Posted by Paul(in NY) [12.64.140.249] on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 19:49:02 :
In Reply to: knuckle question posted by Fleabag [96.60.222.95] on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 09:20:14 :
If you are using a bearing on top instead of the bushing, you are not going to find published free running rotational torgue on the knuckle.
All tapered bearings, and in this case Timken 23100 require a pre load. Chrysler did publish a torque spec that the engineers felt gave the proper preload. Finding the preload for a 23100 or other bearings is no issue, that pre load data is well published.
The problem is what rotational force on the knuckle (bare knuckle, no shafts, felt deal, tie rod etc) would equate to a given pre load. We have no lab equipment to measure this.
With this said it becomes a matter of proper 'feel'. The problem now is what is proper feel to one person is not to another person. And since we have no way to measure the proper pre load, we have no authoritative pre load numbers to use.
Thus we use what 'someone', 'feels' is right.
I set all my knuckles with Bearing/Bearing to 55 to 60 inch pounds free turning rotational
force with shafts removed, felt seals removed, tie rod removed. You MUST use a bending beam inch pound torque wrench to track the force with some accuracy.
The bottom line.....its all what the experienced mechanic feels when he sets the pre load.
Paul
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