Yes, replace all of the parts!   This is what can happen if a rear wheel
falls off at 65 mph (FF to 1:34): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGKlWqSadlQ

Last time I did this job I rented a 3/4 drive electric impact driver and
bought a socket.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jeff Lincoln
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2012 6:25 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: loose rear axle nut

John,

Listen to these guys!!!! I recently had to replace my rear wheel bearings -
when I put everything back together I must not have gotten that nut to the
proper torque. Everything seemed fine for a while and then I started to hear
rumbling while on a trip. We were 3 hours from home when I stopped to check
it and saw that one side of the cotter pin had been sheared off!!!!
That nut was loose as hell. We got some help and did the best we could and
litterally limped home.

The bearings I had just put in looked good still but I replaced tyhem anyway
- along with the hub and stub.

When you go to put that all back together you might think 360 ft lbs is over
kill but it is not. I wasn't smart enough to figure out the math of my
weight and how long of a breaker I needed. So I just borrowd a super heavy
duty torque wrench from a friend. It went up to 450 or 600 ft lbs or
something like that. I tell you when I got the wrench to 360 it was still a
way before I hit the next cotter pin slot - I don't remember exactly but I
was over 380 ft lbs by the time I got to that next slot.

Good luck!

--
Thanks,

Jeff
'85 GL (Gertie)
'78 Bus (Melissa) Patty's Bus