Warning: Loose Axle Nuts

[wildbill846]

Better late than never, here are the pics I promised...

Here's the right side...what I expect to see...

And here's what I found on the left side....not so good....

Ugh



Bill

 

[Valhalla]

Reviving an old thread, back from the dead. Recently did all the major maintenance and rebuilt the axles. Cranked down the axle nuts when done but had one loosen on me (twice) so I researched this thread. Had to go out and buy a 300 ft/lb torque wrench in 3/4 drive in order to set this nut and the 36 mm driver socket but it worked out great. It certainly was unnerving driving with a loose wheel on the rotor. 242 ft/lbs on a nut? Crazy. Somewhat unsettled and not a pleasant sound of metal on metal, but all good now. Thanks Prime, great reference and history here.

 

[JRZ]

Only 3/4" stuff is recommended. I broke everything else. The bar from the floor jack made a perfect breaker bar fyi.

 

[Old Guy]

I would have to go dig out the shop manual to be sure; but, I remember something about having to stake the nut when installing it. Make sure you did that. Also, I seem to recall some recommendations here on Prime to install a new nut rather than re use the old nut. I don't recall seeing that in the shop manual so I don't know where that came from.

Coming loose is unusual. You used to see photos posted of 8 ft breaker bar extensions that owners cobbled together just to get the nut off - along with photos of mangled 1/2 " drives.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Yes the nut does get staked. If you get CV boot kits (OEM) they come with new nuts. Since I always do both CV boots when I have an axle out, I always end up with a spare nut. I now have a box of them.....

HTH,
LarryB