Axle Nut

[aero3113]

Are the axle nuts on the left side of a 1950 plymouth left hand or right hand thread.I know that the lug bolts are left hand but I dont know about the axle nut.I cant get it to move in either direction, dont want to be tightining it when I want to loosen it.

[Young Ed]

Both axles are right hand thread. They are usually quite tight.

[greg g]

The torque spec for those nuts is over 100 ft pounds. If you are trying to pull the drums to check the brakes you need a special heavy duty three leg puller, as the fit to the axle is a tapered and keyed fit.

[Young Ed]

I think the spec is listed 160 minimum. And I will tell you from experience you get a strange clunking noise if you don't have them tight enough......

[David Mac]

Is there a torque spec for the front axle nut?

[greg g]

I was always told to spin the wheel while tightening the nut when the wheel slows from drag, revers the nut to the first place the cotter key lines up with a notch in the castle nut.

[Andydodge]

Note that the nut on the front stub axles is just essentially the same as normal modern cars, tighten then back off.....BUT ..the centre nut on the rear axles is a completely different animal, check your torque specs, it has to be TIGHT......andyd

[RobertKB]

Rear axle nuts need to be very tight and really don't need the cotter pin in them. I have run my '48 Dodge for years with no cotter pins and had no problems and the nuts are as tight as the day I torqued them. Both my '53 and '38 have cotter pins but they are really unecessary as my old time mechanic friend told me.

[TodFitch]

Rear axle nuts need to be very tight and really don't need the cotter pin in them. I have run my '48 Dodge for years with no cotter pins and had no problems and the nuts are as tight as the day it torqued them. Both my '53 and '38 have cotter pins but they are really unecessary as my old time mechanic friend told me.

Maybe true if everything goes right. But I strongly believe that the cotter pin is required. That is from personal experience from when one was missing on my car. Fortunately it was at slow speed and close to home.

Cotter pins are cheap. Any reason not to put one on?

[RobertKB]

No reason as I just thought I would try it and have never had problems but I will probably put them in just for peace of mind. To tell the truth I had completely forgotten about them not having cotter pins and noticed it the other day and remembered the experiment. I guess if it was a big old lock washer behind the nut you wouldn't ever need to worry.