Trying new rear bearings. How much play?

[RobThomas]

I was trying out some new double seals on the rear axle on a Morris 1000 and changed the wheel bearing at the same time. Locktite between the CN bearing and hub, the bearing and axle tube and the correct thickness of gasket for the given depth of bearing protruding. Now, it doesn't leak (yippee!) but I'm getting rock at the tyre edge. The UK MOT is suitably vague on the permissible rock so I was wondering what the 'collective' opinion is as to the max acceptable figure?

[les]

I didn't think there should be any play.

[philthehill]

Rob
The amount of rocking movement at the rear wheel/tyre outer circumference is limited when a single race bearing is used by the amount of wear/play at the inner end of the half-shaft and sun/planet gears.
The bearing may be correct to tolerance but any wear at the inner end of the half-shaft will allow the wheel to rock.
Ideally there should be no ability to rock the rear wheel even when fitted with a single race bearing.
With my own Minor there is no perceivable rock at the wheel circumference.
Have you fitted the C3 spec bearings which have more clearance. Even though they are pilloried on here they are what were latterly supplied by BL - I have a couple of NOS C3 bearings in Unipart boxes.
So to sum up there should be no perceivable rock at the rear wheel circumference and that applies to the front wheel bearings as well.
Phil

[RobThomas]

These are CN (or C 2.5?) so should be pretty good. I'm going to have to pull it apart again and have another play. I bet that locktite has set hard by now.

The fact that both of them do the same thing makes me rather suspicious of the Ebay seller.

[alanworland]

I don't have any 'rock' on my rear wheels but I do have axial movement, obviously a function (wear) of the outer bearing.
Been like it for years!

Alan

[philthehill]

Alan
If your Minor has the earlier split case axle the hub bearing arrangement is of a different design to the later Minor 1000.
Phil

[alanworland]

Thanks Phil, my MM has a 1000 axle and later 8 inch front brakes!
When I fitted the axle (about 45 years ago!) I treated it to new bearings but was surprised to discover I still had axial movement?

Alan

[philthehill]

Alan
Thank you for clarifying what axle you have fitted.
Whilst your rear axle has survived with axial bearing movement all those years it does not make it right - there should not be any movement of the hub and/or bearing on the axle tube whether it be axial, rocking or radial.
Phil

[RobThomas]

Replaced one 300-mile CN bearing with an RHP C3 bearing and the rocking has gone. Looks like some cr4ppy bearings supplied through Ebay. Lesson learned!

By the way, the 18 thou paper gasket has crushed down to 13 thou all over when measured with a micrometer. I used later hubs with the rubber ring in and there was no leakage.

Thanks, guys.

[SageGreenPete]

I've fitted new rear bearings as part of my rebuild, they have a bit of play when rocking the wheel, they have play in them when just sat in your hand, but, they aren't causing any issues, no noises, so I'll leave them be.

[oliver90owner]

If those bearings are cheap chinese imported rubbish, I would not be fitting them to my car. Short life, wear on other components, potential oil leakage - and most importantly safety - are all factors which would argue against fitting anything substandard.

Check out this u-toob video, if you don't believe how bad new bearings can be (maybe skip the first third?)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AvF5ETQfm8o

RAB

[SageGreenPete]

The funny thing is I don't think they are cheap chinese ones, they've got quite a strange inner casing holding the balls in place.

[philthehill]

A photo of the strange ball bearing cage would be appreciated and details of the make and other numbers which may be stamped on the bearing.

[SageGreenPete]

I'll see if I can find some, photobucket ruined the ones in my project thread.

[les]

I'm also having issues with photo-bucket, trying to get stuff off their site. The download facility doesn't work, I managed it for two pictures but then the same procedure would not work. Photobucket say they know of the problem but I don't knows if it will be fixed.
Ps. Just had mail from them, they replicated my issue and confirmed they are trying to sort it. Quite impressed with them updating me like that. Not happy about the decision to stop free third party hosting though, it was a good service.