Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Reusing Axle Nuts

I've had 8 different models of front wheel drive Fords but none with such an odd looking axle nut as the Contour. I know the manuals all say do not re-use, but what's up when the dealer doesn't even stock them? They are special order items. This would seem to imply those axle nuts are being re-used routinely in the service bays. What say ye all?

Officially, you can reuse them 5 times. But I doubt anybody here will advise that. In fact, Ray explicitly states in the Wheel Bearing How-to to change it each time.
"The axle nut is a one time use, so use a new nut when installing.."

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=v6maint&Number=895425&Forum=v6maint&Words=hub%20replacement&Match=And&Searchpage=0&Limit=2500&Old=allposts&Main=895425&Search=true#Post895425

These things hold your rotor to your hub. if it DID come undone, because it is a one-time use nut and didn't hold torque) what could happen??


Is it REALLLLLLLY worth the 8.00 or less to chance that? How many people would save 25.00 to use a used tire with half life left? not many... Same situation with this. If you want to use it again, know that these are responsible for pre-loading the bearings (will fail if insufficient torque isn't held), which in turn will ruin the hub if left alone, and in extremes can cause the entire assembly to seperate.


BTW: torque your *new* nut to 208-214 FOOT pounds.

We you buy a re-man CV shaft, it comes with the new axle nut. It is a laminated style nut only good for 5 uses if that.
Buy a new one, not worth taking the chance.