Help with loose wheel bearing in hub of sons Scimitar.

Hi, son has Reliant Scimitar that has been suffering from knockback on brake pads. We think that the cause is due to wheel bearing being loose on stub axle. Ordered new bearings and stub axles only to find that one of the new bearings is loose in hub. Tight when fitting, but you can rotate when in its in its seated position.
What I need to know is can we get away with using nutlock or some other type of sealant to stop outer race moving until we can source second hand hub, as funds are low.
Thanks in advance Barleywine.

Tis a funny Land Rover question but yes, Stud & Bearing lock will do the trick if the play isn't too great.

Soloby Rob said:

Tis a funny Land Rover question but yes, Stud & Bearing lock will do the trick if the play isn't too great.

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degrease with brake cleaner and buy strongest strength bush and bearing seal.
make sure it does not contaminate bearing

Sounds like the bearing has spun in the hub.

If you're desperate (or parts aren't that easy to find nowadays..) do the bearing seal/ lock as the others have said above but you can also do what I do with a loose bearing-

Remove the outer race again and using a sharp centre punch, tap a number of 'nibs' into the seating area on the hub, burring the surface. Now press the bearing in again (with the stud lock) and you should find the fit is a lot better.

I have had plenty of success with this in the past and saved some hard to find hubs.

Agree it is a funny Land Rover question, but if Google lets you down, then its nice to know someone on Landyzone will have the answer.
Thanks to all. :clap2:

On the Scimitar, the rear axle is Jaguar based, is shimmed and has pre-determined play which needs to be set up with a DTI. I might have a service manwell at home, having rebuilt a rear axle in my yoof.

I will have a look.

You might want to try something like Loctite Quick Metal which is better at gap filling than plain old Loctite.

That trick of raising burrs with a punch to stop bearings rotating was very popular with Austin 7 crankshafts too. We had some which were very spotty indeed, and seemed to have been attacked with cold chisels and mattocks as well for good measure.

You don't say which Scimitar model .... would help.

Small SS1 / SST / Sabre no adjustment is possible, you can only buy bearings from 2 suppliers and I don't know if they have stock.

For the bigger Scimitars the hubs can be obtained still but it depends on the model (SE4, SE5, SE6 etc etc ) with regards to how easily.

SE5a front hub, have gone for fanatic method and left overnight to harden. Seems to have worked, son outside now reassembling. Only needs to last until he can find cheap secondhand hub as funds are running a bit low.
Thanks again all.

I found the lads on sporting reliants and scimitar web helpful when i had my se5a. Give em try

big si said:

I found the lads on sporting reliants and scimitar web helpful when i had my se5a. Give em try

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But we done him proud ain't we

Soloby Rob said:

But we done him proud ain't we

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As always

chemical sealents/bearing locks do work well if applied correctly, but,

by using a large as possible dia flap wheel in the hub,
reduce the tight original bearing diameter/unworn bit,
and try pressing the bearing back in with some thin steel shim wrapped around the bearing but wide enough to have it seated on the hubs back bearing face.
it can be trimmed off after easily.

If you use say .002 thickness which equals .004 on a diameter, it should seat the bearing tightly.






or just glue it with bearing lock