castle nut/bearing "preload" what's your rule?
 

We all know how spindle nuts with the tang lock washer work...

there is "tight" (been there to seat the bearings well in the races)
next available lock position is "snug"- no play with the wheel on

I have them set at the next looser locking posibility, about 1/8" play with wheel/tire on.
you can feel it moving the tire top and bottom...have to look hard to see it...
this is my usual tolerance

do you agree?

Here is a good guide

http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/...1.html#Preload

I tighten as tight as I can get by hand while turning the wheel/tire, then using a cresent wrench tighten the nut to the first opening I can get the cotter pin in. Never have had a problem using this method.

You never want to hard-tighten without continuing revolution. If you do, you can flat-spot the race and then you're doomed to a quick failure.

On new bearings, I make absolutely, positively certain the races are seated all the way, then on assembly, I put the tires on and rotate while tightening. I get them until there's a high resistance, then back off. Then I choke way up on the wrench and tighten until just snug, then back off to the first open slot to slip the cotter pin into. Ever so slightly loose allows for enough heat expansion on the hottest days with the heaviest load. If you have new bearings, the adjustment should be repeated in about 20 or 30 miles of loaded use.

For the techies the spec is .002" free play

Snug then back off to the first cotter pin notch for the rest of us

I'll be adding a dial indicator to my road toolbox... this morning!
;)

same as me but after I put in the cotter key in,I back it up aginst the key,making it a little looser

well, I had gone back and re-checked mine after I started this thread.
they are one notch tighter now than I had them set.
"snug" with a wrench while turning, then backed up to the first slot I could get a tang into
I can still feel just a "little wiggle" at the outer diameter of the tire...
I've never questioned myself like this on bearing set before.
I replaced a couple rear seals on the old set-up and just threw it back together...no worries. :eek:
and have seviced my small trailers many times over
I guess it's just because everything is new, the GVW and the $.

???