[Healeys] Shims

Bob Spidell bspidell at comcast.net
Wed Aug 23 10:00:36 MDT 2017


'... I made a long "nut", replacing the castellated axle nut, that 
sticks out the hub.'

Why?  The 'stock' nut is easy enough to get a socket on.

Bob


On 8/23/2017 2:59 AM, Bob Haskell wrote:
> After seating the bearings, I'll put too many shims in and measure the 
> end float with a dial indicator mounted on the brake rotor with a 
> magnetic base.  I made a long "nut", replacing the castellated axle 
> nut, that sticks out the hub.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Bob Haskell
> AHCA 3000 MkI registrar
> http://www.ciahc.org/registry_3000mk1.php
>
> On 08/23/2017 12:30 AM, Bob Spidell wrote:
>> OK, I finally got off my duff and RTFM'd the Bentley manual; you are 
>> correct that there should be no end float (don't know where I got the 
>> 0.003").  Thanks for pointing this out.
>>
>> Bob
>>
>>
>> On 8/22/2017 6:06 PM, Mirek Sharp wrote:
>>>
>>> For sure a Fairchild A10 would be a blast, but I would need a bigger 
>>> garage.
>>>
>>> There should be no perceptible end-float in the front hub assemble. 
>>> Follow the factory workshop, or Norm Nock’s guidance if you have his 
>>> tech tips.  Set the end-float without any grease in the bearings 
>>> (and therefore leave  the oil seal off).  I spray a little WD-40 or 
>>> equivalent on the bearing as I can’t bear to spin them when dry, but 
>>> the WD-40 does not interfere with the feel you need to get no 
>>> end-play.   On first assembly, leave the shims out and tighten the 
>>> nut while spinning the hub until there is noticeable drag.   I like 
>>> to get quite a bit of drag, but without locking it up.  This seats 
>>> the bearings. Then disassemble and reassemble, adding and 
>>> subtracting shims until there is no perceptible end-float, but no 
>>> drag.  For those of us who do not do it for a living, be patient and 
>>> go over it several times until you are convinced you have it 
>>> right.   Then, take it apart, pack the bearings, put the seal in and 
>>> re-assemble it.  The nut gets torqued to between 40 and 70 lb/ft (at 
>>> least for a BT7).  I always spin the hub while tightening.  This 
>>> will lock the inner bearing races, spacer, and shims in compression 
>>> to the swivel axle (I think I mis-spoke and said hub in my previous 
>>> text).  The oil seal does not get affected as it is in the hub and 
>>> turns on the polished boss on the swivel axle, not the spacer (which 
>>> would tear it to bits in a few miles).
>>>
>>> Now I want to go searching for Warthog videos.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Mirek
>>>
>>> *From:*Healeys [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net] *On Behalf Of 
>>> *Bob Spidell
>>> *Sent:* August-22-17 10:43 AM
>>> *To:* healeys at autox.team.net
>>> *Subject:* Re: [Healeys] Shims
>>>
>>> Couple things:
>>>
>>> 1) I'm too lazy to fetch my Bentley (manual), but I think the spec 
>>> is 0.003"--i.e. just a smidge--of end float on the stub axles, to 
>>> allow for expansion of the bearings when warm. Please correct me if 
>>> I'm wrong as I'm going into my axles soon.
>>>
>>> 2) putting all in compression--a lot of compression--also locks the 
>>> inner spacer--the one the seal rides on, lest it spin
>>>
>>> 3) I would love to have a Warthog (A-10)*
>>>
>>> Bob
>>>
>>> * Many years ago, I was preparing to depart Burbank airport in my 
>>> Cherokee, there was a couple of spotless, sparkling Warthogs, 
>>> resplendent in an (almost) BRG paint, parked on the ramp, with 
>>> canopies up and flight ladder extended (pre 9/11, of course).  They 
>>> must have been coming from or going to a nearby airshow.  I'm 
>>> thinking, 'Gee, I wonder if they left the keys in ...'
>>>
>>> On 8/21/2017 9:03 PM, Mirek Sharp wrote:
>>>
>>>     “Only” somewhat technical packing pieces?  Don’t under-estimate
>>>     their importance.  When fully tightened with zero end-float,  the
>>>     “tube” created around the stub axle created by putting, inner
>>>     races, spacer, shims, washer and nut into compression against the
>>>     hub act as a structural member and take some of the load off of
>>>     the stub axle, which is prone to cracking if the correct procedure
>>>     is not followed, as we all know.
>>>
>>>     If I do not have the correct new shim that I need to hand, I will
>>>     re-use old ones providing they have not been battered or 
>>> creased.     Also, I try to use the combination of thickest shims I 
>>> can to
>>>     remove end-float.  It should not matter as they are in
>>>     compression, but I had a crank shim in my BSA Road Rocket break up
>>>     once with dire consequences.  In that application,  the
>>>     engineering, in my opinion, is a bit dodgy as the shims were used
>>>     to set end-float on the crank, which I seem to recall was 0.002”.
>>>     I had included a thin shim in the combination and that small
>>>     amount of movement, at engine speeds, was enough to pound the
>>>     thing to pieces.  When I rebuild it I worked out the thickness of
>>>     shims needed and had a machinist surface grind one thick shim for
>>>     me.  Not necessary for the Healey wheel bearings, but if any of
>>>     you have an A10 ….
>>>
>>>     Mirek
>>>
>>>     *From:*Healeys [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net] *On Behalf
>>>     Of *Simon Lachlan
>>>     *Sent:* August-21-17 6:49 AM
>>>     *To:* healeys at autox.team.net <mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>
>>>     *Subject:* [Healeys] Shims
>>>
>>>     Hi,
>>>
>>>     With reference to front wheel bearing shims, I shall be replacing
>>>     the bearings in my MkII’s front RHS when winter has set in. (Won’t
>>>     be long!)
>>>
>>>     Anyhow, I’ve half a pack of unused shims left and there will be
>>>     others in the hub. Is there any reason why I can’t reuse some/all
>>>     of the old ones &/or mix and match them with some of the new ones?
>>>
>>>     As I see it, we use the shims to get the correct end float so,
>>>     provided the shims’ metallurgy(?) was correct in the first place,
>>>     the old one will still be good to go??? They’re only somewhat
>>>     technical packing pieces???
>>>
>>>     As ever, I stand ready to be corrected.
>>>
>>>     Simon
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>



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