How tight are you supposed to tighten the large thin nut holding the wheel bearings in the rotor? I've been searching everywhere. Can't find it in my 'good for nothing' Haynes manual. I have a tendency to not tighten it enough. I basically have the weight of the open ended wrench about 2 pounds.
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Current ride: 2004 "The Distant future" Grand Marquis -
Do you own a short-handle ratchet? I use that as a calibration tool, and tighten single-handed. You can also use a regular ratchet by holding it close to the working head, instead of at the end of the handle. If you're worried about the nut being too loose,just don't reinstall the dust cap yet, or even the cotter pin - instead put the wheel on and grab it by the tire and shake it up-down - if you feel any play tighten the spindle nut some more. This obviously doesn't work if you have loose ball joints, but you just replaced yours, so you should be good for that method. Once the play is out, tighten the nut a bit more (basically nudge it) till the next notch on the castle washer lines up with the hole in the spindle for the cotter pin, then install the pin and the dust cap. Then after driving for a short while, maybe a few days, lift the wheel up in the air and check it again, retighten nut as necessary.Last edited by His Royal Ghostliness; 11-26-2016, 02:20 PM.The ones who accomplish true greatness, are the foolish who keep pressing onward.
The ones who accomplish nothing, are the wise who know when to quit. -
The usual method I've done with that style setup is to tighten down the nut firmly so everything seats, back it off, then get finger tight. Then after that, put the castle nut and cotter pin in place, and install the dust cap.
That's how I did it on a Ranger, and it appears to have been done similarly when we took everything apart and noted how loose that nut was, only to find out that's how it should be.
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-1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
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-1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
-1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (343K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
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I always snug them, spin the rotor a few times, then back off the nut until I can get the cotter pin through. It should have very little load on the bearings, but not be loose either.86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
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Originally posted by phayzer5
I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousersComment
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Thanks for the replies! This appears to fall in the category of art instead of engnearing. Great read!
Current ride: 2004 "The Distant future" Grand MarquisComment
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I tighten the nut until I seat the bearings. Not to tight, don’t use an impact gun. Tight enough that feels like the nut has bottomed. Then I back off about a 1/4 of a turn. Like Gadget said, so there’s a slight load, but not too much.
That’s what they taught me in the Sears brake department. Take that for what it’s worth, since Sears is more or less going bankrupt now.
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Yup, usually just snug gently with a pair of channel locks. Plumber thing I guess but it works.Comment
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