after more attempts, still no bueno. When I compare old bearing and new, the old ones sit more flush in the races, the new stick out, just a bit. I think when they are torqued down this extra space, restricts the movement. For now I just cleaned, re-greased and reinstalled old ones. Hopefully I can return, or get something for the crappy ones.

cheers, stay safe, and have fun with your minis.

thanks for the info, I'll mess around with them tomorrow.

when I replaced one of my worn rear ball bearings with tapered, the set up was like "A" mentioned above. 
No need for 60 lbs on those. They would bind. Just use the "good" feel method.
Been in there for 20 years and still good. .

Their are two types of tapered wheel bearing set ups / torque up.
Type "A" --is 2 tapered bearings with out a center spacer. you just tighten the nut to get a good feel / no play in the wheel. and insert a cotter key, to prevent the nut from loosening.
Type  "B" -- is 2 tapered bearings with a precisely machined race spacer and a precisely machined bearing spacer. Generally the  bearing spacer is slightly bigger-(longer) than the race spacer.
If everything is assembled correctly, no incorrect parts or damages, when you torque the nut to the correct spec. ,the longer bearing spacer will give a very slight end play to the wheel bearing.

Torque it to as comfortable as you feel is enough to drive it around the block safely, re check it when you return you may be able to get to the 60 lbs.
If you can't get to 60 lbs just torque it to as much as you can and repeat the ride.

Make sure the outer races are fully seated.

The flat side of the seals should face you when you install them.

Adjusting the bearing load will require you to make longer spacers, this is a pita imo unless you are a machinist with a lathe so try and work with what you have.

The seal is installed with the flat face away from the bearing.
I would make sure the outer races are installed all the way down to the seats.
I have experienced this problem before and I tightened the bearings to where I felt comfortable with them and drove it around the backroads for a few miles. As long as you install the split pins and keep your speeds down it will be fine for the test drive.
I then was able to re torque the nuts to 60lbs.

Shimming the bearings requires you to make a thicker spacer so it pushes the bearings farther apart and helps with the clearance but finding the length you want is the tricky part.

 The weakest link in the chain will break first. In this scenario of rotating and stationary parts it is, the weakest link, the bearing cage , not a 3/4 inch thick axle.

MG (MGA and MGB at least) uses the same type arrangement on the front wheels with tapered bearings and a shimmed spacer.  From what I remember reading somewhere, the stub axles are really too small for the expected load.  The torque on the axle nut puts the stub axle under tension, which makes it stronger and more resistant to side loads.  The warning was if the axles did not have proper tension, they were subject to flexing and therefore metal fatigue.  The ultimate result could be the axle breaking and wheel falling off.  Not a good thing when the maximum stress would typically be during a high speed turn.  The same thing may be applicable to the Mini axle.

Don

I got the mini mania kit, says "classic mini rear wheel bearing timken type"
So the nuts need to be torqued to 60 ft lb right? this is what some of the guys on youtube said. classic mini diy, and steveston moco. 
I am able to get the split pin in, with wheels moving smoothly but it's not near tight enough. 

also you guys, know which way for certain the oil seal goes?

Alex, how would I go about using shims?

thx for helping me in these troubled times

You say its a taper roller bearing.

Therefore I would tighten the castle nut until there is barely perceptible play and no more.

That's the method for a trailer without a centre distance spacer, and hopeless (and dangerous) for a Mini.  How do you put the split pin through to lock the nut that holds the hub on ?

The bearing is designed to be torqued to the prescribed amount to ensure proper pre-load amongst other things.

I've never used a torque wrench to tighten the spindle nut. I would tighten the nut (just snug) and then grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock position and wiggle the tire. If i got even the slightest hint of movement I would tighten some more. 

Did you use genuine Timken bearing kits or the el-cheapo knockoffs which are frankly rubbish ?

If you used repros then it doesn't surprise me that they are tight, as the outer races are often too thick or the stepped spacer on the inner race too small.  

You can remedy the problem by shimming the bearing if you feel confident enough to do it.

Hi,
I replaced my rear wheel bearings with tapered bearing kit. When I torque castlenut to 60 ft lb, wheels are hard to spin. I did not drive,only rolled it a bit in garage; very hard to push. I thought I may have put on seal backwards. I originally put seal with flat end away opposite of bearing. I saw Haynes Manual says put seal with flat end towards tapered bearings, so I tried one wheel this way, and it still feels hard to spin when  I start tightening. I'm certain races are in as far as they can go.

Any ideas of what I may doing wrong? or tips. thx