Cannot find/eliminate rear wheel (bearing?) play

[CharlesElliott]

After a 'coming together' at Brands (see here from 1:25) I found a small amount of play in the offside rear wheel - the one that was hit. I removed the carrier and replaced the bearings, re-assembled, but the play remains. With the wheel off and manhandling the brake disk by twisting with hands a quarter past nine I can get a slight clunk although the movement is barely, if at all, perceptible.

 

I happened to have a complete unused hub assembly with fitted bearings as supplied from Caterham, so I took it all off again and tried that, but with the same result. The nearside doesn't seem to have the same play in it and the bearings on that side are at least 4 race seasons old.

 

So, is a tiny amount of play normal? The only other thing that I can think of that could possibly cause the play is some issue on the driveshaft itself not seating in the bearings. From a visual inspection, the driveshaft looks fine.

 

Any ideas?

[Rob Walker]

There should be no play or you will get long brake peddle travel and excellerated pad disc & bearing wear.

 

Rob

[Paul Deslandes]

could it be that you're moving the CV joint when you rock the disk? try and get hold of the shaft at the CV joint end and see if there is movement. If so I would expect it to be much more obvious than at the outer, disk end.

[The Pikey]

There was a bad batch of bearings around about two years ago. While building my kit I ended up with 4 bearing housings that were not right.

 

Jason

[charlie_pank]

Paul D, if, by moving the disc you're able to induce movement in the CV joint, the bearing is shot. The DeDion ear holds the bearing carrier and it should allow no lateral movement of the shaft.

 

Jason, Was it a bad batch of bearings or bearing housings?

 

Edited by - charlie_pank on 15 May 2012 06:04:21

[CharlesElliott]

The bearing housings are probably 4-5 years old. One was already on the car and has been for the last 4-5 years, one was still in its Caterham bag, unused.

 

One bearing housing (the one in the bag) was fitted with bearings already. The other was refitted with new bearings bought from Redline in the last month.

[The Pikey]

Quoting charlie_pank: 

Paul D, if, by moving the disc you're able to induce movement in the CV joint, the bearing is shot. The DeDion ear holds the bearing carrier and it should allow no lateral movement of the shaft.

 

Jason, Was it a bad batch of bearings or bearing housings?

 

Edited by - charlie_pank on 15 May 2012 06:04:21

 

 

It was the bearings, when torqued up the two inner shell halves did not come close enough together to stop the play. The bearings are really easy to change if you have a press and correct size thingy for shoving the shells out.

 

Jason