92fordtruck

i recently replaced rosters and wheel bearings on my truck. I torqued the inter nut to 50 ft. Lbs while rotating the wheel and backed off 90 degrees and everything was fine but when I install the lock washer and torque the outer nut to 160 ft. Lbs. the wheel is extremely hard to turn. I don't know what is making this happen, I know I installed everything properly. Any help??

kd3pc

sounds like wrong bearings or the "washer stack" is stacked in the wrong order.

I usually torque while turning, as you did, but only back off 10 degrees or so, not 90 degrees.

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

You tighten the inner nut to about 50 ft lbs while turning the rotor. You back it off 1/4 turn or so - basically you just loosen it - THEN you retighten it just till it's snug.
The lock washer should lock the inner nut in that position so that you can really tighten the outer nut.
Is the lockwasher installed correctly ?
If it's the one with all the little holes and the tab in the center that fits into the groove in the spindle, I have seen those move - the tab actually slides into a thread; so it's not really locking the inner nut at all.
They do say to use new lockwashers every time;usually you can reuse them but if they're not locking you'll have to replace them.

92fordtruck

Thanks! Yes the lock ring is installed properly, the only thing I can think of is what you said the lock washer is turning. But the washer and nuts are new

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

The first nut goes on with the little tit sticking out. The lockwasher fits over that and locks into the groove in the spindle.
If the lock washer is new and it's still slipping into the threads, it could be that the threads on the spindle are a little stretched. That can happen from people overtightening the outer lock nut.
Maybe that's your problem ?
What we did on one of my son's trucks with that problem was run a bead with a welder on the little tab that fits in the groove of the spindle just to lengthen it. Filed it flat and pretty and then it reached down lower than the threads so it would lock.
Sometimes you've got to get creative. (we used the old washers to for that).
I don't know why they didn't make them that way in the first place.

92fordtruck

Thanks for the replys. I just pulled it back apart and looked at the threads on the spendle and that's my problem, the threads are streached and letting the lock washer slip

kd3pc

My left side was stretched, the right side was perfect. I was able to save the left side spindle taking a thread follower, you could likely use a tapered edge file, if there is anything left to clean up. Used spindles often have stretched threads, and a new one is couple hundred and may not work with your bearings. PLus the different hub patterns, bolt patterns, etc make it even tougher.

In a pinch, if you have "some" threads, you could use a real thin washer to move the lock washer out a thread or two, that may have enough bite to work. I did that for a kid at tech school, and he thought I was a wizard.

Best of luck.