One time use axle nut

**Burbman** · 05-16-2016

Here is a perfect example ofwhen an axle nut is considered one time use. I just put this axle in last year an now hub bearing is bad. I must have cross threaded the nut when i installed the axle, this thingwas not coming off. After a lot of heat I cut the nut off with an angle grinder. Stupid mistake now costme a new axle along with a new bearing lol

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**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 05-16-2016

I honestly never use the new axle nut they give you with new axles, they just suck ass compared to the old OEM nut.

The thread pitch is either slightly off or the threads are just fubar'd from the factory, re-use OEM nuts are the way to go.

**Burbman** · 05-17-2016

I was thinking about our last discussion on this in another thread and decided you were right, probably over kill buying a new axle nut. I wanted to do a quick hub replacement and fully intended to reuse the axle nut.

That was until it wouldn't come off. I recall it went on fine, I would have swirnit wasn't crossed, but that sucker got about halfway off and stopped. I was standing on the end of a 25" breaker bar and the nut wouldn't move. Of course everybody has left axles in stock, but the only guy with a right axle is the advance 3 towns over so could not finish the job last night, picking up the axle today at lunch.

So after I cut the nut off, i llaughed that that's about as onetime use as you can get LOL

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**Turbocharged400sbc** · 05-17-2016

**** the nuts that come with the axles.

those are cut threads with yellow zinc. a bit of rust on the threads and you can wipe em clean off as above. i rarely see em cross threaded
Oem are rolled threads, heat treated, armor coat plated.

i always reuse the oem unless its completly schnockered

stock is the fastest, stock is the bestestest

**Burbman** · 05-18-2016

So what I am hearing/reading is that I may have F-ed this up....I recall that when I installed this axle back in August, I started the nut by hand, and you get at least a couple of turns before the locking collar engages. So I know it was not cross-threaded going on. Where I screwed up was using the impact to run the nut on until snug before using the torque wrench to the final 118 ft/lbs. Apparently the hammering from the impact gun galls the threads of the nut, axle, or both, and creates what you see in the pic. Mind you it went on smooth as silk, the damage didn't happen until I tried to remove the nut. The exposed threads outside of the nut looked fine, so I had no indication there was any issue.

These were both CarQuest new (not reman) axles. This second one came with a big red "STOP-READ THIS FIRST" paper in the box that advised no air tools or impact guns on this nut, under any circumstances. Usually this advises against overtightening, but this specifically warned of thread damage. This was not my first choice of axle brands, but it was what was in stock locally....NAPA was out.

**BillBoost37** · 05-18-2016

Bull Twinkies on the impact causing it. I've gunned those on and off a hundred times. Like most others mentioned...aftermarkets are much easier to see an issue with...but it wasn't from the gun unless you are exceeding 600ft lbs from the gun.

**Burbman** · 05-18-2016

No, the gun was just to spin it up so I could snug it with the torque wrench. I've done it before too....maybe it's a cheap axle. Like I said, it went on fine, and it started to come off OK, but after it unthreaded about 1/4" it just bound up and stopped. I had my 36" crow bar between the lug studs to keep the hub from turning and I wound up bending one of the studs from the torque I was applying trying to get the nut off.

Hats off to my 25" HF breaker bar, I was jumping on that thing (I'm 275) with both feet, thought for sure it was gonna snap.