Stub Axle torque with tapered roller bearings Tatum Sand Demon

[alanbmx]

Before the site crashed, the previous owner of my car had a great how to post called "Tatum Stub Hubs" step by step instructions on disassembly of the stub axle and bearing/seal replacement and reassembly, by Robert "Doc" Savage, car is a 2008 Tatum Sand Demon

needless to say i am in the middle of doing this and the post is gone.

Once the wheel was off it rotated pretty tight, I remember the final torque was pretty high for the axle nut 

This is a taper roller bearing setup using 930 stub axles and VW spacers and seal sleeves, see below.

The Bearing races look like they have seen some heat, everything was clean, no sand made it past seals.

Seems that torquing the axle nut to 200+ foot pounds is putting too much load on the bearings, spacers all appear to be damage free, same with hub.

I bought new spacers and they measure the same length.

I am to the point of tightening the axle nut and need to know how to proceed.

Taper roller bearings normally get torqued, rotated 10 revolutions to seat bearings and backed off and then torqued to a "feel" rotating thew hub.

Torquing the axle like on an old VW is not torquing a taper bearing set up? correct?

need some expert advice!

all new bearings, races, spacers and seals installed.



Old bearings look pretty good but races look a little smoked, what do you think?



here is where I am at



Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

Educate me 

Alan 

 

[richard h]

IMO as long as the spacers are not damaged tighten the heck out of it. I did one time have some cheap spacers that the size got beaten and caused the bearings to run loose. Got a good set from Kartek and have never had another problem.

 

[Pennywise]

I’m pretty sure the VW spec is 217

 

[J Alper]

I go 250lbs on them, you will need to check them every couple of trips,  big issue with the VW shafts is the style of brake is aluminum, so it does not hold crush, the aluminum will always imbed, if they come loose it will strip the splines out of the hub or break the shaft,  

If this was just a random bolt being that size, the spec would around 800lbs of torque a normal 3/4 bolt is 300lbs of torque,  

250lbs is really nothing for that size nut,  

I always machine the center spacer in the Lathe to get the feel i like,