The Drift Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 So of course we all take short cuts. But I've noticed that my ASE certified friends take them quite a bit more than I lol. Problem: I did my brakes and hubs about a month ago. Did it with a mechanic friend of mine just because this is my first 4x4. Well everything went smoothly except the bearing lock nut. I had the wrong tool for it and so we could not torque them to the factory specs. SO my friend just did it by slowly tapping it with a screwdriver, checking the tightness by spinning the rotor. He said it's just fine that way and not to worry about it. Now for the last few weeks since we've done it there has been a somewhat obnoxious grinding feel in my pedal when braking at between 15-30 mph. I thought it was the pads seating (EBC greenstuff, the seating material on them is very course) I've now determined that it's not that, and using my automotive intuition have become 99% sure that it's my bearings being over tightened possibly. I've gone close to 1000 miles since the job was done. If I try backing the lock nuts off and torquing them to factory specs do you guys think it may be the fix? I know I'll have to inspect the bearings and pray they aren't already toast. Just curious what ya'll think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navygz19 Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 If your feeling something in the pedal, there's a reason for that, which isn't good news The only way to tell is to like you said, back them off and tourque them to factory specs. I guess factory specs are there for a reason! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drift Posted July 6, 2006 Author Share Posted July 6, 2006 If your feeling something in the pedal, there's a reason for that, which isn't good news The only way to tell is to like you said, back them off and tourque them to factory specs. I guess factory specs are there for a reason! You can't really hear it like you normally would with trashed bearings, but with my luck they'll be shot and I'll be out $140+ for new bearings. Hopefully though just putting her at factory torque specs will do the trick. Has anyone else ever run into a similar issue with a brake jub on the pathy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagwoodzz Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 I took the same short-cut your buddy did this weekend. I went on the conservative side and put a screwdrive in each hole and tighten to a mild grunt. No tapping with the hammer. This short-cut may have the opposite affect and allow the lock nut to back out. Now for the last few weeks since we've done it there has been a somewhat obnoxious grinding feel in my pedal This is a stupid question, but you did turn the rotors right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drift Posted July 6, 2006 Author Share Posted July 6, 2006 I took the same short-cut your buddy did this weekend. I went on the conservative side and put a screwdrive in each hole and tighten to a mild grunt. No tapping with the hammer. This short-cut may have the opposite affect and allow the lock nut to back out. This is a stupid question, but you did turn the rotors right? Brand new Brembo Rotors. I was very careful about breaking them in as well. Rotors appear to be wearing fine etc. I thought it was the brakes at first, but I'm really starting to doubt that's what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
projectpathy89 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 Well everything went smoothly except the bearing lock nut. I had the wrong tool for it and so we could not torque them to the factory specs. I dont have a lot of experience w/pathys however if what you are feeling is a grinding sound when braking, it is a brake pad or rotor issue. If it is a constant grinding sound then it is a bearing issue. The brake pad or rotor grinding will only be felt in the pedal as opposed to a wheel bearing grinding you will feel in the floorboards mostly. Another way to rule out wheel bearings and or to tell wich side bearing is noisy is while driving your pathy, around turns the loaded wheel will be noisy. For example going around a left hand turn the right wheel is loaded with the most weight and around a right hand turn, well you get the picture . Sooo if you go around a turn and the noise or grinding appears or gets worse then the opposite bearing is bad and or is not tourqued to speck. Even if you find it to be a brake issue, I would still beg borough or steal the tool you need to tourque your wheel bearing properly. If your friend is an ASE certified tech he should have what you need. Hope this helps projectpathy89 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revgolem Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 you know. being ASE certified really isin't that big of a deal. all being certified means is that you are good at scantron tests and probobly know just enough not to check for spark with your tongue. being an ASE Master Tech means you are good at taking more than one scantron test. as far as the experience requirements, they can be met being a filter changer at wal-mart. that being said, in my limited experience so far as a mechanic i'd have to say that projectpathy89 is right on the money. USUALLY, you would hear bearings while moving, brakes while stopping, and most axle noise while turning. i'de definatly look at the brakes first. Had a guy come in a while back with the worst grinding from his DS front wheel. one shop had told him it would be several hundred for brakes, another said it was bearings. well, after i used a screwdriver to pull out the rock from between the rotor and backing plate everything was peachy and he got out of there for $20 (for 'diagnosis) i guess my point is just check everything out close, it could easily be somthing you arn't even looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 I had the wrong tool for it and so we could not torque them to the factory specs. SO my friend just did it by slowly tapping it with a screwdriver, checking the tightness by spinning the rotor. He said it's just fine that way and not to worry about it. Your friend did you no favors... The manual (for my 95) says to tighten to 72 Ft/lbs spin a few times to seat, then retorque to .4-1.1 Ft/lbs. I always recheck bearings a few hundred miles after installation regardless. Your bearings are probably the issue; I'd open the hubs up, re-grease and torque to the specification (or do a proper installation seating procedure). This isn't something to Gomer... