BMR Tech Tip: Check those axle-to-spindle retaining nuts!

[Mikepol2]

New nuts have threadlocker applied from the factory. My existing axle nuts were so tight I had to use a floor jack under a 24” breaker bar and lift the car off the jack stands before the nuts would loosen. I didn’t use any extra loctite at reassembly with the new nuts and did 150 ft lbs plus 1/8 turn, and no issues so far.

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[TexasRebel]

from Loctite:
"red threadlocker can be disassembled with the right technique.

When disassembling red threadlocker the process is a little different than for other threadlockers. The key is to apply localized heat greater than 550° F. Then, once the threaded assembly is hot, the bolt can be unthreaded. Without applying heat to the assembly, it’s likely that over time, a bolt would break before coming loose."

Are you sure you want to use red Loctite?

Blue = Threads that will need to come apart one day
Red = Threads that will rarely ever be disassembled
Green = Sleeves

 

[moffetts]

Red loctite is 100% the way to go for these damn things, even if you need to break out the butane torch to get them off down the line.

 

[2017GBGTPP]

Red loctite is 100% the way to go for these damn things, even if you need to break out the butane torch to get them off down the line.

Yea, I'm pretty sure of everything on your car the axle nut is one of those things that you don't want coming off.

 

[boB]

http://www.boltscience.com/pages/quality.htm
Read the part on "threads locked by adhesive" to see why we are doing this all wrong when we tighten the nut after it is already installed.

 

[2017GBGTPP]

http://www.boltscience.com/pages/quality.htm
Read the part on "threads locked by adhesive" to see why we are doing this all wrong when we tighten the nut after it is already installed.

You are correct, just tightening the nut won't work because you're breaking the threadlock. You need to remove the nut, clean it or preferably get a new one, use red threadlocker, and torque it to spec while the threadlocker is wet.

 

[randy_tho]

I went ahead and ordered a couple to see if it fixes the noise. One of the Ford parts sites had a note that a "sharp popping noise may indicate a need to replace the CV". While I'm in there is there an easy way to inspect it? I'm used to CV issues being noticed while steering.

 

[frankrizzo487]

This crap happened to me with the stock half shafts and still happens occasionally with the ford performance 1000HP half shafts. NO matter how much red lock tight you use eventually you'll hear the clicking again.. It's been a solid 6 months since I've heard it click so I'm gonna check it again. Was way loose one time and wrecked my wheel hub bearing. Replaced the whole assembly with the Timken. Stupid design but what can you do.

 

[randy_tho]

This crap happened to me with the stock half shafts and still happens occasionally with the ford performance 1000HP half shafts. NO matter how much red lock tight you use eventually you'll hear the clicking again.. It's been a solid 6 months since I've heard it click so I'm gonna check it again. Was way loose one time and wrecked my wheel hub bearing. Replaced the whole assembly with the Timken. Stupid design but what can you do.

Out of curiosity did you ever replace with new fasteners and follow the 150 + 1/8 and red threadlocker?

 

[JKL1031]

Aaannddd did this cause any pulling under throttle?

 

[randy_tho]

For those of you that had the noise return after following the bmr suggestion, did you let the thread locker cure a full 24 hours before driving?

 

[frankrizzo487]

Out of curiosity did you ever replace with new fasteners and follow the 150 + 1/8 and red threadlocker?

I did! I still have 3 castle nuts laying around my garage. I let it cure for 24 hours and I even broke a snap-on breaker bar getting that last 1/8''.

 

[boB]

I did! I still have 3 castle nuts laying around my garage. I let it cure for 24 hours and I even broke a snap-on breaker bar getting that last 1/8''.

The broken breaker bar is a tip-off. If someone had a connecting rod loosen and suggested we correct the problem by more than doubling the torque specified by Ford few of us would follow the suggestion.

 

[moffetts]

What choice is there if we are searching for a solution? I’m not saying that the spec needs to be “it’s not tight until the breaker bar is in three pieces”, but the ford spec is demonstrably inadequate.

 

[boB]

What choice is there if we are searching for a solution? I’m not saying that the spec needs to be “it’s not tight until the breaker bar is in three pieces”, but the ford spec is demonstrably inadequate.

The Ford spec is adequate for hundreds of thousands of Mustangs and other vehicles that use the same system. By comparison we have a tiny sample where the joint is loosening. Insufficient torque is probably not the cause, especially when some owners report that even with high torque and red loctite the hubs are still loosening.

There is a problem solving method called G8D (funny enough, developed by Ford) that is used to solve problems like this. We are loosely at stage D3, where more torque is an interim action, and not even a good one at that but it is all we have for now.

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