Rear wheelbearing
Turbo Mini Forums

Why is there such a big thick washer behind the nut for the rear wheelbearing?

Can anyone see any reason why you cant chuck it and do the nut up against the inner race itself?

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

Is there sufficient threads?

would it be to retain grease? (although the thickness wouldn't come into it then)

Mine have sufficient threads.

My '62 has small OD washers which are original so they dont retain the grease. Im guessing the thickness is just to stop it getting crushed.

The only thing is the split pin hole will need re drilling and the end chopped off the stub.

Paul

Edited by paul wiginton on 16th Apr, 2009.

I seriously doubt it!

Only one way to find out Paul.

Let us know how you get on with it

Just from thinking about it, it will spresd the load of the inner race, but the nut is quite large anyway.

My other thought is that the castle nut will go on further than where the hole in the stub axle is with the washer removed.

Maybe it was put there as a bodge by BL. I'm thinking they fooked up with stubaxle length or bearing size, and a thick washer was cheapest solution (rather than re-drill lots of stub axles!)

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

I seriously doubt it!

Perhaps it was some sort of safety device so that if the bearings colapsed, the wheel would at least still stay attatched to the car?

Good thought Sprock, but on my '62 the washer is no bigger OD than the points of the nut so that wouldnt hold it on.

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

It would need to be as big as the outer race to be of benefit in catastrophic bearing failure. Can't remember if it is or not.

Maybe it's so that you can actually get the split-pin in?

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Perhaps you are just meant to have a washer between a bearing race and a nut?
I'd just turn a snall sleeve to replace the washer.

My thoughts are that it is there so that you can vary the thickness of the washer so that you can line up the holes in the castle nut for the split pin. If you use a Nyloc you dont need to bother, or with the split pin.

The majority of cars i have worked on have the same thing.

A thick washer behind the nut. so i very much doubt its to do with a screw up.

Apart from that amazing peice of wisdom i am not sure why its there!

rsure its there for a reason who knows but rather than bin it get some titanium ones made ?

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

Still recon its a safety device, as i have looked at a couple of other workshop manuals, and that big thick washer is there on those cars as well

Edited by Sprocket on 16th Apr, 2009.

Edited by Rod S on 16th Apr, 2009.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Rover 100 1990 > still has this Larger thick washer, so i doubt its got anything to do with failures as early as the mini or Maxi

most of the wheel bearings i can think of off ther top of my have either a large washer or a nut with a built in large washer.

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

Is the thick washer not there to remove any bending load from the nut and the end of the stub axle?

The washer is there to apply an even axial loading to the inner race. If there is no washer present on similar assemblies the nut will me constructed with this feature in mind.

Modern cars have an oil seal fitted after the bearing is installed to prevent loss of grease and some have a dust seal fitted after to protect the inner seal.

You will also note that on many modern cars there are two sizes of bearing used on rear hub installations with the smaller being on the inside. Thus if the outer were to collapse the wheel could not leave the stub axle and in either case the outer race is held in position with a substancial circlip.

One more note mini and early metro stub axles are made from the same original drawing the difference is that the metro one is produced from a later issue of that drawing that deletes the pin foot the rear shock.

I have no doubt that the rover 100 stub axle is the same part or just another issue of the original mini drawing.

Own the day

How do you fit a smaller bearing on the inside of the hub?

I always thought the larger bearing is on the inside and the smaller on the outsude with the stub axle tapering from the large on the inside to the smaller on the outside

Doh! True. Usually a tapper as well

Must not post after pulling an all nighter

Edited by Mr Joshua on 17th Apr, 2009.

Own the day

i always thought they were there to ensure that an even load was put on bearing at all times.

The only guess i can have at the size is due to the potential stress?

Reopening this thread.

Ive just taken the washer off from behind the nut and tried it without. I cant see any reason for it TBH.

My other car has the original washers which are no bigger than the nut so cant be a safety item in the event of failure.

Paul

I seriously doubt it!