<<Is there a valid reason why the front bearings need the spacer and
shims?
Why can't it be reassembled without the spacer and treated like 99% of
the other cars on the road with tapered roller bearings? The manual for
my old Toyota called for tightening the hub nut to 25 ft/lbs, then
loosening it, and then hand tightening it.>>
You can. SWMBO and I were coming back from an MGC meet at Tahoe, and were
averaging around 85 mph, which meant a fair bit of time at higher speeds (and
a couple of quick zaps into the 125-130 area just for the hell of it - the car
is modified), and when we got to Woodburn Oregon, one of the wheel bearings
seized in 110 deg. heat.
We bussed home to Vancouver (and is that ever a long trip!), and I drove back
the next day (6 1/2 hrs.) to pick the car up with my race car trailer. It was
still so hot in Oregon that when I grabbed the door handle it blistered my
hand!
So a combination of long distance at high speeds, and very hot ambient
temperatures caused the problem. I had set the clearance to stock specs not
long before and they certainly hadn't tightened up any.
After that experience, I removed the spacer and shims and set the clearance as
you suggest.
I also use the same method on my Twincam race car (for you pushrod types, the
MGA Twinkie has taper roller front bearings like a 'B', not ball bearings like
a regular 'A'), and have never had any problems.
If you aren't going cross country at high average speeds (come to think about
it, you probably couldn't with the crowded roads these days) in high
temperatures, it likely isn't an issue.
Bill S.
Vancouver
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