Wheel bearings...to change or not to change

[shadango]

I did a complete front end rebuild last winter, including upgrading to disks on the front...used spindles/calipers/rotors for a 79 New Yorker.

Well, doing my checking yesterday and I found that the rear steering knuckle bolt...the one that holds the spindle to the lower ball joint assembly....was loose...enough so there was play when you grabbed the wheel and moved it.

I did torque everything, but thinking I may not have lock-tighted that one....

Anyways, to get to the front of that bolt  i had to remove the rotor....well, the rotor didnt want to come off easy....yanked it hard and it popped off...the inner wheel bearing stayed in place....came right thru the seal.

So, I know I at least need a new seal.  i got the wheel bearing off with just a little prying....not much....not hard...just a little.

The bearing and race look OK far as I can tell...but.....  ..... I used SKF bearings last winter...I have one new set of Timkens I can swap in....

First, is this common?   I have never had it happen before......

Second, do you think its wise to swap out the inner bearing? And if so should i also swap out the outer as well? 

Third, as far as the bolt for the knuckle...all that I have on there is the bolt and the nut , which is the "locking" type....domed top, gets hard to tighten once it gets fully threaded on....am I missing maybe lock washers or something there?   I bought the spindles from a trusted person here so I figured all I needed were the bolts/nuts.

I DONT want this happening again......I know that the bolt cant come all the way out or the nut back all the way off ,since it just starts spinning...but its kind of scary anyways....

Advice?

[femtnmax]

I have worked at several alignment shops and car dealers over the years, so here's my opinions:
That knuckle bolt/nut has a torque of 120 ft. lb.  Should not have come loose...were all the parts real clean, no crud under the nut/bolt head??  I assume so but have to ask.
Yes, the bearing staying on the spindle can happen, yes replace the seal, and yes, you can reuse the bearing...just be sure it is clean and grease covered of course.
Yes, you could swap out the inner bearing&race without changing the outer brg/race.
My reprint of 1970 factory service manual shows the bolt, but not the nut, so do not know if there is a washer...many times there is NOT a washer, as that is just one more piece to wear/deform and possibly cause the very problem you have encountered.
I would suggest rechecking the torque on all the bolts/nuts for both LH/Rh steering.  It is possible the loose nut was never tightened  correctly...No offense please, but it happens.
At the Mercedes dealer I worked at, part of the predelivery inspection service was to check the torque of all front and rear suspension fasteners, just in case the assembly line missed one.  You get the picture.
hope this helps.

[shadango]

Thanks for the advice.

No offense taken....obviously I didnt do "something" right there....I removed all 4 and reapplied locktight and retorqued the, all....this time just past 120 ft/lbs....

Hopefully the idiot who did the work last time (me) just missed that one or "something"...could have sworn I did them right last time though.

[aris_unlimited]

My theory has always been "when in doubt, change it out".

[femtnmax]

My theory has always been "when in doubt, change it out".

Yes, for example if the bolt was ever overstretched at some time, it could be "soft" and never hold torque.

[mopar12372]

FYI / TIMKEN no longer makes their bearings (only some)
  SKF is made here  for sure 

[shadango]

FYI / TIMKEN no longer makes their bearings (only some)
  SKF is made here  for sure 

The Timkens I got are stamped "USA"

The SKF I bought from autozone are stamped "mexico"

??   

[DocMel]

REPLACE with new bearings and grease.  Bearings are cheap $$ wise, and well worth the few bucks>   Just by removing what you already have, you wont add to any time labor wise to install fresh bearings

You didnt mention if you torqued the main nut  (on the spindle that snugs down the rotor and bearings) to specs.  Not only to specs, but basically you torque the nut down to a certian load while turning the rotor, then you back off a half turn, then tighten down to final specs
Or go with the factory tech manal specs/techniques

Besides the obvious of too loose being a bad thing, too tight is almost as bad

[mopar12372]

The Timkens I got are stamped "USA"

The SKF I bought from autozone are stamped "mexico"

??   

hahahaha funny i just had both reps in the shop telling me a different story.
ok this is what i say to that (NEVER TRUST A SALES MAN)  ILL STAY IN MY CORNER NOW.....

[shadango]

REPLACE with new bearings and grease.  Bearings are cheap $$ wise, and well worth the few bucks>   Just by removing what you already have, you wont add to any time labor wise to install fresh bearings

You didnt mention if you torqued the main nut  (on the spindle that snugs down the rotor and bearings) to specs.  Not only to specs, but basically you torque the nut down to a certian load while turning the rotor, then you back off a half turn, then tighten down to final specs
Or go with the factory tech manal specs/techniques

Besides the obvious of too loose being a bad thing, too tight is almost as bad

Yep....i torqued them to spec while turning the nut.   

New Timkens.