M.,

Can't answer most of your questions, but can tell you that you don't need a
torque wrench to approximately hit 360 Ft. Lb.  All you gotta do is slip a
four foot piece of pipe over your socket handle and lean on it with about 90
pounds of weight.  4 X 90 = 360.  Let us know how much tighter the nuts get.

Karl Wolz

|-----Original Message-----
|From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
|M. Jade
|Sent: Friday, June 11, 2010 11:39 PM
|To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
|Subject: Re: Why my rear axle nuts got loose
|
|Hello David, thanks for the quick reply. I hope it is not damaged that
|easily yet. Last year the axles were taken off to replace broken CV joint
|boots. I had been paying attention to the rear wheels. The noise from loose
|axle nuts is very easy to idnetify. I had two AC beaetles in the past and I
|had that problem before. So when I heard it last year I took the earliest
|opportunity to tighten them. The noise immediately went away. It has been
|good for more than 6 months. Then it started again on one wheel. I checked
|it and it sure was loose. So I tightened it again. This was about two weeks
|ago. That wheel is doing fine now. Then I heard the same noise from the
|other wheel. I checked it today and sure enough it was loose. I tightened
|it just an hour ago. I will know if the noise goes away tomorrow.
|
|If the noise does go away does it mean the axle is OK? My question is they
|had worked for more than 6 months. So the nuts have been tight, although
|not quite enough. Because I had to turn about another 30 degree it makes me
|wonder if something has worn and it takes 1/12 turn to tighten them again.
|
|When I said loose it's not like you can turn it by hand. You have to turn
|it by a wrench (1/2" drive 2 feet long bar). So I don't feel the splines on
|the axle are damaged. The question in my mind is is it possible the axle is
|going to break off. I know it is probably not very likely. But does it ever
|happen to anyone to have a broken axle? Last time they were loose I turned
|the nuts probably 1/12 turn. Now they were turned again 1/12 turn.
|Something must be wearing out inside or the axle is pulled so hard and
|about to break off. Again this is probably not likely. But I am concerned
|really.
|
|Thanks again David.
|
|MJ
|
|--- On Fri, 6/11/10, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote:
|
|From: David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
|Subject: Re: Why my rear axle nuts got loose
|To: "M. Jade" <tinho2010@YAHOO.COM>
|Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
|Date: Friday, June 11, 2010, 10:35 PM
|
|At 01:19 AM 6/12/2010, M. Jade wrote:
|> My rear wheels have been making rumbling noise. According to my past
|experience I know it is the axle nuts that are probably loose. So I finally
|checked them today. Sure enough they are loose. I tightened them until I
|could not turn further. I do not have a torque wrench so I am sure I did
|not apply enough torque.
|
|Dear M. Jade,
|
|If your axle nuts aren't tight enough, the hub will slip on the axle
|splines and damage both of them.� It sounds as though this has already
|happened and the hubs and axles may need to be replaced.� It's necessary to
|be sure that you have axle nuts with ten slots (rather than the older ones
|with six).� You must tighten them to 360 lb-ft / 500 Newton-meters and then
|additionally tighten until the next slot lines up with the hole for the
|cotter pin.� The main risk is that the drive axles will no longer be able
|to power the wheels reliably, or that the nut itself might possibly fail in
|which case the wheel would depart from the vehicle.
|
|This is not something you can be casual about.� If you cannot tighten them
|properly yourself you must get someone to do it for you.
|
|Yours,
|David
|
|
|