Live axle hub end float

[Ray Hill]

On checking the end float on my 4A live axle hubs while preparing for a MoT I found it was far too big and after trying to set it with varying shim sets I then found that there is around 5 mm in and out movement between the hub and the hub bearing housing on both sides. I had, 6000 miles ago, new oil seals fitted on both sides by a highly recommended workshop. I assume they have not refitted the bearings correctly.

 

Any comments on the easiest way to fix this would be more than welcome.

[marvmul]

On checking the end float on my 4A live axle hubs while preparing for a MoT I found it was far too big and after trying to set it with varying shim sets I then found that there is around 5 mm in and out movement between the hub and the hub bearing housing on both sides. I had, 6000 miles ago, new oil seals fitted on both sides by a highly recommended workshop. I assume they have not refitted the bearings correctly.

 

Any comments on the easiest way to fix this would be more than welcome.

The end float should be minimal : 0.10 - 0.15mm according to the workshop. The end float on the right and left side are always automatically the same and setting the end float on one side will change the endfloat on the other side with the same amount. To get less endfloat, shims have to be removed. I wonder if the thickness of the shims is 5mm , both sides together. If not, something is wrong : perhaps the distance piece, a lump of metal about 1" long in the differential cage between the ends of the two axle shafts, is missing, this can be checked when the cover of the differential is removed,

or the hubs or two far on the axle shafts (don't know if that is possible actually).

[Rhodri]

I would have thought that , either the hubs are loose on the taper- unlikely, or the bearings have collapsed. This seems just as unlikely for both hubs to be faulty at the same time. Did a TR specialist replace the oil seals , and did they replace the bearings at the same time? It is a lot of work to renew the hub seals and I would have thought that they would do the bearings at the same time, especially as they may be damaged removing the oil seal. If there is that much play I would have thought that the seals would wear again and allow grease into the brake drums. With no shims in between the backplate and the axle flange the bearings should be far too tight, but it sounds as if yours would have excessive play with no shims. Have you, perhaps, made an error and added shims to try to reduce the play, instead of removing them? If set correctly, at the start, the play should not really alter.

[Ray Hill]

I would have thought that , either the hubs are loose on the taper- unlikely, or the bearings have collapsed. This seems just as unlikely for both hubs to be faulty at the same time. Did a TR specialist replace the oil seals , and did they replace the bearings at the same time? It is a lot of work to renew the hub seals and I would have thought that they would do the bearings at the same time, especially as they may be damaged removing the oil seal. If there is that much play I would have thought that the seals would wear again and allow grease into the brake drums. With no shims in between the backplate and the axle flange the bearings should be far too tight, but it sounds as if yours would have excessive play with no shims. Have you, perhaps, made an error and added shims to try to reduce the play, instead of removing them? If set correctly, at the start, the play should not really alter.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've tried with all shim variations - it has to be how they fitted the bearings. There is some oiliness on the inside of the brake backplate so it looks like another hub strip down

ray hill

[Ray Hill]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've tried with all shim variations - it has to be how they fitted the bearings. There is some oiliness on the inside of the brake backplate so it looks like another hub strip down

ray hill

Update for those who might be interested is that removing the hubs from the halfshafts and rebuilding as per the manual fixed the problem. it thus appears to have been a shoddy piece of work as I had suspected; the castellated nuts came off much more easily than they should

ray hill

[Rhodri]

Glad all is OK Ray- I have just put mine back in and frightened myself with excessive endfloat- forgot that you need BOTH shafts in to check endfloat, not one !