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Self-loosening Axle Nut?

EuroTour said:
You're suggesting he try to drill a hole straight through a hardened 1" thick axle? Good fing luck! :rolleyes:
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The axle nut is loosening up and yet he continues to drive on it. That is insane. If the nut comes off he could die. Either stop driving the car, fix the problem correctly, or put a mechanical device in place to get rid of the safety risk. Sure a cotter pin doesn't fix the problem. If the nut loosens to the cotter pin the bearing will wear quicker, but The wheel isn't going to fall off.

And yes you can drill through the axle. It is only surfaced hardened. Carbide bit and a drill press.

for history the Dodge Dakota had issues with wheel nuts backing off. There came close but never had a recall. The F150 tried to use the dakota nut design, but couldn't keep the nut from loosening up in prototype. The fix .... lock tight and a cotter pin. bearing life was reduced but still met specifications.
 
Not exactly sure what makes you think I'm such a n00b, but rest assured, I'm not. The nut was only ever loose enough for a few millimeters of top-to-bottom shimmying; I've tightened the nut back down, and have been monitering the problem very closely until I can secure a new knuckle. I would be more concerned about doing a half-assed fix when I can fully correct the problem fairly easily.

Yes, some axles are designed with a hole for a cotter pin. Our's aren't, so I'm not about it add one.
 
I understand what you're saying but with the Contour design it would be impossible for the axle to back out of the hub or for the wheel to fall off. Ask anyone thats changed an axle before. You're gonna burn through bearings but thats about it. It is a lot more important on the ones you mentioned, because the axle nut also holds the rotor/hub assembly onto the spindle.
 
Sorry if I came across the wrong way. I just want to make sure this guy is safe.

No I didn't think you were a noob but I don't know you either ...

and I do have some experience here, just not with Contours.


When I have had issues with wheel nuts loosening it was because I was getting micro deformation in the knuckle. The stud is so large that there is very little bolt stretch from the torque on the nut. A small amount of deformation in the knuckle allows the nut to loosen. vibration can and does take it the rest of the way off. It is a scary sight.

The other thing I can think of is if you are torquing it to spec with a dirty or rusty thread. Torque doesn't mean anything, it is bolt axial load that matters. Axial load isn't easy to measure. If the threads are dirty you can reach proper torque well before reaching proper axial load. Most of the time it doesn't matter. Here it might.

Get it fixed right, and good luck. I'll go away now.
 
Quick update: Loaded knuckle is on its way. In the meantime, anyone know what size the axle nut is off-hand? I'd rather not drive to the mechanic's just to tighten it, lol. Thanks all!
 
The first time I did a new wheel bearing, I put on a new axle nut, which I got fromm Bill J. The most trouble I had was finding a torque wrench that went up high enough. Couldn't believe how much torque 208 ft/lbs is, or what it took to get it tight enough. (FWIW, I weigh about 170 :laugh: ) It was definately way more than I would have thought.
 
getsum111 said:
Couldn't believe how much torque 208 ft/lbs is, or what it took to get it tight enough. (FWIW, I weigh about 170 :laugh: ) It was definately way more than I would have thought.
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That's why you pull up, wussy. Not to mention on most 1/2" torque wrenches you're talking like an 18"-24" long wrench, so it's really only like 100-120lbs or something.
 
Matty K said:
So we have 30mm, 27mm, and 32mm... anybody want to second one?
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well technically I was a second on the 32 mm but the original poster deleted the reply.

I can clearly see the socket and breaker bar in my mind that my father has for this and its 1-1/4" on a 1/2 breaker bar.

but I will get a caliper out and go measure it when I get home in about 30 minutes
 
my_black99svt said:
The axle nut is loosening up and yet he continues to drive on it. That is insane. If the nut comes off he could die. Either stop driving the car, fix the problem correctly, or put a mechanical device in place to get rid of the safety risk. Sure a cotter pin doesn't fix the problem. If the nut loosens to the cotter pin the bearing will wear quicker, but The wheel isn't going to fall off.

And yes you can drill through the axle. It is only surfaced hardened. Carbide bit and a drill press.

for history the Dodge Dakota had issues with wheel nuts backing off. There came close but never had a recall. The F150 tried to use the dakota nut design, but couldn't keep the nut from loosening up in prototype. The fix .... lock tight and a cotter pin. bearing life was reduced but still met specifications.
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HAHAHHAHAHAH right dude. riiiight hahahahahahaha wow. could die, i guess you could die doing anything, but the wheel won't come off the car until the axle is split, and the balljoint or wheel bearing fails so bad that the inner hub could come off. if you didnt notice a problem before that point, you wouldn't have a pulse anyways.
 
TRicker said:
the axle is split, and the balljoint or wheel bearing fails so bad that the inner hub could come off.
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Wait; is that bad? That happened on the way to work this morning. I just figured, "well, I've still got three wheels, so I'm probably fine". Should I take it to Pep Boys and get it looked at?
 
lol... well come on.... that guy thought you were gonna die! lol :) all in good fun. its not safe to drive on loose nuts.
 
BrApple said:
well technically I was a second on the 32 mm but the original poster deleted the reply.
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:laugh: If you're talking about me, yeah, I deleted my post. I was 99.999% sure it was 32 mm, but I couldn't confirm till I got home and checked my socket. I didn't want to post bad info.
 
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