Front wheel bearing torque specs?

[OneofMany]

It is a 94 4x4. Axle nut replaced with the Warn spindle nut kit. This should not make a difference. I do have the proper axle nut socket. My issue is that when I tighten down the bearings to where there is no play in the wheel, I get a bearing noise. I will take the bearings out later today and repack them as I do see a lot of dirt and frequent moderate off road use... I live on a dirt road and go through a dip daily. Is there a spec to torque the axle nut to?

 

[natenkiki2004]

I don't have the exact number but I believe it's finger-tight or just snug when choked up on a small ratchet. Tighten while you spin the wheel then back off 1/4 of a turn. Get the spacer then outer nut on and tighten as much as you can.

 

[timtimtimajim]

The inner nut should be tightened to 35 lb-ft while turning the rotor back and forth. Then back off about a 1/4 turn, but no more than that. Then add spacer. The outer nut has a range of 85-135 lb-ft. I like to torque mine down to 125 lb-ft.

 

[RangerX]

Inner nut torques to 35 ft lbs, then back off 1/4 turn, then tighten to 16 inch lbs, add spacer, then tighten outer nut to 150 ft lbs.

 

[Maniak]

What Bill said....

One thing to watch for is if you run oversized tires you have to play with the specs. With 33" tires I'm to the point that I tighten down the inner nut while spinning the tire (think palm ratchet) and then loosen it and then go just less than finger tight. Now I put on the spacer and tighten the outer nut as much as possible (I'm to the point of using a punch and hammer nowadays)... If I set the inner to two finger tight (low inch pounds) it becomes over tight when I crank down on the outer nut. From what I've noticed is that newer spindles/nuts do this less but by now most spindles have quite a few miles on them..

~Mark

 

[OneofMany]

What Bill said....

One thing to watch for is if you run oversized tires you have to play with the specs. With 33" tires I'm to the point that I tighten down the inner nut while spinning the tire (think palm ratchet) and then loosen it and then go just less than finger tight. Now I put on the spacer and tighten the outer nut as much as possible (I'm to the point of using a punch and hammer nowadays)... If I set the inner to two finger tight (low inch pounds) it becomes over tight when I crank down on the outer nut. From what I've noticed is that newer spindles/nuts do this less but by now most spindles have quite a few miles on them..

~Mark

I run stock tire sizes. One thing to watch out for is to have the nut with the little dimple on in on the inside with dimple facing out and make sure the lock ring engages that dimple and is in the key way. Then your bearing pre-load does not change when tightening the outer nut.

So I took everything apart today and noticed that the outer nut was finger tight. I think I had noticed the same thing last time I took all that apart. Somehow it seems that nut loosens up when running in 4x4. Tightened it up with the impact this time. Bearings looked good, repacked them, replaced one seal that seemed to have come loose. Good thing I always keep a set of bearings and spare seal around. I definitely ended up with more of a preload than I had before and then everything was put back together and the wheel on, the play was gone. 16 in/lbs my left foot! That is way too loose IMO. Test drive went well. About an hour or so running errands and a few detours exploring country roads I had not been on before.

 

[Maniak]

I run stock tire sizes. One thing to watch out for is to have the nut with the little dimple on in on the inside with dimple facing out and make sure the lock ring engages that dimple and is in the key way. Then your bearing pre-load does not change when tightening the outer nut.

I forgot all about the dimple... That broke off years ago.. A few of my spare sets still have them but if/when they loosen up (larger tires do that) they break right off.

~Mark

 

[OneofMany]

Aha! Well thanks for the heads up! Like I said, I do not run large tires, but my Ex sees some severe service.
I thought the warn Spindle nut kit that I used was the best I could get at the time. I think it could have been made a little more heavy duty. I know exactly what you are talking about when you said you use a punch and hammer to tighten the lock nut. I did that before i bought the socket. Still trying to figure out why that lock nut loosens up. Freaking nuts! I must check that more often. maybe next time I will loctite that POS in place.

 

[Maniak]

Just a heads up on that pic.. If you were "done" when you took the pic, you are missing the c-clip thingy that goes on the axle. It keeps the axle from pulling in. If the axle pulls in you will explode the hub since you wont' have enough splines engaging it.

I understand the severe duty.. I'm on a dirt road too, although the X is no longer a DD. When it was a DD I would check those nuts every oil change.. Since you have stockish sized tires you shouldn't need to do it that often but I'd still check 'em once in a while. Nothing worse than throwing money away because the bearing is bad from a nut coming loose.

~Mark

 

[Chirko]

you are missing the c-clip thingy that goes on the axle

I am talking about this?

My issue is that when I tighten down the bearings to where there is no play in the wheel, I get a bearing noise

As for the problem of backlash! Backlash problem may occur when the spindle is badly worn. I surfaced spindle MIG-MAG welding. Turner handles to the desired size. But I think in the US it is not necessary to do so. Spare parts are available. The quality of the bearings is also plays an important role. To tighten the hub nut using the special wrench. It is easy to make from a piece of pipe and the old head of the toolkit. So you feel better torque

 

[Maniak]

@Chirco, Yes, I was talking about that c-clip and the splined washer (I didn't mention the washer too) in that picture.. I mentioned it since I grab my spare hubs from the junk yard and I ran across a couple that didn't have the c-clip or the splined washer...

~Mark

 

[Chirko]

Maniak, I think these are important components of the front axle. Although one of my friends went without them. He did not even know that these parts should be installed. And this way he has done)) https://www.google.ru/maps/dir/Афип...b5d90!2m2!1d56.2667916!2d58.0296813!4e1?hl=en

 

[BKennedy]

I used to have a problem with the outer spindle nut loosening itself with 35" tires. Winter suggested I put a little lock tite on the outer nut after carefully cleaning off the end of the spindle. Worked great.

 

[OneofMany]

Thanks for the follow up replies. I will check the bin I saved the junky auto locking hub parts in If maybe I have them in there. If not, then I will look for new ones. I can see how If the suspension is extended very far in an off road situation the axle could retract and disengage from the hub lock.

 

[RangerX]

Wait, why would you go back to the auto hubs??

 

[Maniak]

Wait, why would you go back to the auto hubs??

I "think" he's saying he going to look in the pile o parts left over from the conversion to see if he can find the splined washer and the c-clip. Those are missing from his pic above.

~Mark

 

[RangerX]

Ah, rereading it, that makes sense.

 

[OneofMany]

I have them! will Put those parts back on there when I get a chance. IDK why I left them out. Oh well... 3 years, 2 sets of tires and brakes pads later...

 

[OneofMany]

Done. What a pain to get the clips back on there.

 

[92exp4x4]

Done. What a pain to get the clips back on there.

I drive them on with a swift smack and the same needle nose pliers that i use to remove them, that is when they don't go sailing into the oblivion..