1992gen1_fan

Hello. I replaced the left rear hub seal on my truck the other day and installed a new nylock hub nut but it did'nt come with the little retainer that's supposed to be installed in the groove to keep the nut from spinning off. The truck did'nt have one on it to begin with but I'd like to install them to be on the safe side.

What is that part called? Hub nut retainer? Also where can I get a set? Local parts store could'nt find any info. Thanks

HsOffRoad

You're talking about the spindle nuts and their accompanying retainers.

There are a couple different styles of these used on D60 and D70 front and rear ends, and they are interchangeable - meaning the spindle diameter and thread pitch is the same (with the exception of the real early stuff). The AAM 14 bolts are the same as well.

The design that you are talking about uses a keyway setup where a piece of rectangular metal slides into a notch in the spindle and spindle nut. For that style of retention, the part you are looking for is called a "Spindle Nut Key".

You can order the spindle keys themselves individually, Yukon P/N YSPSP-039.

Alternately, you can change over to the late-model D60 front spindle nut setup, which uses pinned style nuts with a tanged washer, as opposed to the keyway setup you have now. (Google "D60 Spindle Nut Kit")

Or, if you want to get fancy about it, Stage 8 sells a "X-Lock" locking fastener kit for those axles, P/N DNA-60.



-Hans

NJTman

THe Nylock nuts are designed to be used only once, then thrown out, otherwise they have the ability to back off and loosen up.

At the recommendation of the guys here, I switched over to the locking nuts that can be re-used




If you really want to stay with the OE nuts they're available everywhere




The retainers are also called "wedge Keys"


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ngJavascript=1

92.W350

I pulled both hubs off my truck and the stock design is kindof poor in which the hub nut tightens directly against the outer bearings. QUAD4x4.com offers a double nut kit for dana 70 DRW so that when reinstalling the rear hubs first step is a key way washer which has notch to fit in the key way in the spindle which keeps the nut off of the bearing itself, then the first nut, then lock washer, then outer nut. I believe the kit is 280-300 plus tax comes with socket and axle gaskets.

1992gen1_fan

Ok thanks for the info. I did replace the nylock nut, but thought there was supposed to be a "wedge" type deal that goes into the key way and is pushed into the nylon threads on the nut.

I will probably upgrade to one of the types listed. Thanks again.

j_martin

Dorman 615135

thrashingcows

I have re-used the Nyloc nut many times...with the wedge style keepers installed as well. Never had any issue with them back off.

j_martin

If the bearings are in good shape, properly adjusted and lubed, there's no problem either way. If an outer bearing should begin to spall, the washer and double nut might contain the carnage a few extra miles.

On a positive note, it's much easier to properly adjust the single nylock nut than a double nut system, especially if the threads on the spindle tube are worn a bit.

NJTman

I posted the link above for the wedge keys, but J just listed the number. Either system works, but I like the idea of not having to dispose of something after only one use.

j_martin

I find both the nuts and the keys are reusable under normal circumstances. Extreme overheat, ie total bearing failure will toast the nylon nuts, of course.

In 50 years of messing with this stuff ('speeriance) I've had a couple of double nutted wheels come off, and never lost a nylock one. I think the difference is the nylock nuts are easier to set up the free play or preload properly. Might also have been just the age of the rolling junk involved.

NJTman

Wow,

Those tabs that bend over the inner and outer nuts are pretty stout. The ones that broke off and failed on your inspection must have been bent a few times to many, causing metal fatigue at the bend, otherwise the bearings preload were too tight.

I can't see how it would fail otherwise considering it's tabbed over each nut, front and back, unless the alignment tab that tabbs the slot in the hub sheared itself off (which I had happen, as I overtorqued it in the past with a air gun removing the nuts. Instead of just grabbing the outer nut, it caught the tab and spun the assembly, shearing off the alignment tab. Either way, I attribute this to Installer or Disassembler ERROR, and not the design.

I bought a dozen of those tabbed washers for future use as the kit with the nut and washers are kind of expensive. Since I have new washers to re-tab each time I remove the wheels, I've had no such bad luck with them now that I know what the heck I'm doing.

1992gen1_fan

I like the idea of the D60 double lock nut setup. I talked to the auto parts guy today and he insisted they probably would'nt interchange. I'll bring a part number next time and not tell them that they'll be installed on a D70 rear.

My '92 D60 front lock nuts would work correct?? double checking

HsOffRoad

Yes.

Unless you have something that I am not aware of going on, the diameter and thread pitch of the D70 and D60 spindles should be the same (along with the AAM full floater 14 bolts).

The only difference between a rear D60 and D70 full floating spindle is that the hole is bored larger on the D70 to accept 35 spline shafts, where as the D60 spindles will only clear a 30 spline shaft without being bored.

It's the same spindle with more material removed from the bore.


-Hans

1992gen1_fan

Ok thanks

j_martin

One was a 1 ton 48 Chevy I must have missed the inner tab on. Screwed down and crushed the bearing. The other was 2 ton dump truck the guy that sold me overstroked the MC to hide worn out brakes. Wheel cylinder blew, pedal went to the floor, and I made an intersection U turn at pretty good speed onto the frontage road. Threads stripped on the right side and dumped the wheels.

Not saying the design is bad, just that it's easier to adjust the nylock system because you don't have to compensate for thread backlash.