Wheel bearing adjustment

[spider1]

Hi
Before i do my first trip this Easter was checking over the wheel bearing and brakes.
The axle are alko unit from 1990.
Are the wheel bearing adjustable or just tighten up to a torque and when they have play you have to replace them?



Thanks for the help.

 

[Damian]

Under the hub cap is a castellated nut and split pin which hold the bearing race in place.
Remove the hub nut cap and clean out all the old grease, remove the split pin and throw away, remove the hub nut, washer and bearing and brake drum and rear bearing. Clean all the old grease off and feel for any play in the bearings and smoothness of rotation.
Repack bearings with fresh LM grease and replace the rear bearing, drum and front bearing, washer and hub nut.
Tighten the hub nut until you feel drag on the drum (Keep turning the drum as you tighten), then slacken off 1/4 turn and insert a NEW split pin to hold the hub nut.
HALF fill the hub nut cap with fresh LM grease and refit.
The drum should spin freely but not have any play either in the horizontal or vertical planes.

 

[spider1]

Got it all striped out.

but after doing Land Rover wheel bearing the nut seemed like it was just put on and not very tight. Going to wash out and regrease bearing etc.
Put back together Monday.

Thanks for help, just checking that i was doing it right, cheers.

 

[Damian]

Give the handbrake operating lever and the star wheel adjuster a squirt of copper grease on all moving parts.
Deglaze the brake shoes with a rough wet/dry paper.
Compared to LR gear, caravan wheels and hubs are a totally different animal.

 

[spider1]

That is why i was checking.

That is what i was going to do to the brakes.

Do you just adjust until just contacting etc.
Then take out slack in hand brake cables?

 

[Gafferbill]

Got it all striped out.

but after doing Land Rover wheel bearing the nut seemed like it was just put on and not very tight. Going to wash out and regrease bearing etc.
Put back together Monday.

Thanks for help, just checking that i was doing it right, cheers.

Hi ..........Do you know about this website

They can supply any spares you might need and in their information and guides section you should be able to work out what axle you have fitted to your caravan.
Some axles have a castellated nut with a split pin and these bearings are serviceable.
Others have a one shot nut without a split pin and these have sealed for life bearings and as the name implies can only be fitted once. After using once they must be discarded.

I think a 1990 Alko axle should have serviceable bearings........but you never know with a second hand caravan and you need to be absolutely certain for safety reasons!!!

 

[spider1]

It a castle nut and split pin type. So it must be serviceable then.
Thanks

 

[Damian]

Caravan brake adjustment is always carried out at the hub by the starwheel, which is accessed by the small hole in the backplate and the use of a small flat bladed screwdriver. There is an arrow marked on the brake backplate which indicates which way to tighten the brake shoes.
The handbrake must be in the OFF position.
Adjust until the brake is stopping the hub turning, then back off by 13 clicks.
Do that on each wheel and keep turning the hub in the FORWARD direction, never turn the hub in reverse.
It is very unusual to have to adjust the cables.

 

[spider1]

Thanks will get it back together tomorrow hopefully.