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impact axle nut on or torque it by hand? what do u guys do?

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27K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  davester3500  
#1 ·
i recently had a wheel bearing failure and had to pull over to a shop and get it replaced.
i noticed the mechanic used a impact when he tightened my axle nut and lately ive been doing some rsearch and some people say that if you over tighten the axle nut you end up putting more stress on the hub/bearing and it leads to early failure. what do you guys think of this?

how are you guys tightening your axle nuts when you do some front end work? just impact it on or actually tightening by hand?

if by hand is it best to loosen the axle nut that was recently tightened and then tighten it with a torque wrench to spec or forget about it?

thx
 
#3 ·
Honestly, I've never used a torque wrench on axle nuts.....Didn't use them for years on all the Corporate Jets I worked on either throughout my career.
I always spin the wheel in the same direction I'm tightening the nut with a pair of channel lock pliers until snug, back off and do it a second time until snug, then back off one flat on the nut and put the the cotter pin in.

Not saying it's right, but I've been doing it that way for 49 years.
 
#5 ·
19trax95 said:
Thats doing a old school spindle setup or the free float type hubs though.

I assume the OP is talking about a front hub assemble, which is preloaded by the torque applied to the nut. Too tight equals too much preload.
Yes Eric, that's true.........
 
#7 ·
Probably one of the only things on my truck I actually aim to get perfect torque on. :oops:

Last time I did them I even went as far as putting the e-brake on so the truck wouldn't rock when I put the torque wrench on them. Set the wrench up at 160 ftlbs, hit it, then go to 170, then 177 final. I know. Anal. But if that nut comes off...then...well we know that'll ruin your day.
 
#8 ·
great thanks for the replies!
i also wanted to ask
i sometimes read online that people recommend changing out this o ring when doing hub replacements
any ideas on what it does or what the purpose is? did you guys just use the old one or install without it?

ACDELCO 290300 GM Original Equipment Front Wheel Bearing Seal (O-Ring)

i dont think wheel bearings come with a new o ring and when i watched the guy at the shop do my wheel bearing/hub replacement i saw him throw the old o ring in the garbage and i dont think the new wheel bearing/hub came with a new o ring

hoping it is fine with no o ring cuz i totally dont want to go back and install a new o ring
 
#9 ·
roorancher said:
Honestly, I've never used a torque wrench on axle nuts.....Didn't use them for years on all the Corporate Jets I worked on either throughout my career.
I always spin the wheel in the same direction I'm tightening the nut with a pair of channel lock pliers until snug, back off and do it a second time until snug, then back off one flat on the nut and put the the cotter pin in.

Not saying it's right, but I've been doing it that way for 49 years.
That is the correct old school time honored past down from generation to generation way of dealing with tapered bearings, it is what I was taught and also never had a problem doing because we also checked for end play by feel not a dial indicator at the end of this process using our calibrated hands ensuring trouble free operation. Someone new into the trade or a weekend diy hobbyist would benefit by going by Timkin's well presented video until they get the feel for it since they do not have the luxury of a well seasoned old timer looking over their shoulder double checking their work like we had starting out.


Tightening axle nuts like the OP is questioning is just done with a torque wrench to specs as the others mentioned, but needs to be done with a known calibrated torque wrench. if it is a old torque wrench that has been kicking around for years, abused and never set back to zero then tossed back in the tool box you may as well guess with a impact wrench like the hack technician who didn't care when he installed the hub for the OP.
 
#11 ·
That sounds like you have some kind of hub or cv axle problem. I would loosen it a bit, until the wheel can just turn, and try to find where it's interfering, if the cv axle is scraping on something, or if the bearing has somehow failed.