gun........or will the impact gun do damage to the upright?

I just don't want to F anything up.

I really want to go to the track this weekend.

Ron

Edited by Ron V on Tuesday 21st August 02:38

[BioBa]

Just a wrench should do the bolt easily. If it is seized (which is very unlikely) you may use an impact gun to remove it but never use an impact gun to re-install it!

[Simon T]

The hub bearing is an interference fit in the upright and so is the hub in the bearing. (you have to destroy the bearing to get it out)
There is a flange on the outside edge of the upright that stops the earring pulling out
The hub nut prevents the hub from pulling out and also preloads the bearing

If you run the car be careful, once the bearing is on the way our it can fail quickly. I guess whether it's catastrophic or not depends on what happens to the car after it fails

The top mount bolt should come free with a spanner. there are only a few places where you will need to use an impact gun on a Radical, wheel nuts, final drive nuts in diff, Lower front arm to upright. Other than that stick to spanners and sockets, much more sympathetic to the car.

If you get really stuck drop me a mail with your phone number and I'll give you a call

S

[bloberoo]

Just to say is car stable enough when raised to be sure wishbones are not moving? , even with new bushes - worn bolts and sleeves/ collars inside pivot bushes can give a kind of wheel bearing feeling even without much movement detectable by eye, well by my eyes anyway , just a back up if bearing doesnt cure it, caliper off when checking can obv help.

[Ron V]

Thanks Simon.

I have done the hold the brake and check trick. The Play disappears.

It is for sure the wheel bearing. I am going to go out as is and run a 10 Lap session. I am going to check the temperature of the suspect bearing after I come in a compare it to the passenger side temps. That should tell me if the bearing is failing.

I did check it by holding the Front and back of the wheel and there is no play in that direction which would point to a rod end or bushing but with the brakes on there is no play up down or side to side.

It is really the smallest amount of play but there is definitely play.

I'll let you guys know how it turns out after the weekend.

Edited by Ron V on Tuesday 21st August 21:22