Wheel Bearing Load??

bhsballer76 · 10-06-2009, 02:42 PM

I changed my break pads a few monthes ago. After driving the car on my normal routes, i noticed the car would not roll in places that it used to when i was stopped. There are a few very small inclines at traffic light around here where i would have to use my breaks when stopped before. Now the car dosnt try to roll back.

I came across some information on wheel bearing load. Now i am wondering if maybe i applied too much load to my bearing at some point while installing the pads.

The information i saw was on an older mustang. Would this apply to my car as well(2000 GT)???

Anyone with any info on what i could have done and how to fix it would be much appreciated . Thanks.

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Derf00 · 10-06-2009, 02:54 PM

Unless you're talking about an old mustang being one with Drum Brakes "Bearing Load" does not apply.

If I understand the term you are refering to in the context you are putting it in, Bearing load refers to the amount of torque put on the spindle nut of a drum braked car. Older cars would have a certain amount of toruqe that needed to be applied to the spindle nut (Big nut in the middle of a drum) in order to properly load the bearing. Not enough torque and the drum would have play. TOo much torque and the drum would not spin freely because the nut would be too snug on the bearing.

In your case I'd check yoru air pressure, low air pressure could keep you from rolling. Unless you replaced the bearsing in the spindles Bearing load is not something you need to worry about.

bhsballer76 · 10-06-2009, 02:56 PM

alrightt, just the answer i was looking for . Thanks. The car is a 2000 GT so no drum brakes. Did not replace spindles either. Just replaces tires and air pressure is spot on..

I dont know what else it could be..

Maybe be E-Brake has a slight drag in it?? Anyway to check or adjust this??

gunpig0313 · 10-06-2009, 02:59 PM

you still need to check the load on disk brake cars for the same reason you do on drum brake cars. If you back the castle nut off an 1/8 to a 1/4 turn you should be good check the play by moving the hub back and forth.

Derf00 · 10-06-2009, 03:15 PM

Unless the spindle nut has been messed with before and not properly put back together or he hit a curb, there are spindle locks (serrated cap with a cotter pin) on them to keep that from happening. The cap I'm referring to is not the round grease cap but a serrated cap that sits over the spindle nut and has the cotter pin going through it and the spindle itself to keep it from working itself loose.

It's very rare for a car these days to have that issue without some prior event causing that. In most cases if that is the issue and there is no preceeding event then the bearings are shot anyways.

fisher2985 · 10-06-2009, 03:54 PM

you've probably gotta sticking caliper. try to press the brake pads back into the caliper and spin the wheel. should spin much easier.

bhsballer76 · 10-06-2009, 05:06 PM

alright, well now im a little confused. Are there bearings under the large center cap that can be tightned too much?

Eagle2000GT · 10-07-2009, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fisher2985

you've probably gotta sticking caliper. try to press the brake pads back into the caliper and spin the wheel. should spin much easier.

+1 That is the most likely problem.

cliffyk · 10-07-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhsballer76

alright, well now im a little confused. Are there bearings under the large center cap that can be tightned too much?

Yes, however unless you messed with it (and there's is no reason to do so when changing the brakes pads or rotors), and all was well before the brake job, there is a 99.44% chance that castle nut torque is OK.

If you did pull the hub, then the castle nut should have been torqued to 258 lb/ft--which is pretty freaking tight (the hubs use a pre-assembled bearing cartridge, the castle nut holds the hub to the spindle and provides a small amount of compression to the bearing cartridge to achieve proper bearing pre-load)...

from the '03 shop manual

So tight that if you did mess with the hub I doubt very much you got it that tight when you put it back together...

Did you do the rear pads too?

If so, did you screw the parking brake adjuster in all the way?

bhsballer76 · 10-08-2009, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliffyk

Yes, however unless you messed with it (and there's is no reason to do so when changing the brakes pads or rotors), and all was well before the brake job, there is a 99.44% chance that castle nut torque is OK.

If you did pull the hub, then the castle nut should have been torqued to 258 lb/ft--which is pretty freaking tight (the hubs use a pre-assembled bearing cartridge, the castle nut holds the hub to the spindle and provides a small amount of compression to the bearing cartridge to achieve proper bearing pre-load)...

from the '03 shop manual

So tight that if you did mess with the hub I doubt very much you got it that tight when you put it back together...

Did you do the rear pads too?

If so, did you screw the parking brake adjuster in all the way?

Alright. Thanks for the great Info. I did not mess with the hubs at all.. simply changed the rotors and pads.

It is possible that i did mess with the parking brake adjuster.... Anyway you can provide a diagram showing this??

What is the proper adjustment for the parking brake??? Thanks.