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R-69 Wheel Bearings

T

tricyclerob

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I posted this in the VBMW site and thought I would post here as well. I'm really stumped so any help would be great. rj

I have just discovered what might be an issue with my 59 R69.

Few years ago, [4-5000 mi,] I replaced rear w/b's and converted to rubber seals.
Studied Duane's article, had the tool made for cking play [brngs clean w/light coat of oil] and reinstalled with the "shake the wheel test". All went well.

A few weeks ago, just before reinstalling my s/c I noticed some play, maybe about 1 mm,poss. a little more.

Figured I'd recheck and re-shim when the wheel was off for s.s. spokes, a s/c tire and balance.
This seemed to go well, as I had prev. ordered the shims from Duane. Put the stack together, shimed it, ck'ed pressure needed to move the center piece, everything seemed fine.

I just put a few miles 25-30, and rechecked wheel and with the "shake the wheel test". I have about the same 1.5-2 mm play. This is lateral [side to side] play parallel to the axle.

When I grab the wheel at top and bottom to "wiggle it",[like ck'ing the w/b on the front axle of a car or trailer] I don't feel any play. The only movement is the wheel[hub] sliding back and forth on the axle about 1.5 or 2 mm.

I removed the wheel, put the spare axle with a spacer on it, with both "tophats", tightened it and I get the same amount of play. It feels like the whole bearing stack is moving back and forth.

I removed the .002 shim that I had installed in the stack for the correct spacing , to see if that would tighten this up,[I actually thought it would make it too tight] and there was no change at all, still about 1.5-2mm lateral play.

I am really puzzled, any help would be great. thanks, rj
 
Well, I just spoke with Vech at Benchmark Works. He told me just what I did not want to hear, but was the thought in the back of my head. He thinks the bearing races have spun in the hub, and the fix is to replace the hub.
Of course this is just after blasting the hub and relacing the wheel.
He suggested that possibly a spacer behind the hub plug, to the surface of the outer race "might" work.
I will look at that to determine if, given the dia. of each, is even possible.
Has anyone done this "spacer fix" before?
rj, having a great day in the shop...
 
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