Method For Manufacturing A Wheel Bearing Apparatus

A method for manufacturing a wheel bearing apparatus comprising:

• providing an outer member integrally formed, on its outer circumference, with a body mounting flange to be mounted on a vehicle body, the outer member inner circumference including double row outer raceway surfaces;
• an inner member including a wheel hub and an inner ring, the wheel hub being integrally formed, on its one end, with a wheel mounting flange and the wheel hub outer circumference including an inner raceway surface corresponding to one of the double row outer raceway surfaces, a cylindrical portion axially extending from the inner raceway surface through a shoulder, the inner ring being press-fit onto the cylindrical portion of the wheel hub, via a predetermined interference (δ);
• and double row rolling elements rollably contained, via cages, between the inner raceway surfaces of the inner member and the outer raceway surfaces of the outer member;
• measuring a distance Ho, Hi and Hh, Ho is measured from a first contacting point, between one outer raceway surface of the double row outer raceway surfaces of the outer member and one rolling element of the double row rolling elements, to a second contacting point, between the other outer raceway surface of the double row outer raceway surfaces of the outer member and the other rolling element of the double row rolling elements, the distance Hi is measured from a third contacting point, between the rolling element and the inner raceway surface of the inner ring, to a smaller end face of the inner ring, and the distance Hh is measured from a fourth contacting point, between the rolling element and the inner raceway surface of the wheel hub, to a shoulder of the wheel hub;
• comparing a difference of ΔH=(Hi+Hh−Ho) with a reference value of a model article;
• and
• selecting rolling elements each having an optimum diameter to correct the difference ΔH between the measured values and the reference values.