Question about bearings ...

[eliems]

So I have the new front bearings in the RT now and what a difference. The old had so much play in them that the brake pads were getting depressed on left turns causing the pedal to go down!

The mechanic odered SKF Hub/bearing ($260) and it came without the centre shaft (with the 1 3/4" Nut) but he didn't realize it was missing and spent an hour trying to get the nut off the old one! Even with a torch he couldn't get the Nut off as the threads are filed to prevent it from coming off.

Sooo, I ordered a new OEM from the Dealer ($480) and it went on in 20 minutes .. job done and everything feels great.


Question: The mechanic did not try to torque the nut (300 ft/lbs?) as he said it comes as a non-serviceable pre-torqued assembly. Should he have checked this with a torque wrench?

 

[carguy07]

I would drive it for 3,000 - 5,000 miles and re-torque it. 300 ft/lbs sounds high, I would double check that.

 

[dave6666]

Any mechanic that heats a nut on an axle shaft with a torch should have his credentials checked. Axle shafts are hardened, and heating them alters this condition.

If the dealer assemblies are considered to be "sealed, ready to go," then I doubt that torquing is needed.

Moral of story: Use oxy-acet wrench on farm tractors that have top speed of 7 mph, not a Viper.

Moral of story 2: Dealer parts should instill some confidence that they are correct out of the box.

 

[carguy07]

I think he was just heating the old nut on the old hub trying to salvage it. I'm 99% sure that you are supposed to re-torque those after putting some miles on them, just can't remember the spec.

 

[Asp Man]

Glad to hear you replaced what sounds like a dangerously worn part!!
The front hub nuts do not need to be torqued. Serviced as a unit only the nut and bolt are crimped at the factory, there is no torque spec. for the front.
Please take my honest, friendly advice and invest in a service manual, and/or find a mechanic who knows what he's doing.

 

[AZTVR]

I think he was just heating the old nut on the old hub trying to salvage it. I'm 99% sure that you are supposed to re-torque those after putting some miles on them, just can't remember the spec.

Here is a related thread with a torque amount mentioned by a highly respected Viper tech.

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-gts-discussions/630715-front-wheel-bearings.html

Seems reasonable for the size of the threads and what one would think that the grading is. It would be nice to hear the Wizard's opinion.

Perhaps retorquing them periodically is really only necessary for cars that get tracked and have a lot more forces put on them than is normally experienced in many cars' usage.

 

[Asp Man]

AZTVR, right. Tom Seesions mentions 300lbs.ft as the spec., front and rear, and that it's not found anywhere. (though the rear spec. is in the manual at 190, but 300 seems more realistic) The rears will come loose with driving and, with obvious reason, they are set up with a cotter pin, the fronts are not.
Has anyone had a loose front hub nut? I'd like the Wizard to chime in, or someone who tracks, as well.

 

[carguy07]

http://forums.viperclub.org/2430611-post2.html

http://forums.viperclub.org/2763382-post6.html

http://forums.viperclub.org/illustr...ade-rear-hub-torque-tool-wizard-approved.html

 

[AZTVR]

http://forums.viperclub.org/2430611-post2.html

http://forums.viperclub.org/2763382-post6.html

http://forums.viperclub.org/illustr...ade-rear-hub-torque-tool-wizard-approved.html

Great ! Looks like there are a variety of opinions about torque. From what the service manual says, and up. I think that I will go check it out ( I'm at 42k miles ).