If you hate messing with wheel bearing nuts and keepers as much as I do you will love this. I came up with a simple method to consistently set the preload on my wheel bearings, keep them from spinning on the spindle and save time and frustration when ever having to get into the front end, and simple enough you could do it blindfolded.
YouTube - 45 sec wheel bearing adjustment (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16rSqgiaKY0)

interesting..........



edit: seeing as how you have zero info about these on your site maybe you could post some more info like.....

price and models.

are these something that you one off'd or do you have a few running around on cust vehicles?

have you run into and no fit/ incorrect preload situations with the same dimensions spacers and varying tolerance on wheel hubs/race seats?


not trying to bust your balls.

interesting..........



edit: seeing as how you have zero info about these on your site maybe you could post some more info like.....

price and models.

are these something that you one off'd or do you have a few running around on cust vehicles?

have you run into and no fit/ incorrect preload situations with the same dimensions spacers and varying tolerance on wheel hubs/race seats?


not trying to bust your balls.
Well these were one offs for myself. When I first made them I thought I should market them, ( having sets for Toyotas, D30s, D44s, D60, ect,) but then I wanted to make sure they had no problems of coming loose. I copied a design I saw used in Indy car racing. They had a spacer with a master shim and then a thin shim set just like for setting pinion bearing preload. They also just used one nut which was a nylock jamb nut. I didn't like the Idea of every time you took it off and on the slot for the lock tab would tear away the nylon after a few uses. (Indy recommended a new nut each time) So I ran 2 of the stock hub nuts for two years with the original lock tab washer in first just for safety, but then ran 3 years without it just to see if it ever came loose and they have not.
So then on to proper marketing, & design. The one piece design requires having the hub its going into to machine to custom length. The shim it to spec design means you could have a mess of shims if you took it a part in a hurry, However I believe I have solution for that.

What do you guys think of this, I provide a spacer and master shim with a shim stack, once the proper preload is established for the hub, you would put a thin layer of green Loctite (press fit shaft retaining compound) between each shim, the spacer and master shim. (then torque the assembly down with a little oil on the bearing shoulder to prevent the loctite from sticking to the bearing)This would effectively make the assembly a one piece unit. If after a few years the bearings required adjustment for wear you could peal the shims with a razor blade and readjust.

So then on to cost, I see no reason these should cost more than around $80 - $100 per pair. With time and if popular enough the cost could go lower of course, its all in the numbers. The cost is all in the machine time to make them, The D60 has a large difference between inner and outer bearing diameters, so a thick wall tube must be used to machine a cone, taking a bit of time, however (correct me if I'm wrong) Toyota's use the same bearing inner and outer, thus tubing could be purchased nearly to size, a quick machine to length and they could easily be as low as $40 pair.

cool idea... :smokin:

Seems like a great idea

very cool.

Subscribed.

Well these were one offs for myself. When I first made them I thought I should market them, ( having sets for Toyotas, D30s, D44s, D60, ect,) but then I wanted to make sure they had no problems of coming loose. I copied a design I saw used in Indy car racing. They had a spacer with a master shim and then a thin shim set just like for setting pinion bearing preload. They also just used one nut which was a nylock jamb nut. I didn't like the Idea of every time you took it off and on the slot for the lock tab would tear away the nylon after a few uses. (Indy recommended a new nut each time) So I ran 2 of the stock hub nuts for two years with the original lock tab washer in first just for safety, but then ran 3 years without it just to see if it ever came loose and they have not.
So then on to proper marketing, & design. The one piece design requires having the hub its going into to machine to custom length. The shim it to spec design means you could have a mess of shims if you took it a part in a hurry, However I believe I have solution for that.

What do you guys think of this, I provide a spacer and master shim with a shim stack, once the proper preload is established for the hub, you would put a thin layer of green Loctite (press fit shaft retaining compound) between each shim, the spacer and master shim. (then torque the assembly down with a little oil on the bearing shoulder to prevent the loctite from sticking to the bearing)This would effectively make the assembly a one piece unit. If after a few years the bearings required adjustment for wear you could peal the shims with a razor blade and readjust.

So then on to cost, I see no reason these should cost more than around $80 - $100 per pair. With time and if popular enough the cost could go lower of course, its all in the numbers. The cost is all in the machine time to make them, The D60 has a large difference between inner and outer bearing diameters, so a thick wall tube must be used to machine a cone, taking a bit of time, however (correct me if I'm wrong) Toyota's use the same bearing inner and outer, thus tubing could be purchased nearly to size, a quick machine to length and they could easily be as low as $40 pair.

Very cool idea, and the shim idea sounds like its the hot ticket.

FWIW, Toyotas use different inner and outer bearings.

Very cool idea, and the shim idea sounds like its the hot ticket.

