Nose wheel bearings

[Cadstat]

I've been told to tighten the wheel bearing bolt, to capture the bearing inner ring, until the wheel will only spin about 1.5 revolutions. Is this correct?

 

[turbo]

that sounds.........

about right as long as you dont spin it too hard. not too tight or too loose.

 

[N941WR]

FYI - Think about replacing the front axle with the Matco front axle.

We replaced Radomir’s and it stopped the back and forth motion of the front wheel when taxiing. The change out is simple and doesn’t cost much ($56.24).

 

[Bob Axsom]

Specific Instructions

Van's Provided specific nonintuitive instructions for this installation in the RVator a while back. I copied it and have it in my airplane log. The front wheel is not supposed to "spin" at all after you install it per those instructions. I have complied with those directions as part of the annual each year. I do not have it handy but if you check with Van's I'm sure they will provide the procedure.

Bob Axsom

 

[chunt0]

Axle Torque

Try this link: http://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/Nose_W_T.pdf

 

[kymjon]

I purchased the Matco axle http://www.matcomfg.com/AXLEASSEMBLYA24125INCH-idv-3657-1.html after reading this thread however while it has arrived and looks great it does not fit the wheel I have. The wheel on my 6A is a Cleveland and the the Matco axle will not fit against the bearings as the axle ends are to big . Can anyone tell me which wheel to get. The Matco site quotes two different wheels but I don't want to order one and find when it arrives I then need to buy a new tire or it does not fit the fork and spat.

 

[steveciha]

keep the cleveland wheel

kymjon

If you really do have the cleveland wheel, then keep it. It is a way better wheel than the Matco will ever be. Cost of that cleveland wheel is about 400 dollars. It experiences non of the problems that the Matco experiences. Rolling friction isn't an issue with the cleveland wheel. It also has a solid axle that goes clear through the wheel. You don't need to torque the bearings down to the point the wheel will no longer spin

steve ciha

 

[L.Adamson]

If you really do have the cleveland wheel, then keep it. It is a way better wheel than the Matco will ever be. Cost of that cleveland wheel is about 400 dollars. It experiences non of the problems that the Matco experiences. Rolling friction isn't an issue with the cleveland wheel. It also has a solid axle that goes clear through the wheel. You don't need to torque the bearings down to the point the wheel will no longer spin

I don't really know, how the Matco's are, with the recent changes............but I agree on the Cleveland......which I also have. I wouldn't change it!

L.Adamson --- RV6A

 

[jwyatt]

On a semi-related note... I recently installed my nosewheel, with the Matco axle. To get the bearings to stop turning with the wheel and stay stationary to the axle required considerable preload on the axle nut, to the point where the nosewheel doesn't spin freely at all. This can't be right; does anyone have experience with the installation and can offer any pointers I may have missed? The axle is pinned with the bolt per the instructions. I had a heck of a time greasing those bearings (using the traditional glob-in-hand method) with the rubber seal, since they're not open on the outer side; I don't believe the cup-style packers would work on these either?

Thanks ~

 

[kymjon]

Thanks Steve I will keep the Cleveland . It does have the solid shaft with collars. It was pretty stiff and would not rotate so I gently filed the collars to reduce the bearing pre-load and it now spins quite freely. I had thought that the Matco axle would fit and provide adjustment to the pre-load but it's not to be.

 

[steveciha]

you did well

It was pretty stiff and would not rotate so I gently filed the collars to reduce the bearing pre-load and it now spins quite freely. .

Kymjon

you did exactly the right thing! Another way to do it is to make a very thin washer out of some .016 aluminum and use it as a spacer on the end of the axle shaft. Filing down the collars works too. Nice work. Now you have a wheel that works like it should

steve ciha

 

[plehrke]

I had a heck of a time greasing those bearings (using the traditional glob-in-hand method) with the rubber seal, since they're not open on the outer side; I don't believe the cup-style packers would work on these either?

I used the cup style packer yesterday and works great on the nose gear bearings. They are open on the back (under the rubber seal) and will push out grease from under the rubber dirt guard.