I also did the conversion for ft lbs. Conversion is correct. I have al new bearings, seal, and cv. Brakes are fine. Axle nut is so that when I use and eye dropper for,a few drops water on the nut the water  immediately boils off. Ouch! I now have put on 300 miles + since the new bearings. Not as hot but the weather here is 38 out that might have made a difference in temperature. Onto Newfoundland next week, I hope. Maybe I,should back off the nut 2 spaces and see if it cools down. Any thoughts?

Dennis Jowell
Scotch Hollow Farm
Newbury, Vermont 

> On Jun 1, 2015, at 11:42 AM, Stephen Engel <sengel543@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> Multiply Nm by 0.7376 to get ft-lbs. In this case 500Nm = 369ft-lb.
> 
> I don't know anything about the Bentley being wrong.
> 
> Maybe your brake shoes on the right side are grabbing? Bearings, CVs not lubed or worn?
> 
> --------------------------------------------
> On Mon, 6/1/15, Dennis Jowell <dennisjowell@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> Subject: Rear axle torque specs?
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Monday, June 1, 2015, 7:04 AM
> 
> Forgot to add that that the rear
> passenger side wheel bearings and seal have been just
> replaced by a new shop I'm trying to use. Wheel axle nut
> torqued to 360 ft lbs. I then drove the Westy back to my
> farm 60 miles away. Remove hub caps and felt axle nuts on
> both side of the Westy. The passenger side was exceptionally
> hot. I couldn't hold on to it. The drive side was only
> warm.
> Hence my be question of torque specs.
> 
> 
> Does anyone know what the correct torque specs for the rear
> axle nut on my 1988 GL Westy.
> My Bentley says 360 ft.lbs. but I understand that that is
> wrong . I understand that The conversion factor from the 500
> Nm was calculated wrong in the Bentley.,shouldn't it be 253
> ft lbs?
> I got this info from the westfalai.org site.
> 
> 
> Dennis Jowell
> Scotch Hollow Farm
> Newbury, Vermont