A method for manufacturing a bearing device for a wheel, which comprises a wheel bearing, the wheel bearing comprising:
- an outer member having double-row outer raceway surfaces formed on an inner periphery thereof;
- an inner member comprising a hub wheel and an inner ring and having double-row inner raceway surfaces formed on an outer periphery thereof, which are opposed to the double-row outer raceway surfaces;
- and
- double-row balls interposed between the double-row outer raceway surfaces of the outer member and the double-row inner raceway surfaces of the inner member,
- the wheel bearing having a constant velocity universal joint coupled thereto through a screw fastening structure by fitting a stem section of an outer joint member of the constant velocity universal joint into an inner diameter of the hub wheel so that a shoulder portion of the outer joint member is brought into abutment against an end portion of the inner member, the method comprising:
- forming a plurality of projecting portions on one of the hub wheel and the stem section of the outer joint member to extend in an axial direction, and forming a plurality of depressed portions formed to have an interference with respect to the plurality of projecting portions on another of the hub wheel and the stem section of the outer joint member, the plurality of depressed portions being formed in advance before initially press-fitting the one of the hub wheel and the stem section to the other of the hub wheel and the stem section;
- press-fitting the projecting portions into the depressed portions by an axial force of the screw fastening structure to cut the interference with the press-fit projecting portions;
- configuring a projection and depression fitting structure in which the projecting portions and the depressed portions are brought into contact with each other at an entire fitting contact portion formed therebetween by the cutting of the interference with the projecting portions and transferring a shape of the projecting portions to the other of the hub wheel and the stem section of the outer joint member;
- forming a flash portion by the press-fitting of the projecting portions into the depressed portions by the axial force of the screw fastening structure;
- and
- setting an axial force generated on contact surfaces of the end portion of the inner member and the shoulder portion of the outer joint member to 32 kN or smaller, wherein:
- a value obtained by dividing an axial length from the shoulder portion of the outer joint member, against which the end portion of the inner member abuts, to the plurality of projecting portions by a maximum outer diameter of the stem section is set to 0.3 or smaller;
- and
- a value obtained by dividing an axial length of the stem section by the maximum outer diameter of the stem section is set to 1.3 or smaller.