Ford Escape Axle Nut Source - Where?

[itguy08]

I'm getting ready to replace the passenger PTU seal on the wife's 03 Escape that at 119k is leaking and making the car smell....

In reading the Haynes manual it says you have to remove and discard the Axle Nut. Sounds simple enough but I can't find one anywhere....Rock Auto has none listed, fordparts.com has none, Autozone, etc.

So what am I looking for and where can I possibly get it? My guess is that at the 215 ft-lbs it torques to makes it a use once bolt.

 

[Kruse]

Did you try your local Ford dealer?

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: Kruse
Did you try your local Ford dealer?


Not yet - they are kind of out of the way.

From what I gather, fordparts.com is Ford's Motorcraft arm and I was digging around there a bunch. I can't even find the nut on the breakout diagrams.

 

[Stu_Rock]

For both front and rear, it looks like the part is W705967-S426, which is an M22-1.5 nut. Regular parts stores should be able to get a Dorman equivalent. Look at their catalog to find the closest match:
http://www.dormanproducts.com/catalog/hardware2006/296-301_Sec11_Part2.pdf

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Axle nuts aren't supposed to be reused?

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: Kruse
Did you try your local Ford dealer?


Not yet - they are kind of out of the way.

From what I gather, fordparts.com is Ford's Motorcraft arm and I was digging around there a bunch. I can't even find the nut on the breakout diagrams.


The listings on there are incomplete. Also not all dealers are signed up to participate, it costs the dealers a few thousand dollars a month to join it.

 

[Stu_Rock]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
From what I gather, fordparts.com is Ford's Motorcraft arm and I was digging around there a bunch. I can't even find the nut on the breakout diagrams.
I just checked out that site for the first time. It's a little annoying. I did get to the nut by selecting "Brake > Drums, Rotors, and Hubs."

Edit: I consulted the Dorman catalog, and their part 615-097 has a lot of Ford/Mazda applications, though the Escape was not listed. It might work for you. Check the measurements and photos in that catalog. The Dorman nuts will be $5-$8 instead of the $33 that Ford wants.

 

[bdcardinal]

And from Ford, if your dealer does not stock them, you get to buy 4. The dealer has to order in quantities of 4 from the mother ship.

 

[getnpsi]

Go to a shop that rebuilds axles. Most cv axles have all new hardware, match one up and tip Jose well. Wait you are in PA. Tip Bob well.

 

[itguy08]

Thanks for all the replies - I've got some more digging to do.

Did not know that the fordparts.com site was incomplete. Nor would I have ever thought it would be in the brake section. It's an axle nut for God's sake - should be in the CV joint area!

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Axle nuts aren't supposed to be reused?


That's what the Haynes and Shop Manuals say. In this application there is no cotter pin so I have a feeling the torque plays heck on the nut.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

That makes sense. I'm used to vehicles with a cotter pin .. I'm not sure I'd feel safe like that ... if the axle nut comes lose the wheel bearing comes apart.

 

[JasonC]

Sounds like the same thing with Pinion nuts. They have a locktite compound on them and are supposed to be replaced when removed. I follow that, but ive known plenty who just apply Red Locktite and rock on.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Thanks for all the replies - I've got some more digging to do.

Did not know that the fordparts.com site was incomplete. Nor would I have ever thought it would be in the brake section. It's an axle nut for God's sake - should be in the CV joint area!


It should, the versions of that number that use a normal parts numbering system have a 3B477 basic which would put it in the front suspension section. The illustrations will intermingle parts sections.

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: JasonC
Sounds like the same thing with Pinion nuts. They have a locktite compound on them and are supposed to be replaced when removed. I follow that, but ive known plenty who just apply Red Locktite and rock on.


I ALWAYS reuse pinion nuts. Otherwise, how do you know how much to tighten them??
Over tightening them will cause the crush washer to change dimension and there goes your ring/pinion alignment.
I mark the old one and reinstall it to the mark.

To the OP:
It the nut staked? you can often reuse it. Switch sides and you will almost guaranty a new spot to stake with.
BTW, don't forget to remove the stake part when taking it apart!

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
It the nut staked? you can often reuse it. Switch sides and you will almost guaranty a new spot to stake with.

I've found that axle nuts tend to have a single thread. This means that they only start on one way, so the stake ends up in exactly the same place it was originally. Maybe Ford is different, I don't know.

Having said that, you can re-use a staked nut, but the stake will usually break on one side when you try and tap it back in again.

 

[GMBoy]

Axle nuts are only a few dollars. It is more than just the loc-tite on the threads...these are also torque prevailing fasteners in many applications. Do not reuse them. Will you die if you do? Odds are that you won't and will be fine...but there is also a risk and one I choose not to take.

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
It the nut staked? you can often reuse it. Switch sides and you will almost guaranty a new spot to stake with.

I've found that axle nuts tend to have a single thread. This means that they only start on one way, so the stake ends up in exactly the same place it was originally. Maybe Ford is different, I don't know.

Having said that, you can re-use a staked nut, but the stake will usually break on one side when you try and tap it back in again.



All threads are a single thread!
With new parts or switching sides [using the other side on the 'new' side], you can get a new stake spot. Things don't torque up the same - close, but not exactly, and a little more or less within the torque spec range is allowable.

Also, a new NOTCH can be ground - it takes ten seconds with a Dremel or other cut off tool.
I should have given this tip intially.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would be OK reusing the axle nut, as long as it's staked I don't see it coming off.