Rear spindle nut torque

[Joe T.]

I am rebuilding the trailing arms on my 69. I just finished one side and I am tackling the other. The service manual, if I read it correctly, calls for 100 ft. lbsPLUS whatever it takes to align the cotterpin with the castle nut. I didn't think much of it when I took the first one apart and it had very little torque, not much more that 20-30 ft lbs. I understood that, because I had it apart many years ago, and that's another long story. When I took the this next side apart, lo and behold, it also didn't have anywhere NEAR the 100 ft lbs of torque either! My quandry is: Am I reading this manual correctly? has anyone else done this? I don't want to over torque and bind those bearings. OBTW: If someone wants to borrow the spindle assembly tool for pre-setting the bearings. I will happily loan it for the cost of shippong. Its a LIFE SAVER! Thanks and regards...joe

[Rich P.]

Re: Rear spindle nut torque

100 foot pounds is correct. Plus hole line up.

Rich

[Joe T.]

Re: Rear spindle nut torque

Thanks Rich. I am not as old as my wife says after all!

[Joe L.]

Re: Rear spindle nut torque

Thanks Rich. I am not as old as my wife says after all!

Joe------


There's no danger of damaging the bearings as long as the proper bearing end play is set prior to torquing the nut. That's where the bearing set-up tool comes in. With the proper end play, the torque is applied only to the bearing INNER races, the spacer, the shim, and the spindle flange. The roller bearings and outer races do not feel the torque, at all.

However, if you have insufficient end play (i.e. too thin a shim installed), then the roller bearings do feel the torque and bearing damage can occur.

[Joe T.]

Re: Rear spindle nut torque

Thanks, Joe. I just wondered why the nuts might not have been torqueed to specs. I know the side I rebuilt years ago was not torqued to spec. I couln't get correct end play with the shim , so I adjusted it like a front wheel bearing by using the nut. That bearing setup was developing the chirp that signifies a pending failure again so I did it right this time.

[Gary R.]

Re: Rear spindle nut torque

Joe
I rebuild a lot of arms and one set that I just got in recently were rebuilt in the past. The spindle nuts came off by hand, then when lifting the arms both the spindles fell out. The previous rebuilder slip fit the spindles,then didn't setup the bearings correctly because if they were torqued to the required 100Ft/lb they would have been binding, so they left them hand tight. The bearings were already blue so I suspect they were loosen after driving tight. Pretty poor work and yet not so uncommon to find.
I would suggest you machine grind the flanges,spaces,& shims parallel. That's the way I build them and there is no difference between setup tool and final install. Sometimes the nut slot is 1/2 way in between the spindle hole so I dress the back of the nut a few thousands so I can dial them in at or just beyond 100 ft/lb.
Good luck.
PS-NOTE: if anyone is having their arms done, beware of some places that will call and tell you the spindle(s) are bent,as they have runout in the flange. I have to say I've never found a "bent" spindle unless there was a heavy impact on them from lets say a pole.Unless the spindle was damaged by someone attempting to remove them, they usually don't need to be replaced. They will runout because they were rough faced and the concern wasn't there as much as it was once the rotor was riveted and faced.

[Joe T.]

Re: Rear spindle nut torque

Thanks Gary! You answered my questions and now I know I've done the job right (this time). The bearings that came out of my first rebuild job didn't LOOK bad, but I remembered that characteristic squeak from when I laid the car up and knew then I had a rebuild to do. I didn't re-use the bearings for that reason and it seemed like poor economy to put questionable bearings back in. I had to replace the trailing arm anyway due to corrosion perferation and all the welds were broken. I feel much better about tackling the second side now that all you guys have provided this insight. Thanks to all again and regards...joe