Main wheel bearing adjustment
Quote from Richard on May 15, 2020, 8:38 pmI had disassembled my 1888 Columbia Light Roadster down to nuts, bolts, bearing balls, etc. When I re-assembled it, I carefully adjusted the main wheel bearings 'just right' so the wheel spun easily with no mechanical give side-to-side. After riding it about 10 miles, I found a significant amount of side-to-side clunkability in both sides of those main bearings.
Removing the keepers, I tightened the bearings again to the 'just right' spot. Gave it a ride up and down the street and worked fine.
My question is this: What had changed or moved or settled after putting these pieces of steel together?
My guess is that the cranks settled outward a bit against the cotter, allowing that race to move outward a bit. Any other thoughts?
I had disassembled my 1888 Columbia Light Roadster down to nuts, bolts, bearing balls, etc. When I re-assembled it, I carefully adjusted the main wheel bearings 'just right' so the wheel spun easily with no mechanical give side-to-side. After riding it about 10 miles, I found a significant amount of side-to-side clunkability in both sides of those main bearings.
Removing the keepers, I tightened the bearings again to the 'just right' spot. Gave it a ride up and down the street and worked fine.
My question is this: What had changed or moved or settled after putting these pieces of steel together?
My guess is that the cranks settled outward a bit against the cotter, allowing that race to move outward a bit. Any other thoughts?
Quote from Greg Barron on May 18, 2020, 5:47 pmUnless you set the pins with a press, your insight that the crank arms could have moved of their own accord due to torque is probably dead on. Pretty much every set of bearings I ever touched needed touching again after being ridden. That's my opinion and I am sticking to it.
Greg
Unless you set the pins with a press, your insight that the crank arms could have moved of their own accord due to torque is probably dead on. Pretty much every set of bearings I ever touched needed touching again after being ridden. That's my opinion and I am sticking to it.
Greg
Quote from Richard on May 18, 2020, 8:28 pmThanks, Greg. Yes, I used my VAR press for cotters. There may be some motion there, but I suspect it's what a couple have said about 'settling' down. Also, maybe I should reduce the amount of grease I put in.
Thanks, Greg. Yes, I used my VAR press for cotters. There may be some motion there, but I suspect it's what a couple have said about 'settling' down. Also, maybe I should reduce the amount of grease I put in.