Installing rear wheel bearing adjusting nut.

[Fernando Mendes]

1)Tighten rear wheel bearing adjusting nut then, back nut off 45 degrees2)Turn wheel hub by hand to make sure hub turns freely(jacked up)......Am I right? Don't have the B3-B maintenance manual.Any help?

[Young Ed]

What nut are you referring to? The nut that holds the drum onto the tapered axle doesn't get loosened at all! Spec is minimum 160 ft lbs torque

[Fernando Mendes]

Yes,the castle nut that holds the hub & drum.And about the 45 degrees?

[TodFitch]

What nut are you referring to? The nut that holds the drum onto the tapered axle doesn't get loosened at all! Spec is minimum 160 ft lbs torque

Perhaps he is referring to a full-floating rear axle on his truck. Been so long since I have done one of those (a 63 D-200) that I can't remember the details and I gave the manuals away to the buyer of the truck so I can't look it up.

[Young Ed]

If I have my truck models down the last B in B3B equals a 1/2 ton.

[Reg Evans]

Fernando,

If you back off the axle nut on your 1/2 ton this is what will happen.

Ed is correct. That nut has to be very tight.

[Young Ed]

I almost learned that lesson myself Reg. When I first built my truck it would clunk the first time you moved forward driving it. Eventually figured out when you backed up the drum was shifting on the axle pin and the clunk going forward was it shifting back. Funny it never clunked backing up. Anyway tightened the nuts up and back in business.

[carl b51]

Reg I think I have seen that picture before. Did you ever find a brake drum ?

[Reg Evans]

Yes Carl,

Tom Davis is working on sending me one in the next day or two. I guess the previous owner didn't know about the torque spec on Older Yeller.

[Fernando Mendes]

Fernando,

If you back off the axle nut on your 1/2 ton this is what will happen.

Ed is correct. That nut has to be very tight.

Thanks Reg for your help.I ask to you,when and how that part in the pic,cans damage the outer oil seal?This is my afraid.

[Reg Evans]

If you are asking if the oil seal was damaged because of the loose axle nut the answer is .......no,it wasn't damaged.

[Merle Coggins]

The item you are pointing to is the "key" that locks the drum from spinning on the axle shaft. It shouldn't be able to contact the seal because the slot in the axle shaft doesn't go back that far. With the drum on the axle, and the key in place like shown in the picture, install the washer and nut and torque up TIGHT. As Ed mentioned, 160 ft/lbs (217 Nm) minimum. When you get it torqued up, if the cotter key won't go through you'll need to tighten a little more to line up the cotter key hole. DO NOT back the nut off.

Merle

[Fernando Mendes]

Reg I understood all you said.Thanks to you.Merle, my cotter pins aren't lining up its hole.Can I put more washer before nut to line up the cotter pin with its hole?What kind of washer?It should be very strong,no?What material?

[TodFitch]

Reg I understood all you said.Thanks to you.Merle, my cotter pins aren't lining up its hole.Can I put more washer before nut to line up the cotter pin with its hole?What kind of washer?It should be very strong,no?What material?

There is a "Axle drive shaft washer" part number 50562 that goes between the nut and the hub. If I recall correctly (the image in the 1936-48 parts book is unclear to me) there is a tang on the inside diameter of the washer that fits in the same groove in the axle that the key fits in. I was able to get new washers at a local auto supply when I last needed to about 15 years ago but I apparently I violated my rule about recording cross reference information so I can't give you a modern Dorman number for it.

[Fernando Mendes]

Thanks TodFitch.:)I will look for the washers.

[Dodgeb4ya]

There is a "Axle drive shaft washer" part number 50562 that goes between the nut and the hub. If I recall correctly (the image in the 1936-48 parts book is unclear to me) there is a tang on the inside diameter of the washer that fits in the same groove in the axle that the key fits in. I was able to get new washers at a local auto supply when I last needed to about 15 years ago but I apparently I violated my rule about recording cross reference information so I can't give you a modern Dorman number for it.

Here is the spec's on the rear axle/rear drum washer-no tang, thats on the front drum/wheel bearing spindle nut.

Bob

[Fernando Mendes]

Thanks to all of the helps.I found the washers(not Mopar but the same dimentions).In the left side I put one washer and in the right side I put two.Tomorow I will do the road test.Regards.

[MBF]

If I remember correctly from my 36 Plymouth-those washers are cuppedo or slightly concaved-or is this another senior moment? Mike

[Fernando Mendes]

Dodgeb4ya,these are my washer measures.;)Thanks.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Dodgeb4ya,these are my washer measures.;)Thanks.

My washer measurements were from an original MoPar rear axle/drum washer . You need only one washer! You should torque the nut to 175-200 ft. lbs and then turn the nut tighter if necessary to get the slots in the nut to line up with the axle shaft hole for the cotter pin. The washer is also a Flat hardened steel washer- yours looks like softer steel. It will work-but....

Any washer that is fairly close to the original will work! A Torque wrench is nice to use if you have no experience tightening this nut, The reason you are having trouble is you don't know by feel how tight to tighten the nut. It's to be tightened really tight! But if you are not a really really old worn out seasoned old mechanic like myself you don't know far to tighten the nut by feel- you need to do it by the book!

Bob

Edited May 20, 2009 by Dodgeb4ya