Hi I wondered if anyone could help with any advice for my Land Rover series III swb.

I recently replaced my front driver's side half shaft bearing, swivel bearing and top pin, AND wheel bearing.

And I did my preload with a fishing/luggage hand weight measure for the swivel bearing/steering arm. I shimmed it all up etc and torqued everything correctly to recommended tensions.

The wheel bearing I tightened it by hand til it just felt good (so unsure it is right), I used the "land rover tool". And when I finished there was no play top to bottom or left to right.

OK so then I drove the Land Rover for a month or more and it has felt great and much better.

The other day I thought I best check there is still no play, so I jacked it up and was gutted to find top to bottom (or 12-6) slight play...

I thought this must be the Wheel bearing as I only tightened that by hand, but on reading online I see that swivel play tends to be 12-6, while left to right (or 3-9) is wheel bearing. Well I still don't have any play 3-9/left to right so I'm pretty confused.

How can it be the Swivel bearing if I've done it to the book with a proper measure on the preload??

So anyway, I bit the bullet and I've removed a couple of shims, despite not wanting to mess up my correctly set preload I thought it was worth a try. But there is still a bit of creaky play there. Not knocking but a little movement. I've taken 2 of the 4 shims out and it hasn't made a lot of difference (if any...) so do I take the last two shims out and totally mess my preload up, OR could this still be the Wheel bearing that needs tightening up a bit more? Again I have no side-to-side play so I am very confused and unsure what to do.



Thanks for any help at all

if your getting to the point you dont need shims either pin and bush are worn or the thrust washers missing worn thin

hi thanks for the reply.

My swivel pin and bush where newly replaced. The thrust washer also seemed fine. I definitely remember putting one in and lock washer on outside too. There was no play at all when I replaced everything.

Could the wheel bearing still be the culprit and need further tightening?

Also if I take out any more shims will it harm anything.

Not really sure whether to just take all the shims out to see if the movement is still there (I suppose I can put them all back in again if it doesn't do anything), or risk tightening the wheel bearing when it doesn't need it...

soydemadrid said:

hi thanks for the reply.

My swivel pin and bush where newly replaced. The thrust washer also seemed fine. I definitely remember putting one in and lock washer on outside too. There was no play at all when I replaced everything.

Could the wheel bearing still be the culprit and need further tightening?

Also if I take out any more shims will it harm anything.

Not really sure whether to just take all the shims out to see if the movement is still there (I suppose I can put them all back in again if it doesn't do anything), or risk tightening the wheel bearing when it doesn't need it...

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get someone to see where the play is whilst you rock the wheel ie bearing or swivel,if its swivel and no shims are needed to need to find why

hi thanks, ok so it's a take it down a garage job for this one and get a mechanics advice?

Do wheel bearings ever give top to bottom 12-6 play on a Series III or will it most likely be something to do with top pin/swivel/thrust etc?

I'll try tomorrow night taking all my shims out I suppose just to see if there is any play left... I probably won't get chance to get to a garage for a while.

soydemadrid said:

hi thanks, ok so it's a take it down a garage job for this one and get a mechanics advice?

Do wheel bearings ever give top to bottom 12-6 play on a Series III or will it most likely be something to do with top pin/swivel/thrust etc?

I'll try tomorrow night taking all my shims out I suppose just to see if there is any play left... I probably won't get chance to get to a garage for a while.

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wheel bearing will give play in all directions, but 12 and 6 is easiest to feel, swivel only 12 and 6,

get somebody to hold the brake pedal down and try for play, if play still there it will be swivel, if play gone it will be wheel bearing

I suspect something wasn't quite fully in when you tightened it up and its moved. First thing would be to re-shim it, if its just bedded in it should last once its re-adjusted.

minecab said:

get somebody to hold the brake pedal down and try for play, if play still there it will be swivel, if play gone it will be wheel bearing

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Hi thanks - you are a genius!! After testing with a plank of wood wedge on the brake the play wasn't there!! So I just shimmed the swivel back to how it was before and left that well alone. Turned my attention to the wheel bearing and now after tightening that up a bit snugger... Well now no play at all !!

So that advice about testing with the brakes applied was like gold to me.

Just shows that top to bottom 12-6 play or knocking can be just also be the wheel bearing too.

Thanks so much for your help!

Sounds like the brake advice was spot on, glad you ignored my adivce to re-shim just yet!

Had the same on mine just over a year ago. I had rebuilt all the hubs less than 2,000 miles previous so was surprised to find play. I had also replaced the wheel bearings with new Timken ones but it seemed they had settled and needed some play taking out on the driver's side one. Nice simple fix.

I have just replaced the top railko bush and the taper roller at the bottom to find I cannot get enough resistance 4/5lbs at best, with no shims? Could the swivel be deformed?

Any ideas

Have you fitted the railco disc inside the railco bush?

Yes, I tried putting some shims under it which started to make a difference, I am not sure if this is the right way to go?

528702 did you replace this, it could also be the bush and bearing fully seating after driving a while, I gave mine a good old beating and was not convinced it was fully home

If you still have the old king pin compare its length to the new one.