Washer Orientation When Packing Bearings

[RV7ator]

I notice that the thin washers surrounding the felt seals protecting the main wheel bearings are not flat. The Cleveland instructions with the install kit are silent about which way to orient them during assembly. Are they supposed to pooch inwards towards the wheel center, or outwards, or one each way to embrace the the seal felt? One each way doesn't make much sense, but it is physically possible, and both in or both out fit equally well.

John Siebold
Dazed and Confused in Boise

[Todd]

Are you talking about the washers which have a lip to them? Almost like a T? If those are the ones then you want the flat part ( the top of the T) facing out of the wheel. The felt seal will nest inside the washer. At least that is the way we did it when I used to assemble wheels at Grove Aircraft (and they are essentially copies of Clevelands).