front wheel bearing play with new bearings

[jcrtd]

Hi
I have just fitted new bearings on the front rh but the play is still there. I searched the forum and found that it is not uncommon and fitting a shim solves it. I assume from that that the spacer is touched before the bearing is tight in the hub am I correct? Can the spacers be obtained from Minor parts suppliers?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
John

[Monacochris]

Hi John,
i had the same problem. look at my post http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39357 .
I bought the shims at a bearing store.
Chris

[rustbucket]

i know this sounds stupid but have you got them in the right way round. there is a thrust side to the bearing.

[bmcecosse]

Indeed - the bearings must face each other, so the thrust is taken in both directions.

[chickenjohn]

I've had play on new bearings I fitted to my traveller on the N/S. I think some of the bearing available are not made as well as they used to be so we get some play.

[jcrtd]

Hi all
The bearings were the right way round but still had play.
Thanks Monachris for your information. I made 2 shims (one wasn't enough) but the shim material was thinner than .001 out of sheet shim and the problem was solved. Next time I go to a car parts/autojumble I will try to get made ones to fit. The internet has suppliers but the minimum order is usually quite high.
Thanks
John

[chickenjohn]

Good work John! comfirms my assessment that it is the remanufactured bearings that are at fault!

You say 0.001, was that 0.001 of an inch i.e. 1 thousandth of an inch?

I wonder if the real cause of this is the dreaded metric system and the EU, i.e. bearings may have to be made now in metric by EU dictate, not allowed to make them imperial anymore, and making them in mm they miss the proper imperial size by a thou, and that is enough to cause the play?? I'm speculating, does anyone know??

[bmcecosse]

1 thou steel shim is pretty thin stuff! And I'm surprised that would take up any significant wear. However - alls well that ends well!

[chickenjohn]

It is not significant wear, BMC is id badly made wheel bearings, these things have play FROM NEW!

[jcrtd]

Hi all
Just to clear up the shim measurement after I measured it properly. The thickness of shim was 0.0015th which is approximately 0.03mm. I used 2 shims to make up 0.003th. The shim Chris from Germany used was 0.01mm. I would think that the size is irelevant since there shouldn't be wear anyway, assuming that it is wear on the hub but why? The spacer can't increase in length so the only change must be the thrust side surface of the large diameter outer bearing on the hub which is under pressure (how much?) from the bearing when tightened.
My local garage man had never come across the problem but I am a bit wiser so can't be bad.
John

[Monacochris]

I think the distance between the shoulders of the hub an the length of the spacer must be the same. Have someone technical information from morris for the hub and the spacer? So if you change the bearings you can find the right shims an eliminate play. The bearings which are in the front hubs are standart bearings and it is normal, that you adjust bearings (for example gearboxes or productionmachines). I think if you buy some good quality bearings (maybe expensive ) you will also haye play in the hub because the outer shoulder of the hub is worn. Maybe this is comming from a "moving" outer bearing.
Chris