im guessing if my castle nut was loose yesterday, and i tightened it, and today again, its a bit loose, it must be my bearings are shot, and grinding themselves to powder, right?

you never said anything about the big cotter pin that keeps the nut in place

Front or rear?

 

GD

Castle nut loosening has nothing to do with the bearings being bad. This happens for one of two reasons: Either there was dirt or goop on the inside of the wheel hub where the axle enters the hub that has worked its way out hence loosening the nut. The other possibility is that the beveled washer wasn't tight and finally seated itself which results in loosening the nut. Thirdly, it might not have been tight enough to start with--145 ft-lbs is a lot, but you can tighten it even more if you like without damage. Oddly enough when it loosens like this, it even sounds like the bearings have gone bad on that side.

There is another reason that this happens. Sometimes the splines in the hub will wear out and cause enough vibration to loosen the nut. If this is your case you should inspect the splines on the axle for damage too.

well thats the thing, the cotter pin in in, and i tightened it about a month ago, when i did the cv. today will be the third time i have put a big cresent wrench on there, and stood on it, to get it tight. last time i tried a different conical washer, and flat washer, and it started again. its not like the nut is loosening, the metal behind the nut is shrinking, or the axle is continually getting pulled closer to the nut.

Sounds like the axle wasn't all the way in, or, like edrach said, there was gunk behind it that is getting squished out... also, not sure about the wisdom of the large cresent wrench.. may want to consider investing in a 36 mm socket

I'm with caleb on the cresent wrench. I suspect you're not getting enough torque on the nut with a cresent, even if you're standing on it. A 36mm socket with a breaker bar (and maybe a 2 foot extension with a pipe) is a good bet.

took it apart, and the bearings were eating themselves, lotsa metal shavings. crescent wrenches work fine, on nuts that big.

$22 fix

'Crescents are o.k. on nuts that big' (and to torque 145 lb.ft.).........

 

and they call ME "Hillbilly".

 

 

You're right, they will work...in a pinch, but sometimes a little investment in the proper tool goes a long way. Suit yourself...

 

Just an observation.

 

HbL

also, the washer that goes between the beveled washer and the castle nut is curved like so: (

 

you want the convex side facing out. some are marked OUT on the washer itself. the curvature is easy not to notice.

if the cresent doesnt slip, and i stand on it, and i am applying pressure 1 foot out, i weigh 145 lbs. see where im goin with this?

 

i didnt fix it yet, but my bearings are shot, and thats gotta be the reason, its getting looser and looser. the center spacer and bearings are getting smaller and smaller.

if the cresent doesnt slip, and i stand on it, and i am applying pressure 1 foot out, i weigh 145 lbs. see where im goin with this?

 

i didnt fix it yet, but my bearings are shot, and thats gotta be the reason, its getting looser and looser. the center spacer and bearings are getting smaller and smaller.

I was gonna say you could use my 36mm and braker bar but you were already standing on your cresent wrench when I came outside lol

 

Glad to hear you found the culprit. Maybe we can do the bearings and rear disc conversion all at the same time? I've never had to do wheel bearings on these so I could use the xperience