The nut on the spindle should be tightened until snug, with no side-to-side play in the hub and then backed off slightly, about maybe a 1/8 of a turn.
Can you over tighten a hub nut?
No. Over tightening won’t put more of a strain on the bearings in this sort of design. You should’ve torqued those nuts down quite a bit.
Are axle nuts one time use?
IF the nut comes OFF clean, then yeah, you can probably reuse it. I have reused some before. However, if the stub of cv shaft sticking out is all rusted up/threads corroded, then you will likely damage the threads on the nut when you remove it.
Why are axle nuts so tight?
Propellers Up Front
Just as you said you can pull the hub really hard once the axle nut is removed means that is a high stress point, so the axle nut being tight prevents that from happening under extreme driving conditions. Since it’s CV joints and not a solid axle, things can come apart outwards.
How tight should a castle nut be on a trailer?
How Tight Should Spindle Castle Nuts be Tightened The nut on the spindle should be tightened until snug, with no side-to-side play in the hub and then backed off slightly, about maybe a 1/8 of a turn.
What should trailer lug nuts be torqued to?
Lug nuts should be torqued to 100 ft/lbs. Always follow the appropriate star pattern as indicated in these instructions or in your axle manufacturer’s owner’s manual to assure proper torque.
Should there be any play in trailer wheel bearings?
Check wheels for side-to-side looseness – There should be a very slight amount of play in the wheel, typically 1/8-inch or less. If the wheels are loose or spin with a wobble, the bearings must be serviced or replaced.
What is the axle nut torque spec?
Generally, jam nuts less than 2-5/8″ should be torqued to 200-300 lbf-ft; nuts 2-5/8″ and over should be torqued to 250-400 lbf-ft. See chart for exact torque specification. The final step is to use a dial indicator to verify the end play or free movement of the tire and wheel assembly along the spindle axis.
How warm should trailer bearings get?
About 130-140 is too hot to touch and anything above that probably too hot for a wheel bearing. Compare it to your hot water temp at home. If you can’t touch the wheel then I would consider them too hot… warm to the touch is OK.
Why are my trailer hubs hot?
When a hub heats up it is usually from either inadequate lubrication or a castle nut that is too tight; you confirmed that neither of these applies in your situation. If the trailer is overloaded with more weight on each hub than they are rated for this too can lead to higher hub temperatures.
Do you need to torque axle nut?
Proper torque is critical for two reasons. First, it secures the axle nut so it won’t work itself loose and back off. Second, the proper torque keeps the correct load on a hub assembly needed for longer bearing life.
How tight should front wheel bearings be?
How to Tighten Wheel Bearings
- Tighten the bearing for the first time.
- Loosen the nut back to where you can turn it with your fingers.
- Tighten the nut to where it is tightened firm once again.
- Loosen the nut to where you can once again turn it with your fingers.
What happens if your axle nut is loose?
Loose axle nuts can become a serious problem. When the axle nut is loose it allows the wheel bearing to shift back and forth which can cause damage and cause the wheel bearing to fail. When the axle nut is installed properly it is staked so it cannot come back off, though it could still become loose.
Should axle nuts be replaced?
The manufacturers do recommend replacing the axle nuts due to them being of the torque to yield type. I’ve re used them many times by either staking them down or installing a new cotter pin which some use. The key is not to necessarily replace the nut but to use a torque wrench when installing them.
Why can’t you reuse a spindle nut?
During the tightening process, the bolt or axle shaft stretches the nut into a round shape. Even after “rounding out,” the nut retains enough elliptical distortion to prevent loosening in high heat situations where thread-locking compounds normally fail.
Can prevailing torque nuts be reused?
The prevailing torque locknuts can be reused only for a limited number of times because each time the nut is used, there is a decline in its prevailing torque quality. That is why it is recommended to use thread lubricants and torque valves.
What happens if you over tighten a bearing?
“Excessive preload will cause excessive friction and the bearing will run hot, compromising lubrication and eventually leading to flaking (material coming off) at the large end of the rollers/races,” he says. “On the other hand, adjusting the bearing too loose causes excessive looseness and vibration in the system.
How much grease do you put in a trailer hub?
It is equally important to retain the grease around the bearing. For traditional greases (NLGI Nos. 1 and 2), pump a ring of grease into the entire circumference of the wheel hub and coat the hub cap inner wall. The housing should only be half full of grease.
How do you preload trailer wheel bearings?
To pre-load the bearings, install the spindle washer and spindle nut onto the spindle with the hub and bearings in place. Tighten the spindle nut finger tight (until snug) and then with channel-lock pliers or a crescent wrench, tighten the spindle nut another 1/4 turn or about 15 to 20 ft pounds of torque.
What happens if you over torque lug nuts?
Excessively tightened lug nuts can strip the threads, distort brake rotors, damage the wheel, and possibly shear off the lug stud.
How often should you grease trailer bearings?
When Should You Grease Your Bearings
With a larger travel trailer, you should grease your trailer wheel bearings every 10,000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. If you have a smaller travel trailer, however, you’ll need to grease your wheel bearings every 2,000 miles.
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