Loose Axle Nut

5150bossman · Post by **5150bossman** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 10:03 pm

I have recently notices a pronounced shaking in the buggy after about a year and 2000 miles since I built it. It was even squeeking from the right rear wheel as I would make a turn. As it began to get worse, I was thinking I had lost an axle bearing. So today, I went to pull the rear drums off (swing axle). What I found suprised me. The right axle nut still had the cotter pin in it and in tact. The drum could be wiggled from side to side a bit, so I was still thinking a bad bearing. After removing the cotter pin, I found that the axle nut was barely hand tight.

I didn't even need a tool to remove it! After removing the nut and the drum, I found that the axle itself was just fine, no slop in the movement what-so-ever. I re-torqued the nut to 270 ft-lbs and checked the other side. No problems there. Took it for a test drive, and the shaking was gone

. Any Ideas as to why this would happen? The inside of the drum looks fine, and the axle shaft looks clean too. How can it come loose with the cotter pin in place preventing it from rotating (no stripped threads)?

Gene-C · Post by **Gene-C** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:08 am

The only possible explaination is that it was'nt torqued properly before the cotterpin was installed IMHO.

Reverb · Post by **Reverb** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:37 am

Better check the nut behind the steering wheel too. Sorry...couldn`t resist.

newmanx59 · Post by **newmanx59** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 2:04 am

Aftermarket brake drums have a tendency to "compress" and consequently loosen after being properly torqued. I have seen it happen on more then a couple VWs. Once the drum was retorqued, all was well. You can also be experiencing the splines in the drum beginning to wear.

5150bossman · Post by **5150bossman** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:04 pm

The axle was originally torqued to 270 ft-lbs, and has run for almost a year without a problem. Not seated properly is possible (irregular casting?). I did replace the originals at that time. So it took that long for the nut behind the wheel to get those splines to loosen up a bit

. I've never heard of the metal compressing. Will have to keep an eye on the other side as both were replaced at the same time. Thanks for the input.

newmanx59 · Post by **newmanx59** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 10:03 pm

God only knows what materials they use to cast the brake drums in India, Brazil, Italy and China? I do know it's not the quality of the German steel

jsturtlebuggy · Post by **jsturtlebuggy** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 4:45 am

Don't always blame it on the brake drums. The rear axle spacers (seal races) can also problems with drums coming loose. Check and make sure that they are not worn on the surface where it mates to the drum. 270lbs for axle nut torque is a little more than required. Spec is 217lbs. Over tightening can cause problems in it self.

5150bossman · Post by **5150bossman** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 6:33 pm

Even though it was loose, there was no leaking from the seals.