Steering, Suspension, & Brakes

Timken type tapered bearings are engineered to be run with a certain amount of preload. It keeps the rollers from skipping and developing flat spots, and done correctly does not increase friction or cause heat buildup. American spindle installation practice is designed to approximate the ideal bearing preload without expensive and complicated measuring apparatus. It is an approved method for most tapered bearing maintenance.

The practice of setting MGB wheel bearings with freeplay was a holdover from the old ball bearings used in earlier MG designs. Ball bearings set with preload are prone to failure, so they had to have some freeplay. Timken bearings do not and should not. Fortunately our spindle bearings are oversized for the application and generally survive the abuse of a freeplay installation.

jim