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drift Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 Your friend did you no favors... The manual (for my 95) says to tighten to 72 Ft/lbs spin a few times to seat, then retorque to .4-1.1 Ft/lbs. I always recheck bearings a few hundred miles after installation regardless. Your bearings are probably the issue; I'd open the hubs up, re-grease and torque to the specification (or do a proper installation seating procedure). This isn't something to Gomer... B Well I even mentioned to him that there were probably torque specs for a reason lol. I'm going to take everything apart tonight or tomorrow and re grease, re seat and correctly torque. All the while crossing my fingers that I don't need new bearings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drift Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 Ok new problem arises. I can't find an autozone that rents the correct bearing locknut tool for our trucks. Where the heck can I find one, or what can I improvise so I can actually get correct torque specs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drift Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 So I literally called every autoparts store in a 10 mile radius. Everyone has the 4 and 6 prong tool. Hell I'll buy the stupid thing If I can find one, just so I never have to look for it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 You have a PM. I could've posted it here, but I got carried away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drift Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 As I mentioned to Venge via PM no one around me even sells this stupid thing lol. My idea is to to keep making small adjustments and measuring the preload until it is in line with what the sevice manual says. This should work right? No I need to find one of those pull scale thingys LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
513yj Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 first thing i would do is pull off the tire, take of the caliper and spin the wheel of fortune. then you should be able to tell if there is noise or not. if it don't sound right then wiggle the rotor up and down, left and right to check for play. if there is play then something is botched in the bearings. wtf is that greenstuff? and where did ya put it, on the pad backing plate or friction surface? i've put on 300,000 pads and rotors and never used such a thing, but i have seen yellow and blue junk for making them quiet that is used on the backing. as far as the torquing of the nut, i've never done my path yet but i've done everything else under the sun from quads to forwarders and i've never torqued anything, but this really isn't proper. i've never had any problems with hammer and screwdriver and gentle strong spin so it turns one revolution and viola, yar done. like i said this is not proper but i havent had any problems. my bet without more info or without hearing it is that you have braking issues, maybe greenstuff is on friction surface and is the noise reducer for the backing so its the culprit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drift Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 first thing i would do is pull off the tire, take of the caliper and spin the wheel of fortune. then you should be able to tell if there is noise or not. if it don't sound right then wiggle the rotor up and down, left and right to check for play. if there is play then something is botched in the bearings. wtf is that greenstuff? and where did ya put it, on the pad backing plate or friction surface? i've put on 300,000 pads and rotors and never used such a thing, but i have seen yellow and blue junk for making them quiet that is used on the backing. as far as the torquing of the nut, i've never done my path yet but i've done everything else under the sun from quads to forwarders and i've never torqued anything, but this really isn't proper. i've never had any problems with hammer and screwdriver and gentle strong spin so it turns one revolution and viola, yar done. like i said this is not proper but i havent had any problems. my bet without more info or without hearing it is that you have braking issues, maybe greenstuff is on friction surface and is the noise reducer for the backing so its the culprit? Greenstuff is the type of pad. EBC Greenstuff. Thanks for your input on the thread, should come in handy tonight when I'm trying to figure this stupid thing out. It just doesn't feel or sound like a brake issue at this point, but who knows, I've never had a 4x4 or a car quite this heavy so I could be totally wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 This should work right? No I need to find one of those pull scale thingys LOL. A Chevy 1/2 ton wheel bearing locknut socket will work if you grind two tabs off it and bend the other two in slightly. I may be wrong about the 1/2 ton part, but other people have used that sort of tool with success, including a brake and suspension guy on the AC BBS. '88 A torque wrench is recommended, but for the final torque, I found an object that was 1 lb, tied it to a string and hung it from a stud that was in the 3 o'clock position... you are at 1+ lbs when you are tight enough so it will not rotate the rotor. Yes, mws, I do account for the coeficient of friction and the break free energy by rotating it slightly and observing the drag... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mws Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Yes, mws, I do account for the coeficient of friction and the break free energy by rotating it slightly and observing the drag... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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