To replace the swivel ball or not

Noticed a nice vibration in the steering wheel around 45-50mph and after slowing looking through I have determined it is the swivel ball preload. Going through endless online articles and threads it looks like to adjust the preload I might as well just rebuild the swivel ball assembly.

For those that have done it, would it be worth doing everything even though the ball is in good condition, or to only add/remove the shims to the top until the fish scales says its good to go???

thanks in advance

I am a technical numpty of course, but swivel pre-load seems a long way down the list of causes of 45/55mph vibration......? What leads you to dismiss wheel bearings, prop uj's etc?

I had completely disintegrated top pin bearing on the swivel on my 110 last month, and only discovered it while on the hunt for other problems - no vibrations from that source at all and the preload must have been non-existent given you could lift the half shaft half an inch........

You could be right, just seem several other easier sources to eliminate (which you may well have done...) Good luck with it anyway. A

burn it

propshaft UJ is usually the cause at that speed. Do you get a clunk when taking up drive?

I would drop the props and check them 1st, even wear in the splines of the prop, they may become siezed.

Check tracking, check wheels balanced and check wheel bearings as suggested.

I did the top pin preload on mine recently and it made a huge difference to the way it handles but it didn't vibrate before or after this, it just 'tightened up' the feel of the steering and made it less vague on country roads.

Removing shims is easy and wont take you long. A full bearing replacement will take you longer but it may be needed.

G

I checked the wheels by putting my old set back on which never had any vibrations, yet the vibrations continued. The reason I thought it would be swivel pin preload was due to the vibrations straight in the steering wheel not so much the whole vehicle. To do the props should I just unbolt and give a good twist and shake?? if they move they need to be rebuilt??

Check UJ's by getting underneath and turning prop back and forth, you will spot any play in UJ's easily, if OK jack up the front wheels and give a side to side wobble, if theres play it could be bearing or steering joints, next try top/bottom wobble, if there is play still then bearings, if you had no play on the side to side but do top to bottom then its likely swivals. Next get someone else to do the wobble and visually confirm where the play is...

If you have tried this and cant see what the problem is or are unsure take it to a garage...

Ok, I'll head out in the cold and do that. Also the vibrations have slowly moved up in speed a bit. They originally started out with slight vibration at 40-45mph and now are out 45-50 with more vibrations, don't know if that may help diagnose the issue.

thanks

The preload on the swivels is just a matter of either putting in or taking out shimms.

Jack up the wheel and see if there is any top to bottom play, then see if there is any play fore and aft.

If you get more top and bottom, then the chances are that all that's needed is a couple of shimms removing.

If it's the same fore and aft, it could be a simple matter of a quarter turn on your hub nuts, or at worst changing the wheel bearings.

If your swivels are good, why would you want to change them?

alright after messing about I feel a very slight left to right movement in the wheel, so that means wheel bearings. Also was a slight play in the front prop. Could that be from wear and tear due to a 2in. lift I put in. I did change radius arms but never put a wide angled front prop on.

USLandy said:

alright after messing about I feel a very slight left to right movement in the wheel, so that means wheel bearings. Also was a slight play in the front prop. Could that be from wear and tear due to a 2in. lift I put in. I did change radius arms but never put a wide angled front prop on.

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Not necessarily, could be a ball joint on one of the steering rods, you need to get someone else to wobble and check through each joint in turn, if it's a wheel bearing you can verify visually by seeing the wheel and brake disc move and not the caliper

Jongould said:

Not necessarily, could be a ball joint on one of the steering rods, you need to get someone else to wobble and check through each joint in turn, if it's a wheel bearing you can verify visually by seeing the wheel and brake disc move and not the caliper

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that was exactly what happened, no caliper movement at all but slight wobble by the wheel and disk

USLandy said:

that was exactly what happened, no caliper movement at all but slight wobble by the wheel and disk

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remove the drive flange off the outside of the hub with the wheel on the floor,un do wheel,jack up and take wheel off,

you should see the hub end nut in the centre with a lock tab,

unfold the lock tab and take off the hub nut and tab,
tighten inner nut untill hub stops being loose,it needs to spin a bit without too much drag,put lock tab and lock nut back on then fit wheel and see if its still wobbly,take you 20 mins like that to see if the bearing is shoty

The Ferkin BoB said:

remove the drive flange off the outside of the hub with the wheel on the floor,un do wheel,jack up and take wheel off,

you should see the hub end nut in the centre with a lock tab,

unfold the lock tab and take off the hub nut and tab,
tighten inner nut untill hub stops being loose,it needs to spin a bit without too much drag,put lock tab and lock nut back on then fit wheel and see if its still wobbly,take you 20 mins like that to see if the bearing is shoty

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This /\ /\ /\ except I personally keep the wheel on, this gives you a better gauge of the amount of play you have IMO

........ and of course if its a newer hub it will have a single nut with 'knock over' collar. And needs torqueing up to 130 ft/lb (or something silly like that - look it up) while turning the hub/bearing to settle in.....

If caliper is not moving I'm sure it won't be the swivel/pins. A

Jongould said:

This /\ /\ /\ except I personally keep the wheel on, this gives you a better gauge of the amount of play you have IMO

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you will notice i said fit wheel then check if still wobbly....

agew said:

........ and of course if its a newer hub it will have a single nut with 'knock over' collar. And needs torqueing up to 130 ft/lb (or something silly like that - look it up) while turning the hub/bearing to settle in.....

If caliper is not moving I'm sure it won't be the swivel/pins. A

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crushing a bearing in place to make it fit is very poor,it is possible to fit the bearings without crushing them,then set the tension by hand....

never fails with a good touch and the bearings stay nice.

The Ferkin BoB said:

crushing a bearing in place to make it fit is very poor,it is possible to fit the bearings without crushing them,then set the tension by hand....

never fails with a good touch and the bearings stay nice.

Click to expand...

??? ... did I say something about 'crushing'.......? IIRC the manual is the source for the single nut hub bearing replacement and torque settings - I didn't make it up honest!! A