Wheel bearings auto hubs

[iamtherealJayy]

Honestly not sure how dumb this question might be and I can’t find a direct answer or figure it out myself. I’ve got a 1976 Chevrolet k10 350/350/np203 with the auto hubs in the front, they’re just chrome cups and I have no idea how to get them off… the truck has new rotors(still have the milling marks) so they’ve been off recently and I think previous owner didn’t torque wheel bearings because I put my new wheels and tires on today (15x12 with 32x11.50x15) and I can move the hub around. I’ve rebuild the hubs on both of my other trucks with the locking hubs but this has me stumped. I did not exert a lot of force since I didn’t know what to do. Here’s some pics I’m putting in a couple threads.

 

[waterpirate]

Can not help with the hubs, but that is a nice rig and I love the new shoes!
Eric

 

[iamtherealJayy]

Thank you! I just got it not long ago it’s a work in progress. Just ordered a custom auto sounds radio last night since I love them and even better you don’t have to cut the dash lol

 

[Bextreme04]

Honestly not sure how dumb this question might be and I can’t find a direct answer or figure it out myself. I’ve got a 1976 Chevrolet k10 350/350/np203 with the auto hubs in the front, they’re just chrome cups and I have no idea how to get them off… the truck has new rotors(still have the milling marks) so they’ve been off recently and I think previous owner didn’t torque wheel bearings because I put my new wheels and tires on today (15x12 with 32x11.50x15) and I can move the hub around. I’ve rebuild the hubs on both of my other trucks with the locking hubs but this has me stumped. I did not exert a lot of force since I didn’t know what to do. Here’s some pics I’m putting in a couple threads.

They are not "auto" hubs. In 76 they would have been full-time 4wd. It's basically just a solid gear inside that keeps the 4wd always engaged. You just pop off the chrome cap like you would a cap on old 2wd front rotors or trailer axles.

Once the cap is off, you remove a snap ring and then pull the gear and spring out. Now you can get to the nuts to adjust the wheel bearings.

 

[iamtherealJayy]

What torque do wheel bearings need again? I did them on my 87 but I can’t remember if it’s 50 inside then washer then 35 oitside or something like that and you have to loosen them and retorque something. I’ll pop a cap off and dig in soon
Edit: also thanks for the correction I wasn’t sure what to call them so I called it auto hubs since you didn’t have to do anything but full time 4x4 does sounds closer to being correct.

 

[Bextreme04]

-Torque to 50 ft-lbs while spinning the hub(this seats the bearings)
-Back off 1/2 turn
-Torque to 35 ft-lbs
-Back off 1/8-1/4 turn(I start at 1/8 turn and then back off until locking plate will go on)
-Torque outer nut to 120 ft-lbs or more(some people claim they torque them up to 200 ft-lbs)

This should give you a very small "click" when you push in and then pull out on the hub very hard. That tells you that you have a very small clearance on the bearing that will allow it to expand as it warms up and gets to the proper preload when driving. Otherwise you will have it preloaded when cold and it will be too tight when warmed up and you will burn up your bearings.

 

[Bextreme04]

Also... full-time, Auto, and manual locking hubs are three different things and all of them came on squarebodies. Auto locking hubs will look different and usually have a "4x4" sticker on the face.

 

[iamtherealJayy]

Alright thank you. I’ll dig into that soon. Since we’re on bearings, should the rear drum have a small amount of give inward and outward? I could grab the wheel and pull out and push in and hear a small amount of movement(bottoming out and pulling all the way out?) I couldn’t visibly see it. Is this normal?

 

[iamtherealJayy]

Got the front wheel bearings torqued, as always they started finger tight lol. Wheel doesn’t love anymore and spins freely I forgot to check for the click. I like the full time hubs they seemed easier to take apart than the locking hubs I’ve done previously.