My drivers side front wheel is loose, really loose. When I jack it up I can wiggle it at least 1/2 inch up/down and side/side. I have replaced the ball joints, control arm bushings, tie rod assemblies, and wheel bearings and races. The caster blocks are the updated 968 units and appear good. The only thing I can surmise is that I didn't get the bearing races all the way into the hub, but that would make the outer bearing tight not loose. Since I replaced the bearings I have only driven the car about 10 miles. When I pulled the old bearings out there was a ton of metal flakes on them and the old races looked pretty chewed up. The only other thing I can think to replace that would affect this are the spindles but they looked fine. Tomorrow I will re-check the bearings but when I installed them I tightened them real tight then backed them off a bit. Immediately after, the wheel was still loose and since then I have replaced all the other items. Could it be the spindle or the races not pushed far enough into the hub? What else could cause this?

Thanks in advance.

 

if the bearings and races are installed properly, i'd suspect the spindles.
you mentioned that there were metal particles upon removal. this could've been a combination of bearings and spindle.
anyways goodluck and let me know.

 

Supposing the hub did not got damaged during replacement and you have the correct replacement bearings: Bearing play.
Re-ajust "by the book" and do this again in a couple of mls.
Keep repeating till the play does not change anymore.
It might take a while to get the races seated.

1/16"play in the bearing will cause some 1/4" travel as described.
If the spindle was damaged by the previos set of bearings, you would have noticed this. The marking then is very obvious.
TakeCare