FWIW, Toyotas use different inner and outer bearings.

No problem, are they the same year to year or is there 79-84 then different 85 & up? I have D30s and a couple style of 44's to get dimensions off of. If someone wanted to send a toy spindle & hub to me I would make them a set for free just so I don't have to go digging.

No problem, are they the same year to year or is there 79-84 then different 85 & up? I have D30s and a couple style of 44's to get dimensions off of. If someone wanted to send a toy spindle & hub to me I would make them a set for free just so I don't have to go digging.

As far as I know, The bearings are the same from 79-84, and I would imagine the hubs are the same as well because you can interchange the IFS hubs on the SA hubs.

If you would have a quick turnaround, I may be able to help you out.

-Phill

As far as I know, The bearings are the same from 79-84, and I would imagine the hubs are the same as well because you can interchange the IFS hubs on the SA hubs.

If you would have a quick turnaround, I may be able to help you out.

-Phill
I would only need them a couple of days. But give me a week just the same. I can look up the bearing numbers and get the IDs so I have material & shims in advance.

awesome idea, after finishing up my front 60 build and putting the hubs back together these would have made a huge difference, I kept second guessing myself tightening the nut too much or not enough. I would grad a set, makes life just that much easier.

No problem. Bearing numbers are:

LM102949
JLM104948

-Phill

I don't care who ya are, these look sexy.
This kit comes with shims to adjust bearing preload, once its set you will never have to mess with them again.
Here is how to assemble. YouTube - 45 sec wheel bearing adjuster pt 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9-A3BpwHFo)

Price shipped to 06420? Just picked up a front 60 and these would go nicely with it.

Price shipped to 06420? Just picked up a front 60 and these would go nicely with it.

$90 pair shipped anywhere lower 48, and of course tax if you are in Wa.

OK, I understand the concept, but how does one determine the necessary length (shims) while assembling?

Is there some measurement that would assist in calculating this?

Or would I just trail and error the fitment until the "feel" as the hub rotates on the spindle is where I want it?

I'm running a D60 for reference.

These could be used in a full float rear as well, correct?

OK, I understand the concept, but how does one determine the necessary length (shims) while assembling?

Is there some measurement that would assist in calculating this?

Or would I just trail and error the fitment until the "feel" as the hub rotates on the spindle is where I want it?

I'm running a D60 for reference.

These could be used in a full float rear as well, correct?

I supply the kit with over .100 thick shim stack, I machine the spacer for a .050" shim stack based on the D60 hubs I have. If you have a dial indicator I would through in a .100" thick shim stack assemble and measure the end play of the hub. Then subtract the end play amount from the shim pack to then get you close for the right bearing preload. If you do not have a dial indicator, I would put in a .075" shim stack, then assemble making sure there is free play when the nut is tightened, or ad more shims if necessary. Then subtract a few thousands shims at a time until the desired adjustment is reached. This type of adjustment system can be built to go in between any pair of bearings.

Now we get to a dissertation on proper wheel bearing setting. Skip this part if you like because I'm gonna be verbose.

1st off if you read 5 manuals on how to adjust wheel bearings, you will get 5 different methods.
2nd off if you ask 5 different technicians you will get 6 different explanations.
And little more back ground info: If you do enough of this type of work you will see the same part number bearing used in different applications, (marine ,auto, industrial, agricultural etc)with tech manuals giving different installation methodology, including different types of grease, oil or ATF, for the SAME PART NUMBER. For example the same bearing in a differential is run with up to .015" preload where in a conveyor belt drive its run with .003" clearance"
THEN if you go to the bearing maker themselves, typically Timken, you will see a vague method of adjustment with a disclaimer to contact an applications engineer for proper lubrication & adjustment.

AND from the school of hard knocks Ive seen many customers come in with wheel bearings so loose you would swear if they ground to dust, only to find that they were either adjusted too loose to start with or the wheel bearing nuts were loose, and inspecting the bearing showed no visible damage, and with proper adjustment lasted for years. Also I've seen bearings adjusted to tight such that if you touched the hubs you would burn your hand. Yet again inspection showed the bearings nor the grease had failed (yet) and proper adjustment was all that was necessary.

All of the above leads me to the following conclusion. If kept clean and properly lubricated they will last a long time even if they are slightly loose or slightly tight. Now if they are loose on your front end you will have alignment and wheel wobble issues, so I recommend getting all of the play out of them and then preloading them .002 -.004".

how does one determine the necessary length (shims) while assembling?


I think an alternate (back saving)method would be to set the hub and rotor assembly in a vise. pull the back bearing out of the hub, and wipe off the excess grease then simultaneously install the spacer, shims and bearings by hand into the hub assy, adding and subtracting shims until it feels close enough to try on the spindle.