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Rear Axle Torque Question

Trevor Jessie said:
Yes the nut that holds the hub on the end of the axle tube. I can assure you that it can be over torqued because there is a forum member here that did not know the the left was left handed threads. He managed to remove it by stripping the threads in the nut.

Hehehe... Oh, the shame... Thanks for the reminder, Trevor! =P
 
I didn't mention any names. :wink:
 
My official, stained, dirty, greasy BMC Workshop Manual <span style="text-decoration: underline"> does not give a spec for this nut</span> (I'm not sure of the print date, but I got this manual when I was in high school),

My 1500 Midget manual (much newer) does not state a torque spec either.

It's funny that this is being discussed since I talked about this exact subject to Ralph Steinberg at the New Hampshire Vintage two weeks ago. Ralph has had a Brit-car repair shop in the Philly area for 35+ years. He's a super knowledgable guy about these cars. We were watching a guy pull a broken axle from an MGA racer (similar setup to Spridget) when I asked him what he torqued the hub nut on Spridget to? He told me, "usually, around a 100 ft. lbs or so".

It does say (on page "H.5" of my BMC manual) that you use 140 ft. lbs (or 19.4 kg.m.) to tighten the <span style="text-decoration: underline">pinion seal nut</span>

For reference, I'm using about 80 ft. lbs (and Lock Tite) on the rear hub nuts of my race car and so far, so good.

It's definitely a critical nut.
Racers call it the "J---s Nut" (since that's what you would say if it came off). :jester:
 
Have never tightened one more than what I could do with an 18 inch cressent wrench and even then did not stand on it.
 
healeyboz said:
No Tony, that is the nut. What is it?? Like 1 1/4"? The only one like it. One is left hand threads and the other is right hand threads. 140 lbs... Find out for sure before you get her put back together. It is listed as number 2 in your pic, but in my book it is listed as number 3.
Barry, if you're using page H.5 as your reference, that's at the other end of the differential up by the pinion....I'm not doubting the torque but page H.5 has nothing to do with these nuts.

aeronica65t said:
My official, stained, dirty, greasy BMC Workshop Manual does not give a spec for this nut
Ditto mine also, Nial.

Gotta solve this one this morning so I can stand her on her wheels THIS DAY!! I may go with Nial's experienced 80lbs.
 
theres a list of torque specs in the MOSS catalog, i believe....
or was that my haynes manual? ......z
 
Well, those big 1-7/8" nuts now have 80lbs of torque on each of them! WHEW!!
 
You are absolutley right Tony. Trevor got me thinking last night and it is in fact the pinion nut. Not the one you are talking about. I rememeber really putting a torque on them, however, I cannot remember the poundage for the life of me. They did not strip and have not come off yet, but I only have 450 miles on them. Wish I had a better answer for you.
 
Mine's under the car with 80lbs.....I'll worry about it when I do a 500 mile walk-around....80 was hard enough to do with the axle on the workbench....140 might be achievable with the rear end under the car.
 
On the car with 18" of leverage you should be able to get your weight + 50 % on it (enough to twist it off unless you a grossly underweight)
 
Let's see, I have a 12" cresent wrench and I am 220 lbs.... :wink:
 
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