John,
You are right, it sounds like we are saying to use wing nuts on the front
end but think about it like this:
I recomend to inspect the front suspension, steering & drive every 30K
miles and change the bearings in that process. It would be pretty hard to
wear out a set of bearings in that time but that is part of the point.
If you inspect all components carefully on a frequent basis, it will
probobly not leave you on the road. There is something inherently
unnearving about hearing a clunk and watch the front we\heel take off ahead
of you, ask those that have experianced it!
The only positive way to verify tolerence of the hub & knuckle to the
bearing is to take them apart. If you are going to go that far, it is
cheap insurance to put in new bearings, you would do the seal anyway!
While apart, you can handle the ball joints, control arm bushings, sway
links, tie rods, and other assorted doodads to give you the assurance they
will not fail.
If your ball joints have been replaced, you get a chance to really check
out the infamous mounting bolts that loosen for no aparent reason.
Doing all of this will hopefully keep the hub & knuckle in peechee shape
and avaoid those costly parts.
The front wheels, turn, pull, bounce as well as keep your butt off of the
pavement, I would like to know that they are up for the job, especially in
that I usually eat desert after every meal!
And that's the truth! PPPPTHTHTHTHTT
I do wish the preload could be adjusted more like the rear bearings and
maybe you could call that a design flaw but determining the basic preload
by the center shim is OK as long as it is machined correctly.
Jim Bounds
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>>If you have to change wheel bearings every 25kmi, then quit
>maintaining
>>your maintenance program and let someone qualified have a go.
>
>I'd say a lot of us don't change them every 25K, just inspect and
>repack. I'm not a stakeholder in this discussion, just a student.
>This sounds a little like a workaround for a bearing system design
>that needed a redesign, but by the time they discovered the details,
>the product was discontinued. What do you Sam, and others think?
>
>Regards,
>John 74 Glacier DC GMC
>
>
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