Trailing arm rebuild problem

[bills2002]

I carefully inserted the outer bearings using a drift to get them in place against the internal lip, put the spacer sleeve in from the inner side, drifted in the inner bearings, put the seals in, stub axle (had to drive it the last third of travel), put on the hub and tourqed the castellated nut to bottom of the sea pressure. Now I can't turn the darn axle. If I go ahead and back off the nut just half a turn I can get it turning allbeit stiffly. Isn't that nut supposed to be on at like 220lbs torque? Will the axle just loosen up with weight on the wheel and use? A little help...anyone.

[c.d.iesel]

I'm afraid something - a race - is not seated fully?,

something wrong with the spacer tube?

it's better to PULL rather than hammer the stub axle

back in. Easy to damage the new bearings by hammering the

stub back in.

afraid you'll need to disassemble and look closely for

burs in the control arm preventing the races from seating fully?

or something else not right?The spacer tube provides just the tiny bit

of freeplay between the bearings when the castle nut is torqued

So you do have something amiss.

[bills2002]

Thanks c.d. I looked at that drawing for the thousandth time and realized I did not have the stub axle seated all of the way against the inner bearings. When I said before that I had to drive the axle in I meant with my rubber body hamer. Took the hub of and gave the stub axle a couple more good whacks and that straightened everything out. I've re-torqued the castelated nut and the axle spins...well it's still a little stiff but that should loosen with use. Right?

[c.d.iesel]

'slightly stiff' but free to rotate is good

turning just the stud/hub by hand is normally stiff

when 'new'. With a tire mounted and a few miles,

jack it back up and feel the turning effort by the tire -

it should be free - but resistance is normal. Readjust your rear brake shoes

for the closest you can with just "hearing' a scraping

drag from the linings contacting the drums.

That will assure you of good rear brakes and a high harder pedal.

stay kool

[skipsfcr]

Was there a shim behind one of the bearings? It is installed between the bearing and the inner stop of the trailing arm. Most of the '02 trailing arms I've rebuilt (many) have had a thin shim between the outboard bearing and the trailing arm. It corrects the bearing preload so that it's absolutely perfect once the nut is torqued. The stub axle and flange should spin very nicely when properly assembled. It shouldn't spin "freely" but should turn with almost no effort.

[bills2002]

Yes there was a shim on the outboard side. All went back together correctly. I wouldn't say it spins or turns with almost no effort. They turn freely by hand, I mean I can turn it by two fingers but there is certainly resistance there. They're bolted back on the car, hopefully I won't be posting a tale of woe about premature bearing failure n the future.

[skipsfcr]

No, sounds like you're good to go. "Turns with almost no effort" is a relative assessment!