Rear wheel bearing help
- Aginley
- 998 Cooper
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- Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2018 6:31 pm
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Rear wheel bearing help
So fitted rear wheel bearings and still have loads of play in them.
Bought new stubs and tried again, still the same.
Bought some new second hand radius arms , still the same.
Tried timken bearings from somerford and minispares.
It’s like either the central part of the bearings need 0.5mm off or they need a 0.5mm shim in the hub before the outer race is fitted.
Any advice or has anyone else come across this?
Oh I’ve also bought new hubs from Minispares and it’s still the same.
YouTube link below
https://youtu.be/6_tHPrXKnuU
Bought new stubs and tried again, still the same.
Bought some new second hand radius arms , still the same.
Tried timken bearings from somerford and minispares.
It’s like either the central part of the bearings need 0.5mm off or they need a 0.5mm shim in the hub before the outer race is fitted.
Any advice or has anyone else come across this?
Oh I’ve also bought new hubs from Minispares and it’s still the same.
YouTube link below
https://youtu.be/6_tHPrXKnuU
- Peter Laidler
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: Rear wheel bearing help
Seems to me that the spacer is too wide. You don't say whether they're taper rollers or ball races. I wrote a tech article about fitting rear bearings a couple of years ago. Maybe someone wot's computer savvy can bring it up.
But for your info Aginley, I'd NEVER trust the spacer that comes with the kit - ANY kit! It's what the old fitters called 'selective' or 'hand' or just plain old fashioned bench fitting
But for your info Aginley, I'd NEVER trust the spacer that comes with the kit - ANY kit! It's what the old fitters called 'selective' or 'hand' or just plain old fashioned bench fitting
- Aginley
- 998 Cooper
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Re: Rear wheel bearing help
Yes it’s as if the spacer is to wide. The trouble is they don’t come with spacers
Their timken roller taper bearings. Think I might take a bit off each surface?

Their timken roller taper bearings. Think I might take a bit off each surface?
- Aginley
- 998 Cooper
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Re: Rear wheel bearing help
Two of these
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- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: Rear wheel bearing help
I had timken with separate spacer on mine and although one rear bearing was fine other one had a little play, I reduced the spacer until play was taken up,
- Spider
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: Rear wheel bearing help
Sadly, that's not going to show if the bearing is too wide.
A measurement needs to be taken from the inner face of the Cone to the inner Face of the Cup. It should be 0.2075".
- 850man
- 998 Cooper
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- Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 11:08 am
- Location: Melbourne, Australia.
Re: Rear wheel bearing help
It is very common to surface grind the spacer/integrated spacer as they are often too wide.
Restoration Specialist - https://www.facebook.com/linkautomotive
- Aginley
- 998 Cooper
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Re: Rear wheel bearing help
Thanks Simon, I’ll try face them of first as I’ve spent a fortune in these so far, if it fails I’ll email you.
Cheers
Cheers
- Peter Laidler
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: Rear wheel bearing help
I've seen these bearings with inbuilt spacers but never imagined that they would or should be used as a pair. With my engineering hat on, I'd say that if I was offered a set, I'd use ONE spaced bearing with one STANDARD bearing. THEN machine a suitable spacer to take up the slack . I could skim the machined spacer down to give me the .003" (?) end float needed. Easy! Fit oil seal etc, grease up, torque down and.....