Axle Nut Torque on Ground or in Air

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
982
Location
WPB, FL
I have always installed my wheel bearings axle nut in the air but, I was just reading that you should do it with the cars/trucks weight on it.

Which way do you guys/gals do it? I looked at my Jeeps FSM and it doesn't state to put the car on the ground.
 
With Subaru's I've always heard loosen and tighten in the air so you don't damage the bearing, so that's what I do.

I know you have a Jeep, but subies are what I'm most familiar with.
 
i believe my instructions for the windstar stressed making the final tighten in one continuous motion; could not sweep the torque wench counter clockwise.
 
The bearing should be done in the air. No preload from the car's weight to screw up your preload adjustment.

Lug nuts are simply easier on the ground
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
The bearing should be done in the air. No preload from the car's weight to screw up your preload adjustment.

Lug nuts are simply easier on the ground
+1
 
Originally Posted By: thescreensavers
I have always installed my wheel bearings axle nut in the air but, I was just reading that you should do it with the cars/trucks weight on it.

Which way do you guys/gals do it? I looked at my Jeeps FSM and it doesn't state to put the car on the ground.
Your '97 is the same as my '98-it has an integral hub & bearing assembly, the axle nut can be tightened either way-but I did mine on the ground to stop the wheel from spinning as I did it.
 
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
I would think it would make very little difference whether on the ground or not.


It makes a huge difference if your axle nut is preloading bearings or not. Generally, those kinds of set-ups have you torque to some very modest (15 in-lbs) amount to remove play in the bearing, then back off and go finger tight, or back to some other modest torque to get the proper bearing pre-load. If you do that with the wheel on the ground, you'll never get the pre-load correct, and you'll destroy those bearings in short order.

Now, if you're talking about a hub, in which you bolt the axle into the hub, well, yeah, who cares.

But the axle nut sets bearing pre-load on a lot of cars and on those, you absolutely must do it in the air.
 
FWD axles?
I don't think it matters.

2WD/RWD:
NEVER on the ground. No airplane in the world torques wheel bearings on the ground, and NEVER should your car wheel bearings be torqued on the ground as well.

ALWAYS IN THE AIR!

You are SUPPOSED to rotate the wheel while torquing any tapered roller bearing - also impossible to do on the ground.
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
I would think it would make very little difference whether on the ground or not.


It makes a huge difference if your axle nut is preloading bearings or not. Generally, those kinds of set-ups have you torque to some very modest (15 in-lbs) amount to remove play in the bearing, then back off and go finger tight, or back to some other modest torque to get the proper bearing pre-load. If you do that with the wheel on the ground, you'll never get the pre-load correct, and you'll destroy those bearings in short order.

Now, if you're talking about a hub, in which you bolt the axle into the hub, well, yeah, who cares.

But the axle nut sets bearing pre-load on a lot of cars and on those, you absolutely must do it in the air.


I thought it was obvious he was talking about FWD or similar bearing torque.
 
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
I would think it would make very little difference whether on the ground or not.


It makes a huge difference if your axle nut is preloading bearings or not. Generally, those kinds of set-ups have you torque to some very modest (15 in-lbs) amount to remove play in the bearing, then back off and go finger tight, or back to some other modest torque to get the proper bearing pre-load. If you do that with the wheel on the ground, you'll never get the pre-load correct, and you'll destroy those bearings in short order.

Now, if you're talking about a hub, in which you bolt the axle into the hub, well, yeah, who cares.

But the axle nut sets bearing pre-load on a lot of cars and on those, you absolutely must do it in the air.


I thought it was obvious he was talking about FWD or similar bearing torque.


I thought it was ambiguous...hence my answer... I've owned both kinds of cars, and it wasn't at all clear to me to which kind he was referring...
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
But do you have a torque wrench that goes high enough?
Not to mention the socket.
Final torque on the ground unless indicated otherwise.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top