Grrrr Wheel bearings

booblinker · Dec 23, 2007

I have a 93 Ranger 4x4 dana 35. My front wheel bearings keep coming loose, the locknut is coming loose.. I have tightened them like 5 times. I just want to make sure i am doing it correctly. I am putting the thick nut on first, finger tight plus a little, then the washer with a bunch of holes in it, then the think nut really tight. I think this is correct, but my inner(thicker) spindle nut does not have a nipple for the washer to lock onto which i was told it should have it. Pictures would be awesome.

krugford · Dec 23, 2007

Sounds like you're doing it right for the most part. The inner nut should have a peg on it to retain the washer and the washer should have a tab the rides in the groove on the spindle. Also, the outer nut needs to be torqued to something like 150 ft-lbs. That's usually my least favorite part because of the high knuckle buster factor associated with that special socket..

4x4junkie · Dec 23, 2007

Yes, with a missing or damaged nipple, it can slip and come loose.

Find a new locknut for it and then tighten the outer nut to 225ft-lbs or so. Should fix it.

(click for bigger)

booblinker · Dec 23, 2007

Alright sweet, its just broke, not me being stupid.

Sasquatch_Ryda · Dec 23, 2007

You can repair the lock nut by pounding the broken pin through and using a needle bearing from a u joint to replace it.

michowski · Dec 23, 2007

Tighten the first nut to 20-25ft pounds. Install the washer and then install the outer nut. Tighten that as tight as you can get it. I bought the socket for mine and once I get to 50ft pounds it always wants to slip off no matter what I do. I just kept it level and tightened it as hard as I could. I did notice I was above 180ft pounds when I looked at the guage. So far a few weeks with it and nothing has come lose.

Wicked_Sludge · Dec 24, 2007

i used my 1/2" impact gun on my outers last time i had the rotors off....seems to have done the trick.

the time before that i installed the inners, cleaned the spindle threads really well and installed the outers with lock-tight.

4x4junkie · Dec 24, 2007

michowski said:
Tighten the first nut to 20-25ft pounds. Install the washer and then install the outer nut. Tighten that as tight as you can get it. I bought the socket for mine and once I get to 50ft pounds it always wants to slip off no matter what I do. I just kept it level and tightened it as hard as I could. I did notice I was above 180ft pounds when I looked at the guage. So far a few weeks with it and nothing has come lose.

Did you mean 20-25 INCH-lbs? 25 ft-lbs on the inner nut will lead to them burning up.

You should do the inner nut to 35 ft-lbs while spinning the rotor to seat the bearings, then BACK it off ½ turn, then retighten it to 15 INCH-lbs (snug it by hand using the socket).
Put the washer & outer nut on and tighten to 225ft-lbs.
(if your socket wants to slip off, find one that goes AROUND the nut instead of the type with 4 prongs that stick off the end)

michowski · Dec 24, 2007

No I actually put mine to foot pounds. I guess I didnt read the directions well enough. Oops. Its actually not that tight tho. I can take the studs and spin the rotors and everything with ease. I can put the wheel on and spin it and it will spin for a few seconds fine. I also got 31" tires so they said to tighten them a little more if you got bigger tires. Il take em apart and retorque the inner to inch pounds instead of foot.

Evan · Dec 25, 2007

I've found that it's usually a good idea to get that outer locknut as tight as possible. I put a jack under the socket so it doesn't slip off, and then jump up and down on the breaker bar.

compleckz · Dec 25, 2007

Sasquatch_Ryda said:
You can repair the lock nut by pounding the broken pin through and using a needle bearing from a u joint to replace it.

funny you bring that up, i had that EXACT idea when i found mine to be broken a few weeks ago...

i thought i was pretty slick when i fixed it with a u joint needle, but apparently its common knowledge, or we're both just geniuses! :icon_cheers:

Wicked_Sludge said:
i used my 1/2" impact gun on my outers last time i had the rotors off....seems to have done the trick.

i also started doing that, i can never get it any tighter with my breaker bar, after i use the impact...

i used to just i max out my tq wrench to like 150, then get it to click, then get the breaker bar out and i could barely go anymore.. so i figure the impact is enough.

bottledgt · Dec 25, 2007

yeah 25 ft lbs is way too tight.

Sasquatch_Ryda · Dec 26, 2007

compleckz said:
or we're both just geniuses!

rickcdewitt · Dec 26, 2007

4x4junkie said:
(if your socket wants to slip off, find one that goes AROUND the nut instead of the type with 4 prongs that stick off the end)

i'll have to weld a collar around mine and see if it helps.do you remember who sells the enclosed socket just in case?

wahlstrom1 · Dec 26, 2007

Princess auto has them, or harbor freight in your case, :icon_cheers:

.

-andrew

Grrrr Wheel bearings

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