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Play or no play, that is the question ?


thebishbus

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Could anyone tell me if my 2001 Hymer B584 Ducato 14 should have any detectable play in the front wheel bearings. It has 2 taper roller bearings and a spacer between them per hub. There are 18 spacers available, but less than 1mm width difference between them. My question is , should I use a spacer that gives no detectable play, or one that gives just detectable play . Over the last 4 MOT's some testers have advised about this detectable play and some have not. I have always thought that taper roller bearings should not be pre-loaded. Advise needed before I replace them please,

 

Brian B.

 

ps with the front jacked up there is no bearing noise when spinning the wheels,just detectable play when rocking the wheels top to bottom both sides. ( 37000 miles )

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I can remember the days of the castlated nut and split pin and it was a case with tapered roller bearings that a small amount of play was better than over tightening the bearing. So you adjusted as close as you could to no play. My '99 Ducato front end has had a small amount of play on the left side since I bought it in 2003. Sometimes gets a mention or advisory on the MOT and it's just the tester covering his a#¥> , sorry, self. So I would sooner have it mention as above than have it fail half way up a mountain pass
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Thanks for the reply. Yes I have always left a bit of play in the taper roller bearings on my old cars and had no problems. I noticed that the MOT testers that mentioned the play were young chaps ,the ones that did not were older men. Is it a case of old school new school I wonder.?

Brian B.

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Yes, I think you have answered that one. It's been a long time since I made a living in the motor industry. From development and design to motor racing. Some of the motor techs now admit to having never seen a piston or crankshaft or no what a decoke entails which gives us an idea of how much the mechanical engineering side of vehicles has improved
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There are at least 4 ways of adjusting preload on taper roller bearings.

1 ,no shims or spacers, you adjust by tightening until virtually all free play is removed then locked with a split pin etc.

2, a solid spacer, the nut is tightened to a set for the figure, also called are right bearings.

3, a selectable shim which sets the preload.

4, a collapsible spacer, you tighten the nut till the correct preload is achieved then stake the nut.

Regards Richard

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